Cope India 2005 - Kalaikunda AFS - Part I

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Cope India 2005 - Kalaikunda AFS - Part I

Post by JaiS »

It's that time of the year again. :D


Kalaikunda set for Indo-US exercises

Oct. 28. — “Cooperative security” will be the main mantra behind the joint air exercises by the Indian Air Force and US Air Force at Kalaikunda air base between 7 and 19 November. Cope India 2005 — a joint air exercise between United States Air Force (USAF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) harps on the same tune of “Con-Ops” or co-operative operations.’’

“These joint exercises would help our pilots cooperate with forces of other countries and share modes of operation tactics, logistic, technical and administrative concepts,” said Air Commodore A Saikia, Air-Officer-Commanding, Kalaikunda Air Force station.

He said USAF pilots and fighter aircraft would be coming from Misawa Air Base and Kadena Air Base in Japan to take part in the joint air exercises. One squadron F-16 fighter aircraft of USAF will participate in the joint exercise while IAF’s frontline fighter aircraft like Jaguar, Mirage, Bison, MiG-27, MiG-29, Sukhoi-30 will be in the exercise, the AOC said.

He said apart from the US and Singapore Air Force, UK has entered into a dialogue with the Centre for conducting joint air exercises. Other countries like France and Germany have shown great interest to participate in the joint air exercises.

On the joint exercises, Group Capt. TK Chatterjee, Chief Operations Officer, Kalaikunda Air Base, said: “Our pilots would be greatly benefited by this exercise... if the situation so arises we can function as a joint force. For the first time, the USAF is bringing AWACS where air-borne warning and controlling systems will be received.”
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Post by JaiS »

Indo-US joint fighter exercise in November

New Delhi April 6, IRNA

Indian Air Force's frontline Sukhoi, Mirage 2000 and upgraded MiG-21 Bisons would cross swords with the United States Air Force F-16 fighting falcons in the second series of joint fighter exercises in November this year, reports Press Trust of India.

The pilots of the two air forces would match their skills in close range as well as beyond visual range combats over Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal. In their first test of wits, the Indian pilots had got the better of their American counterparts in Gwalior last year.

But the contest that time had been between the US. F-15s and the Indian Su-30s and Bisons. And the US Air Force this time are bringing in their Fighting Falcons that too of Batch 50-50s ( 52 ? ), the latest upgraded series.

According to top IAF officials, 8 to 12 American F-16s would be taking part in the exercise codenamed 'Cope Thunder Three' and India, besides the Su-30MKI ( IMO, yet to be confirmed ) and Su-30K would field the Mig-27s, Mirage 2000 and MiG-21 Bisons.
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Post by JaiS »

Twin games in air

June 6, 2005

The F-16 Block D produced by Lockheed Martin will exercise with the IAF in one of a series of drills called Cope India that will be based at Kalaikunda in Bengal. Last month, Indian and US defence officials surveyed the Kalaikunda base and also Calcutta airport, which will function as a secondary base for the exercise.
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Post by JaiS »

United States Airforce to fly F-16s in India

Tuesday Sept. 6, 2005, WASHINGTON: The United States is deploying its F-16 fighter jets for large scale air exercises with India to be held at the Kalaikunda Air Base outside Kolkata in November this year.

Twelve F-16 CJs and an E-3 AWACS from the Misawa and Kadena Air Base on Okinawa in Japan will be flying down for the ten-day Cope India exercises starting November 7, according to defence sources.

It is the first time the US is deploying F-16 fighter jets for exercises in India. Washington held back its F-16s and sent six F-15 Eagles from the Elmendorf Air Base in Alaska during the last exercises in Gwalior in February 2004, partly due to concerns over reactions from Pakistan, whose air force inventory centers around the F-16s.

This time the US wants to get it right. Besides, both sides appear to have decided that Pakistan is relatively marginal to their military relationship, which is pegged to broader and deeper concerns.

In fact, when the Indian Air Chief announced in Srinagar last month that US and India were holding air exercises, there was hysterical reaction from Pakistan, which assumed that the exercises were being held in Kashmir (because it was announced there). Washington subsequently clarified that the exercises were at the Kaliaikunda Air Base outside Kolkata, calming Islamabad’s frenzy.

Meanwhile, ahead of November’s Cope India exercises, six IAF personnel visited Misawa and Kadena last month for familiarization courses that included flying the F-16s. At the same time, two American airmen went to India with a similar purpose and they flew India’s topline SU-30s.

Apart from their fighter jets and equipment, the US is also sending nearly 250 military personnel from the Japan-based 35th Fighter Wing and 961st Airborne Warning and Control Systems in exercises that officials say are becoming bigger and more potent with every passing year.
Last year, around 200 Indian airmen had flown to Alaska for exercises there.
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Info on visit of IAF men to Misawa and Kadena

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MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan

Getting to know their U.S. counterparts before an exercise on their home turf in November, six members of India's air force visited Misawa from Aug. 21–27 as part of a bilateral exchange. The 13th Fighter Squadron and 610th Air Control Flight at Misawa each hosted two pilots, two controllers and two safety officers from various units in India. They toured base facilities and worksites, sampled American culture and cuisine and learned about day-to-day military operations at the Base, including flight operations, maintenance, air traffic control and crash recovery.

"A big part of it is to be familiar with how we operate so we can safely operate together during the exercise, as well as build some of the rapport and friendship that really make the exercise successful," said Lt. Col. Chuck Toplikar, 13th Fighter Squadron operations director. Misawa and Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island are gearing up to send about 256 military personnel from the 35th Fighter Wing and 961st Airborne Warning and Control Systems, respectively, to Cope India, Nov. 7–19.

At the Air Force Association's annual Air Warfare Symposium in February, Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Paul V. Hester said the training will be a large-force exercise. "We'll have people on the ground, people in the air. It will mark a growing respect between our nations as we work together," he said.

Last month's swap was mutual: The same week in August the Indian air force members came to Japan, Misawa and Kadena each sent one airman who will participate in the exercise to India. The two are getting to ride in a Russian-made SU-30 fighter, one of the Indian officers said.

Toplikar said, "It's getting to know each other, to know each other's cultures, getting to know how we think and operate, and continuing to build a friendship between the two countries as a whole." On their last day in Japan, the group met Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, and spent time with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 8th Tactical Squadron, based at Misawa.

Wing Commander and MiG-29 fighter pilot, said the whole week was wonderful.

"For me [the highlight] was riding in the F-16."

"Ride?" Toplikar said. "You flew it."

"I did get to fly, yes," Srinivas said, laughing. :lol:
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Re: Info on visit of IAF men to Misawa and Kadena

Post by viveks »

12 F-16s is a big deal. This is a large exercise. The US is dead serious about this exercise. I think the main intention is to evaluate how to over-come Su-30, which it considers a main threat.

Also, I think they have waging combat tactics against base russian air-craft. They have little exposure with electronically sprused up russian machines.
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Post by bala »

These exercises with the USA reveal a core fact about how the Western nations upgrade themselves continuously. India’s acquisition of SU-30MKI posed a significant threat and the US knew that the SU-30MKI represents a weakness in their strategy. Instead of being sanguine about their competency the US ties up India with exercises thereby exploring the boundaries of their strengths. This is a clear example of how one advances – continuous improvement by learning from others. I hope that the Indian Armed Forces planners enshrine this core concept as an enduring maxim forever.
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Post by Johann »

- Western nations and allies like Israel, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore hold exercise with each other continuously as well, whether they have similar or disimilar equipment - each has its own advantages. The fact that someone wants to conduct such exercises is not in itself remarkable.

The Americans chief mark of trust is a)what weapons they are willing to sell you and b) how much raw intelligence they are willing to share. The message when India is cleared for items that Pakistan is not is that India is actually trusted more.

Which is why the US is willing to hold exchanges of observers with the Chinese, but not sell them weapons.

- Joint exercises arent just about sharpening your own skills against others, they are about learning how to work together. US Pacific Command which deals with India, and organises exercises with it is *very*, *very* interested in working together with India in its area of responsibility whether its sea lane security, disaster relief, or other things.

- Exercises are also the American way of showcasing both equipment and abilities. They are very interested in selling both. The US would only be too happy if IAF wing commander walked away saying good things to his superiors after flying an F-16.
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Post by JCage »

Having said that, India is definitely not Japan, South Korea or Thailand. How many wars & how much wartime institutional experience do these AF's have? Dont think Japans WW2 ethos survived or the survivors played that important a role in the modern Japanese AF.

Furthermore, unlike these AF's which are primarily American equipped and rely on US SOP's to a large part, the IAF operates a diverse menagerie of aircraft, including many from the erstwhile Soviet Union, and it is the most capable operator of those a/c today- even including the Russians who (apart from a handful of elite test pilots and a few squadrons) are struggling to get flying hours for the bulk of their crew.

And imho, that is one of the prime reasons the USAF is so interested in flying against the IAF. The IAF, in a manner of speaking is the invaluable "uh of, didnt know they could do that with that" equivalent of the MiG29 unit operated by the west germans.
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Re: Info on visit of IAF men to Misawa and Kadena

Post by Ved »

viveks wrote:12 F-16s is a big deal. This is a large exercise. The US is dead serious about this exercise.
One very relevant fact is that the USAF is smarting over the bloody nose they got in Gwalior last year. They've pulledout the stops and mean business; that's why they're coming with Link-16 enabled platforms, which means silent, secure data linking. This should be fun!
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Post by JCage »

Ved,

you said it!

The F15s last time also had datalinks , but there were only 4 of them and no AWACS. This time, AWACS and 12 F-16's. :mrgreen:

AMRAAMs too, instead of simulating Sparrows and using it as an excuse when out manouevered. :mrgreen:
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Post by Katare »

I think for USA, one of the major motivations for these exercises with India comes from need to prepare its AF for likely future conflict with PLAAF, which is equipped with hundreds of flankers. A better understanding of these menacing machines would enable US to better prepare its forces for any future conflict with China over Taiwan or with Japan. For India, motivation for exercises is obvious, to learn more about US platforms like F16 and western operational and maintenance philosophies that equip most of the worlds air forces including TSP.

A win-win situation between worlds largest and oldest democracy :P
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Post by Prateek »

The US or Europeans will not come to your door steps, unless they have a thing or two to learn from you, if they can't learn they will steal it from you, that's how they have propsered!
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Post by rajkumar »

Prateek wrote:The US or Europeans will not come to your door steps, unless they have a thing or two to learn from you, if they can't learn they will steal it from you, that's how they have propsered!
So what's to stop India doing the same?
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Info on 13th Fighter Squadron "Panthers"

Post by JaiS »

35th Operations Group - 13 FS

The 13th Fighter Squadron "Panthers" based out of Misawa Air Base, Japan, are a combat-ready F-16CJ "Wild Weasel" fighter squadron supporting higher headquarters-directed operations worldwide. It generates and flies sorties in the interdiction, offensive, and defensive counter air, and the suppression of enemy air defense roles.

The 13th was reactivated on July 4th, 1985, flying F-16s at Misawa AB, making it the first permanent USAF fighter unit on mainland Japan since 1972.

Since it's conversion to the F-16CJ in late 1994, the squadron has represented PACAF on the World Champion 1995 GUNSMOKE Team, been awarded the 1995 Outstanding Unit Award from the Association of Old Crows, and represented PACAF on the 1996 WILLIAM TELL Team. In 1997, the Panthers were the first unit from PACAF to participate in Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. During the deployment, the squadron flew it's first combat missions since the Mayguez Incident in 1975, participated in DESERT STRIKE, and was credited with HARM kills on an Iraqi SA-8 and ROLAND radar missile system. Since that deployment, the squadron has returned to Operation SOUTHERN WATCH twice, and just recently returned from Incirlik AB, Turkey in support of Operation NORTHERN WATCH
Last edited by JaiS on 30 Oct 2005 19:46, edited 1 time in total.
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Images of E-3 from 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron

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Post by JaiS »

U.S., Indian air forces continue building relationship

9/15/2005 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- U.S. and Indian air forces took the latest step in their growing relationship recently when six Indian Airmen were here for a weeklong visit, while two U.S. Airmen visited their counterparts in India.

These exchange visits were in preparation for a Cope India exercise in November, which will include about 250 U.S. Airmen from bases in the Pacific. Besides Misawa, Airmen will come from nearby Kadena and Yokota Air Bases, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and Andersen AFB, Guam.

“One of our jobs, in this large area of operation, is to find an opportunity to engage our friends and partners and to work with them,” said Gen. Paul V. Hester, Pacific Air Forces commander. “Unlike the European theater where NATO collects a group of nations together under one umbrella and operates together in that cooperation, we do bilateral cooperation in the Pacific.”

Exercises such as Cope India “build trust and cooperation so that we can work together when coalitions are necessary in the Pacific,” General Hester said.

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961st AACS - Patch and Info

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The 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron

Image

The 961st Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron was activated 18 December 1954 at Otis AFB, MA. Flying the EC-121 Constellation aircraft, the squadron provided airborne early warning and control operations within the Eastern Air Defense Identification Zone. The squadron was deactivated 31 December 1969 and reactivated at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, 1 October 1979 as the 961st Airborne Warning and Control Support Squadron. The unit was redesignated the 961st Airborne Warning and Control Squadron in January 1982 and on 1 August 1994 received it current designation of 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron.
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Post by Johann »

If the PACAF contingent do well, they have made a convincing sales pitch for the weapons and technology that they use, as well as for the value of future joint training.
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Post by Prateek »

rajkumar wrote:
Prateek wrote:The US or Europeans will not come to your door steps, unless they have a thing or two to learn from you, if they can't learn they will steal it from you, that's how they have propsered!
So what's to stop India doing the same?
I don't hav to tell you this, bcoz I assume you know the answer, our own high moraled Gandhi-Nehruvian policies, which ignores reality and lacks in pragmatism.
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Post by Tilak »

[Old] Indo-US Exercises [High resolution Images]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
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Post by JCage »

Johann wrote:If the PACAF contingent do well, they have made a convincing sales pitch for the weapons and technology that they use, as well as for the value of future joint training.
The last yes, but our AWACs are going to be a mix of Phalcons & DRDO ones, whereas the F-16s are off the shopping list anyhow. Before the US sells equipment to India, it has to make an unequivocal commitment to supply spares and associated equipment to India come what may, plus offer attractive deep transfer of technology. Something which the Russians are all too willing to do, and which the French appear ready to do for the Mirage 2000-V.
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Post by Ved »

Prateek wrote:I don't hav to tell you this, bcoz I assume you know the answer, our own high moraled Gandhi-Nehruvian policies, which ignores reality and lacks in pragmatism.
I don't know about that.... I DO know that there are a number of countries queueing up to come to India for exercises, but we're taking our time and being as choosy as hell!
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Post by Prateek »

JCage wrote:Before the US sells equipment to India, it has to make an unequivocal commitment to supply spares and associated equipment to India come what may, plus offer attractive deep transfer of technology.

Not just this, the US has to prove that their equipment is superior to what we already got, comprising of the Russian and French weapon systems plus the all new electronic gadjets acquired from Israel and elsewhere and developed in India.
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Post by A Sharma »

Flying skills of IAF pilots to be on test

The flying skills of the Indian Air Force pilots would be put to test when they come up against the American Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcons backed by Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), over the Kalaikunda airspace in West Bengal next month.

Though the IAF pilots have proved themsleves earlier against the F-16s, billed as the world's most advanced flying killer machines, the joint exercises over Kalaikunda would be be the first time that Indian aviators would be matching the Americans in an AWACS environment.

The US Air Force would for the first time be fielding a complete squadron of the fighting falcons to practice missions on dissimlar Air Combat Manoeuvering (ACM) and Large Force Management in the Beyond Visual Range regime, according to US officials here.

IAF officials saw in the 12-day exercises, which would entail day and night flying, an opportunity for the pilots to experience the AWACS to prepare the force for induction of India's own AWACS system by 2007.

While, the US Air Force would fly in their F-16s from bases in Japan, the IAF would like to match most of its frontline fighters against the Falcons by fielding SU-30MkI, Mirage-2000, MiG-27 and the upgraded MiG-21 Bisons.

This will be the second series of Indo-US exercises involving fighter aircraft over the Indian skies. IAF and US Air Force F-15 fighters crossed swords over Air Force Station Gwalior. However, IAF aircraft, particularly the All Weather Deep Penetration Strike aircraft Jaguars, have participated in air-to-air combat missions with F-16s during multi-nation exercises in Alaska. IAF fighters have taken on Thai and Singapore Air force F-16s during bilateral air to air exercises.

"The scope of the exercises has been widened this year to include a full squadron of F-16s and a compliment of AWACS," an IAF spokesman Squadron Leader Mahesh Upasani said.

He said in preparation for the Joint Exercises, the Air Force Station at Kalaikunda in West Bengal has been brought up to "international standards" and "in future we want to hold bilateral air force exercises at this station.
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Official news release - no mention of Su-30 MKI

Post by JaiS »

F-16s & AWACS TO TAKE PART IN EX-COPE INDIA 05

A joint IAF – USAF exercise is planned at Air Force Station, Kalaikunda from 07 – 19 Nov 05. Last year a similar exercise was held at AF Station Gwalior. The scope of the exercise has been increased this year to involve larger force levels.

Participating forces include a squadron of F-16 from a USAF base in Japan and various types of IAF fighter aircraft like the SU-30K, Mirage-2000, BISON and MiG-27. For the first time the AWACS aircraft will participate in an air exercise in India. This experience will go a long way in preparing the IAF aircrew in operating in an AWACS environment before the induction of the IAF AWACS into the service. The tanker fleet will participate during the induction and deinduction of forces for the exercise. The practice missions will include Dissimilar Air Combat Manoeuvering (ACM) and Large Force Engagement (LFE) in the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) regime.
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Post by bijeet »

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Post by SaiK »

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/no ... 051031.asp
Flying skills of IAF pilots to be on test [aptly titled] ..an opportunity for the pilots to experience the AWACS to prepare the force for induction of India’s own AWACS system by 2007.
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Post by Roop »

The flying skills of the Indian Air Force pilots would be put to test when they come up against the American Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcons backed by Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), over the Kalaikunda airspace in West Bengal next month.
Ved, Nitin, someone, help me make sense of this statement please. If the Americans have AWACS and AMRAAMS, and the IAF has no AWACS, how in God's name is this "a test of the IAF's flying skills"? If you're flying against someone who can detect you at, say, 150NM range and launch BVRs at 80NM, and your own radars can't detect them at more than, say, 80NM, what chance do you have of winning that engagement? By the time you detect and engage, he has already launched his missiles. All the "flying skills" in the world are not going to help you here. This isn't Dogfight City or Top Gun.

So how to make sense of that article?

:?: :?:
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Post by Anurag »

I'm sure the IAF pilots will be part of the strike package or defending package with AWACS along side the Americans. Will be a mixed bag otherwise it won't make sense to hold the excercise. The IAF wants exposure, it'll get it.
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Post by Dileep »

Guys, it is not a fight, or competition. It is an excercise. I think one major objective will be to get the Indian pilots to gain experience of operation under AWACS control. I would imagine both sides will have AWACS support.
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Post by SaiK »

would their be live feeds into our a/cs from american awacs? or would it be our pilots taking entirely their f-16s and learning about the awacs?
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Post by Kakarat »

F-16s will take part in exercise
Special Correspondent

Air Force station at Kalaikunda revamped for 12-day exercise

NEW DELHI: The U.S. Air Force will fly its F-16 planes for the first time in India in a joint exercise next month with frontline Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters at a newly revamped airbase in West Bengal.

The F-16s will be supplemented by the airborne warning & control systems (AWACS) or sophisticated radars mounted on planes which, at a height of 30,000 feet have a surveillance radius of 400 km and the capability to simultaneously detect hostile movement of several aircraft. Few countries — not even China — own AWACS while India is currently building them with Israeli and Russian assistance. This is the first time that the AWACS, called "eye in the sky," will participate in war games in India.

The IAF had requested its American counterparts to bring the F-16 fighters as the previous joint exercise in India had seen the deployment of an earlier version of these fighter planes. The 12-day exercise beginning on November 7 will have larger force levels.

Besides a squadron of F-16s from a U.S. Air Force base in Japan, the participating forces include various types of IAF fighter aircraft such as the SU-30K, Mirage-2000, MiG-21 BISON and MiG-27. "This experience will go a long way in preparing the IAF aircrew in operating in an AWACS environment before the induction of the IAF AWACS into the service. The tanker fleet will participate during the induction and de-induction of forces for the exercise. The practice missions will include Dissimilar Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) and Large Force Engagement (LFE) in the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) regime," said IAF officials.

The aim is to enhance mutual operational understanding and refine procedures for future joint exercises between the two Air Forces. The primary objective is to become familiar with each other's operational, technical and administrative practices. The IAF, in the recent past, has participated in joint exercises with the French and Republic of Singapore Air Force.

In preparation for the exercise, the Air Force Station at Kalaikunda has been brought up to international standards. An initial planning conference was held in May between the IAF and USAF and a final planning conference was held in September.

The IAF has started participating in multinational exercises abroad and for the last few years been also hosting international exercises in the country. For the first time, the IAF deployed some of its fighters for multinational exercises in Alaska, South Africa and France over the past year.
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Post by Ved »

Mohan Raju wrote:
Ved, Nitin, someone, help me make sense of this statement please. If the Americans have AWACS and AMRAAMS, and the IAF has no AWACS, how in God's name is this "a test of the IAF's flying skills"? .....So how to make sense of that article?:?:
Admittedly, the AWACS side will have a decisive advantage - but there may be a few tactics, including a few 'AWACS busting' measures (dont forget, the AWACS is now target No 1!) whose efficacy would need to be seen.
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Post by Singha »

IAF will get to use the awacs as well via radio voice channel. and IAF observers onboard the E3 will likely get their first real view of nato-style large unit ops around 25 a/c milling around..maybe they have seen it in israel earlier though.
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Post by George J »

Singha wrote:IAF will get to use the awacs as well via radio voice channel. and IAF observers onboard the E3 will likely get their first real view of nato-style large unit ops around 25 a/c milling around..maybe they have seen it in israel earlier though.
I thought IAF were observers on an OTAN AWACS during Garuda too.

Phooey radio link....we need datalinks. Besides after watching enough of Red Flag and Red October on Military Channel, I gather that the "lingo" used to vector packages is not the same and is classified???

Ved, do you guys use similar language while communicating with firangee while exercising? Or do you have to come up with a benign code book of what to use and what not to use?
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Post by Singha »

garuda was much smaller in number of planes. this time a full squadron is there which is a first in india-foreign exercise. I am sure IAF will be fielding 20-30 planes.

> datalinks

we dont have the datalink terminals nato a/c use to communicate with e3.
a lot of comms like the intercept commands actually take place via encrypted voice actually, the radar pic is sent via datalink
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Post by JCage »

Ved,

Is the IAF taking care to ensure that its modernisation (ADGES et al) is valid against future threats, such as stealth a/c and low RCS UAVs and Cruise Missiles?

W/o proper situational awareness in such a scenario, the std fighters will be at a severe disadvantage. At least, datalinking from ground based radars etc would help.

Regards.
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Post by putnanja »

Why are they not using Gwalior? Isn't it the only instrumented IAF base ? Last year too, I beleive the Indo-US excerices were held at Gwalior
George J

Post by George J »

RaviBg wrote:Why are they not using Gwalior? Isn't it the only instrumented IAF base ? Last year too, I beleive the Indo-US excerices were held at Gwalior
Yeah the IAF is useless, privatize it. :twisted: I am sure Reliance will do a better job running the AF. Look how well they keep unwanted elements out of Haldia.
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