News Brief
IAF Plans Three Mega Exercises, Biggest Wargame Gagan Shakti To Activate Fleets Across India's Geography After 2018 Demonstration
IAF's Tejas, Rafales, Jaguars and USAF's B-1B Bombers flying in formation after completion of Aero India 2023 exercises (Image via @rajatpTOI)
Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct three mega exercises in 2024. The first will be Vayu Shakti, to be held in Jaisalmer on 17 February, then Gagan Shakti and lastly Tarang Shakti, ANI reported.
While Vayu Shakti's focus will be on demonstrating firepower using major fighter aircraft like Rafale, Sukhoi-30MKI, LCA Tejas, Mirage 2000 and MiG-29s, it will also include Navy and Army elements as India moves towards creating theatre commands.
The next wargame Gagan Shakti will be the biggest exercise as it will activate IAF from Ladakh to the Indian Ocean region and from Bhuj to Arunachal Pradesh. It is scheduled for April.
This exercise happens once in five years and the last happened in 2018 when IAF's ability to wage war on two fronts - Western and Northern borders - was demonstrated, with indigenous Tejas.
The exercise will include all fleets of fighter aircraft, transport planes, helicopters and drones, as well as Sudarshan long-range air defence system and maritime role fighter aircraft squadrons to promote integration.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari are workung towards increasing jointness in operations of our armed forces.
The last exercise will be multinational and may see the participation of Germany, France, Italy, US and other friendly nations. It will be held around August in Jodhpur after participating countries finalise their plans by June.
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