IAF makes its first casualty evacuation using night vision devices

The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully completed a casualty evacuation at night using night vision goggles, in a narrow valley close to the border somewhere in the north-east sector, for the first time in its history.

An Indian Army division contacted IAF Eastern Air Command HQ with an emergency request at 1630 hrs on 20 August to evacuate two casualties, one with a serious head injury. The helipad was located in a narrow valley close to the international border.

Despite being on the same longitude as places that have a time zone a full hour ahead of Indian Standard Time (IST, based on the longitude of Nagpur, in central India), India''s north eastern states are still forced to follow IST. This results in very ''early'' sunrises and sunsets. Dawn breaks around 0330 hrs in the summer, and the sun sets at around 1600 hrs.

Consequently, by the time the request came in, darkness was rapidly descending. Considering the late hour of day, marginal weather conditions and the deteriorating health of the casualties, rescue personnel took a prompt decision to undertake the evacuation in a helicopter, using night vision goggles.

Just 12 minutes after the request was received, the most qualified aircrew at the Air Force Station, Mohanbari, scrambled an Mi-17 helicopter. In low visibility conditions and turbulent monsoon weather, the team flew a mission involving four hours of flight time and saved of the lives of two critically injured soldiers.

The patients were evacuated from Kibitoo helipad to Jorhat Air Force Hospital. This type of casualty evacuation at night using night vision goggles during difficult flying conditions in a narrow valley close to the border was undertaken for the first time in the history of the IAF.