Accidental missile launch probe: Group Captain-rank officer to blame?
In its initial stage of investigation into the accidental firing of a supersonic cruise missile that landed in Pakistan earlier this month, the Indian Air Force has reportedly pointed fingers at a Group Captain-rank officer.
FollowIn its initial stage of investigation into the accidental firing of a supersonic cruise missile that landed in Pakistan earlier this month, the Indian Air Force has reportedly pointed fingers at a Group Captain-rank officer.Â
However, the probe which is being conducted by an Air Vice Marshal is yet to finalise the report. The officer looks after air operations at the Air Force headquarters.Â
The investigation is still underway but prima facie it looks like the Group Captain who was in charge of the mobile command post of the missile system as blameworthy, a news agency quoted sources as saying. Â
The missile was fired accidentally during a Command Air Staff Inspection (CASI) at its home base on March 9.Â
The investigation will be completed in a time-bound frame and then only final details would come out, officials told Asianet Newsable.
On March 15, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Parliament over the inadvertent firing of the missile system and said that the government had taken serious note of the incident.
He further announced a review of the Standard Operating Procedures for maintenance, operations and inspections following the incident.
Days after Pakistan sought an explanation from India on it, New Delhi had acknowledged that a 'technical malfunction' led to the accidental firing of a missile.Â
Pakistan had called the launch as India's 'callousness and ineptitude' in a 'nuclear environment'. Pakistan had called the launch as India's 'callousness and ineptitude' in a 'nuclear environment'. Pakistan's foreign ministry claimed that the grave nature of the incident raised serious concerns and questions with regard to technical safeguards against the accidental or unauthorised launch of missiles and security protocols that are in place.
However, Rajnath, in his response, made it abundantly clear that the Indian missile systems were extremely trustworthy and secure and that the Indian armed forces are experienced in handling such systems.
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