Insta
Gagan Shakti 2018: Amid Severe Fighter Shortage The IAF Will Field 1,100 Aircraft For Mega War Exercise
Swarajya Staff
Apr 07, 2018, 03:35 PM | Updated 03:35 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The Indian Air Force is all set to assemble its entire operational fleet of aircraft – over 1,100 of them in a series of war games titled Gagan Shakti in the next few days.
The two phase country wide exercise will involve more than 15,000 IAF personnel deploy to locations other than their bases. According to the Indian Express over 3,000 to 4,000 sorties would be flown per day during this exercise.
The first phase of the exercise will be held along the western border, while the second phase would be along the northern border. To make up for the severe depletion in fighter aircraft number the IAF is set to attempt what the Indian Express report terms as "surge operations".
During these operations personnel are expected to ensure much higher availability of aircraft fleet than during normal periods. Service personnel from support organisations such as the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be deployed along with the squadrons to ensure extremely high serviceability rates. This, according to the report, will be the first time the IAF is practising surge operations at this level and scope.
The IAF is also reportedly fielding the locally developed Tejas aircraft during the exercise, despite the first squadron not being fully raised due to delays in supplies from HAL.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.