Operatives of the Indian 10 PARA(SF) as part of the Chachro desert raids during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
Capt. MP Chaudhary, 2IC of the Alpha team is manning the mounted FN MAG 7.62 machine gun with Lt. Ghanshyam Das at the wheel of the Jonga patrol vehicle. The Jonga was a Nissan designed vehicle.
The Chachro raids were a series of offensive desert ops carried out by 10 PARA(SF) deep inside Pakistani territory in Chachro, Virawah, Nagarparkar and Islamkot during the war between December 05-16, 1971.
The objective was to destroy Pakistani military installations located up to 80km behind enemy lines, disrupt supply routes, create confusion and to act as a diversion for a larger set of Indian military operations along the western border. 160 operators were involved, divided into two groups of 80 each designated Alpha and Charlie, who traversed nearly 500km between multiple targets inside enemy territory, ambushing enemy patrols along the way. The raids took place over a period of eleven days, and concluded successfully with no Indian casualties.
Dec 1971: An M4A1 Sherman medium tank from the Pakistani 26ᵗʰ Cavalry after successfully repulsing an attack at Chamb's point 994 by Indian T-54/55s. The Sherman was damaged during combat after it went over a mine.
KRL-122 MLRS in service with Sri Lankan armed forces during the country's civil war. The KRL-122 is a 122mm MLRS made by installing a 122mm Grad launcher on the chassis of a M35 series 2½-ton 6×6 cargo truck. It saw action against LTTE rebels throughout the war & was replaced by RM-70.
An Indian Army T-55 providing cover to Indian troopers from Sappers Company during 1971 Indo-Pak War in Bangladesh. Note the interesting fume extractor on the T-55 barrel which was an ingenious measure to differentiate it from similar looking Pakistani Type 59 tanks.
Sri Lankan army soldiers discussing about plans before going for the push against a LTTE defense line during the 4th phase of The Sri Lankan Civil war.
MURDER, MURDER, MURDER! Thus was announced the IAF drawing first blood on 22 Nov 71. Tracking raiding Sabres of the PAF, four Gnats of 22 Sqn were scrambled under the callsign ‘Cocktail’. Living up to their Sqn’s name, the Gnats got airborne Swiftly at 1451 hr from Dum Dum.
The Gnats flown by Flt Lt Ganapathy, Flt Lt Massey, Fg Offr Soares & Fg Offr Lazarus were promptly vectored to the raiders by Fg Offr Bagchi on the radar scope. 17 min & 150x30 mm Cannon rounds later, the IAF had shot down two Sabres, while a third was seen limping towards Dacca. Total Air Superiority in East was soon to follow.
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