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IAF to hold exercise with UK and France in 2014
Upset with last minute cancellation of a major multi-nation air exercise in the USA, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will now get an opportunity to test its war-fighting skills when pitted against foreign air forces only in 2014.
The two air-exercises, christened Indradhanush with the UK and Garuda with France, have been scheduled for 2014 with a gap of six months, sources said. The last exercise was held in 2010.
While the Garuda exercise with the French Air Force is likely to take place in the IAF base in Gwalior, the exercise with the Royal Air Force may happen in the RAF base in Waddington. Venue of the 2010 edition of Indradhanush was Kalaikunda, while Garuda was held in Istres, France.
The exercises assume additional significance in the IAF training schedule after the last minute cancellation of Exercise Red Flag in July at the US Air Force (USAF) base in Nevada, sources said. The USAF has abandoned plans of holding the exercise citing budgetary constraints. Conceived after the Vietnam war, Red Flag is the worlds most challenging air-exercise that provides air force pilots with realistic combat experience. Participation in the exercise was earlier restricted to close US allies, but was extended to India after bilateral relations between New Delhi and Washington improved in the last decade.
Indias maiden participation in Red Flag was in 2008, and cost about Rs 100 crore. This time, the IAF was planning to fly eight of its Su-30 MKI fighters, two C-130J special operation carriers, two IL-78 mid-air refuellers and one IL-76 transporter to the USA.
The IAF planned for two years to participate in the exercise but received the disappointing news a few days ago.
IAF to hold exercise with UK and France in 2014
Upset with last minute cancellation of a major multi-nation air exercise in the USA, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will now get an opportunity to test its war-fighting skills when pitted against foreign air forces only in 2014.
The two air-exercises, christened Indradhanush with the UK and Garuda with France, have been scheduled for 2014 with a gap of six months, sources said. The last exercise was held in 2010.
While the Garuda exercise with the French Air Force is likely to take place in the IAF base in Gwalior, the exercise with the Royal Air Force may happen in the RAF base in Waddington. Venue of the 2010 edition of Indradhanush was Kalaikunda, while Garuda was held in Istres, France.
The exercises assume additional significance in the IAF training schedule after the last minute cancellation of Exercise Red Flag in July at the US Air Force (USAF) base in Nevada, sources said. The USAF has abandoned plans of holding the exercise citing budgetary constraints. Conceived after the Vietnam war, Red Flag is the worlds most challenging air-exercise that provides air force pilots with realistic combat experience. Participation in the exercise was earlier restricted to close US allies, but was extended to India after bilateral relations between New Delhi and Washington improved in the last decade.
Indias maiden participation in Red Flag was in 2008, and cost about Rs 100 crore. This time, the IAF was planning to fly eight of its Su-30 MKI fighters, two C-130J special operation carriers, two IL-78 mid-air refuellers and one IL-76 transporter to the USA.
The IAF planned for two years to participate in the exercise but received the disappointing news a few days ago.
IAF to hold exercise with UK and France in 2014
