In the third year of the on-going military stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh Union Territory, the People’s Liberation Army Ground Forces (PLAGF) are constructing heliports under the PLA Western Theatre Command’s South Xinjiang Military District and the Tibet Military District (TMD). these heliportst will also house underground munitions storage deports containing both medium tube artillery and long-range rocket artillery multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL).

AR-3 MBRL

It may be recalled that between March and April 2020, the PLAGF’s medium tube artillery regiments and long-range MBRLs had been stored in areas adjacent to the PLAGF heliport at Shiquanhe opposite Ladakh. Later on, they were forward deployed to locations at Rutog (facing Pangong Tso Lake and Chushul), Zhaxigangxiang (facing the Depsang Plains), and at Zanda County facing both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

In addition, by August 2020 construction of two heliports meant for air-maintenance of the PLAGF’s on-site garrisons in the Hot Springs and Pangong Tso Lake areas Had begun. Located north of Hot Springs and 155km east of Pangong Tso Lake, these heliports have underground munitions storage depots in their immediate vicinity. In addition, the PLAGF has been constructing a heliport in Tianwendian, east of the Daulat Beg Oldie ALG. Survey work for this heliport had commenced in August 2019 and civil engineering works began in October the same year. The heliport is at an altitude of 16,700 feet and is likely to have a 1,000 metres long runway. A taxiway-cum-apron in semi-circular inverted-D shape has been constructed, along with a 600-metre apron parallel to the runway. Eight large areas are being prepared for construction of possibly 24 hangars around the taxiway. China is also making efforts to harden the heliport by building an underground command-and-control centre, work on which began in August 2020.