IAF to conduct biggest combat exercise along Pak, China borders this April
IAF to conduct biggest combat exercise along Pak, China borders this April The Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to conduct its biggest ever combat exercise along Pakistan and China borders between April 10 to 23. Depending upon the order of the Air Force Chief, the Air Force will mobilise its assets in the war scenario within 48 hours of the orders. IAF will mobilise more than 1100 combat, transport and rotary wing (helicopter) aircraft in order to practice the real time scenario. The exercise- Gagan Shakti will be conducted day and night. For the first time, the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will be taking part in the exercise and will perform both the offensive and defensive roles. Navy's Maritime Combat Aircraft MiG 29s will also be a part of it. The scale of the exercise can be gauged from the fact that just from Air Force more than 300 officers and more than 15,000 airmen have been mobilised. A senior IAF officer said, "The exercise will cover from the heights of 20,000 ft to the extreme hot areas of the desert and also the maritime scenarios. We will be utilising all the Air Force firing ranges. The IAF will be conducting landing at Advanced Landing Grounds, Improvised Airstrips and helipads." During the exercise, 1100 aircraft will be flying three-four sorties in a day with the cumulative sorties reaching to the count of 3300 to 4400 in a day.
