Bhubaneswar: This College, tucked away in a remote part of coastal Odisha turns boys in their late teens into tough young men. These are the men handling India’s air defence systems now, as the country is engaged in a conflict with Pakistan. India’s rock-solid air defences intercepted every missile and drone launched by Pakistan on Thursday. Over 50 drones were shot down.
Welcome to the Army Air Defence College or AADC, on a part of the Gopalpur Military Station in the Ganjam District of Odisha. This is where soldiers of the Army Air Defence Corps receive training in the handling of equipment, from L70 guns to missiles.
AADC is situated on roughly 2,728 acres. It came into being on November 1, 1989, as the Air Defence and Guided Missile School and Centre (ADGMSC). Interestingly, the establishment was set up by the British in Karachi as the Anti-Aircraft Training School in 1940. After Partition, it was moved to Deolali and merged into the air defence wing of the School of Artillery.
It was in 1955 that hunt for a new location began as Deolali lacked sufficient space for firing ranges. In 1968, the Government of Odisha offered 3,000 acres and setting up of the ADGMSC was authorised in 1979. In 1989, it became a part of the Gopalpur Military Cantonment. In 1998, it came to be known as the Army Air Defence College. The Army Air Defence Centre also became a part of it.
“AADC is today equipped with the most advanced facilities. The air defence warriors who train there are among the best in the world. The college uses simulators and other modern training aids. The trainees learn to use ZSU-23-4B “Schilka”, Zu 23 mm, 9K33 OSA-AK, its variants and other gun systems. They also receive training on how to use the ingeniously developed Akash and MRSAM surface-to-air missiles,” a senior official said.
One of the most important features of the institute is the Gopalpur Seaward Firing Ranges. With a range of 75 km, this is ideal for day-and-night air defence weapons firing and outdoor exercises. This range is also equipped with electro-optical tracking and assessment system for firing analysis and validation of all army air defence systems. The ingenuously developed pilot-less target aircraft – Lakshya, MEAT and Banshee are used as target drones.
