Major IAF exercise along western front next week

[KashifAsrar]

Major IAF exercise along western front next week

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The IAF is gearing up to kick off a gigantic air combat exercise along the entire western front from next week, with scores of fighter jets, helicopters, mid-air refuellers, transport aircraft and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) taking to the skies in simulated wargames.
The scope of the exercise ‘‘Gagan Shakti’’ can be gauged from the fact that it will involve the ‘‘assets’’ of the two most crucial regional commands, the Delhi-based Western Air Command and the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command.
This, in effect, means twothirds of IAF, stretching from Jammu & Kashmir right down to Goa, will take part in the combat manoeuvres.
The IAF says it will ‘‘try to ensure’’ that civil air traffic is not disrupted due to the exercise to be held from September 4 to 27.
The entire aim behind the exercise, which will also involve some Army and Navy forces, is to practice ‘‘air dominance’’ by validating new strategies that have been developed to address contemporary threats.
‘‘With IAF inducting new force multipliers and growing into a major strategic force, there is a need to exercise operational networks within the force for joint war-fighting with Army and Navy. Network-centric warfare is the key to air dominance,’’ said IAF vicechief Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani on Tuesday.