Exercise Indradhanush 2010 @ Kalaikunda

[andy B]

^^^ 400% Agree on the Tiffy saar....although the Tiffy with its pirate, dass (iirc it has a pretty comprehensive ew suite too), asraam/irist combo would too make a sweet sniper combo. Also the tiffy too will carry 4 amraams semi recessed and on most cases as a standard load combined with 4 asraams/irists it will be lightning quick. In that regard I really like GDs idea of tiffys taking a lot more of the AA metle and turning rambhas into strike eagles as they have more than enough payload to

The excercises between the squals and ze fulcrums will be most interesting especially because this aint your dady's fulcrum yo...in terms of flir and helmet sight both have very good combo even though the fulcrum's ols may not be as shophisticated as the osf.

It will me most interesting to see how the digital fbw new wings and control surfaces, sea wasp injuns and their increased reliability and thrust, more fuel, shophisticated avionics and better radar and ols and tfta hmd go off against the squal....waiting with abated breathe olee...

[Austin]

If the ATLC exercise results were anything to go by the french bird is certainly no slouch A2A. Can't wait for the upcoming exercises with the CDG wing; it'll be interesting also to see how the 29K stacks up against the Rafale M.

CM

I doubt these exercises would do any thing other then test interops , I am certain these exercises tend to hide more then revel about each other capability.

So a very realistic BFM between 29K and RafaleM is something will not happen , unless the host country or NATO ally get hold of both these birds and do a no hold bar DACT , much like they did with Mig-29A and F-16.

[Juggi G]

IAF, RAF Chiefs to Fly in Joint-Exercise Missions
The Hindu

IAF, RAF Chiefs to Fly in Joint-Exercise Missions
Published: October 29, 2010
Ananya Dutta

It is likely that the Chiefs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) will be flying in the Missions of the ongoing joint-exercises at the IAF's Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district.

Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik of the IAF and Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton of the RAF are expected to join the pilots of the two forces in their operations on November 2, official sources told The Hindu on Thursday.

They will be flying in Su-30 and the Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft as well as Typhoon Eurofighters. The final phase of ‘Indradhanush,' the India-United Kingdom joint exercise, began at the station during the day.

The exercise began on October 18, but flying missions were started two days later. They will be concluded on November 3. According to a release issued by the Ministry of Defence, a large number of aircraft in offensive and defensive roles are expected to be launched in ‘Waves' in a limited airspace, in the final phase of the exercise. The AWACS of both air forces will also be launched.

With a large number of aircraft in a limited airspace, the skills of both fighter pilots and controllers will be put to test. The High Value Air Asset protection missions will be carried out simultaneously.

“So far, over 120 missions of the exercise have already been flown successfully as part of the joint-exercise,” said Mahesh Upasani, chief Public Relations officer of the Ministry of Defence.

[Kartik]

Isn't that a strange camo scheme for the Mig-27?
Or is it just the photos??

Moreover Hindu had reported that the primary objective of this exercise is
air-defense and large force engagements.
Then why is the Mig-27 participating in it the first place.
And that too with that camo...

~Ashish.

Its the regular low-viz Tipnis gray scheme. The photo quality is really poor.

The MiG-27s are part of the large force engagements. They simulate a large force of strikers that have to be prevented from getting to a target by a screen of mixed IAF and RAF defenders. In turn, the MiG-27 strikers will be escorted by Su-30MKIs and Typhoons who will do their best to allow the strike force to get through the defensive screen unscathed, get to their target and then egress safely.

[Misraji]

Its the regular low-viz Tipnis gray scheme. The photo quality is really poor.

The MiG-27s are part of the large force engagements. They simulate a large force of strikers that have to be prevented from getting to a target by a screen of mixed IAF and RAF defenders. In turn, the MiG-27 strikers will be escorted by Su-30MKIs and Typhoons who will do their best to allow the strike force to get through the defensive screen unscathed, get to their target and then egress safely.

Most of Mig-27 snaps I had seen, had the desert camouflage.
Makes sense for the desert and its CAS role.

Wouldn't the low-viz gray scheme be limited to air-defense fighters?
Maybe not I guess.

BTW, didn't the Mig-23s have a specialized EW role?
Could it be that the Mig-27s took over that role and hence were taking
part in the exercise that involved radar-denials, HVA protection and LFEs?

Just thinking out aloud.

But Mig-27s could be there just because they are based at Kalaikunda
and are simulating strikers.
~Ashish.

[Juggi G]

The RAF Typhoon At Ex-Indradhanush-2010

Click to see the Larger Images









Photos Courtesy Wg Cdr Mahesh Upasani via Livefist

[Juggi G]

Indradhanush : A Date with History at Kalaikunda Airbase

[Singha]

in the 2nd last photo what is the horizontal fin behind the right side canard for? it is present even on the left. chankian ECM antenna or merely a step for groundcrew to stand on.

[neerajb]

Singha ji looks like a strake to me for high AOA flight. In the last pic they are using a ladder to board the aircraft. Generally footsteps and handholes have spring loaded doors and are flush with the skin.

Cheers....

[Juggi G]

An Indian air force Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft takes off during a joint air exercise between Indian Air Force and Royal Air Force of Britain, in Kalaikunda, India, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010.


An Indian Air Force airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft rolls past parked MIG-21


An Indian air force airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft lands during a joint air exercise


Photos Courtesy :

[Prasad]

That first picture really shows how massive the MKI truly is!

[Surya]

nah

How massive it truly is understood by seeing yours truly next to it

[Singha]

the pix have a hazy cold war feel to it...like imagery of soviet airbases in western books

[kvraghav]

^^
And first time i am seeing pictures of SB130+ series.This one has number 135(or is it 138).

[sum]

^^ Love the chappal wearing SDRE civilian coolly sitting and admiring the Su-30 from close quarters in the 1st pic...

[shukla]

Indo-UK Air Exercise 2010 Pictures - By James Wray Nov 2, 2010 for M&C


A Royal Air Force (RAF) Group Captain walk past in front of an Indian Air Force's SU-30 fighter plane on the Air Force base Kalaikunda, some 130 km north of Calcutta, India, on 02 November 2010


Pilots return to the base after landing their fighter planes at the Air Force base Kalaikunda


A Russian-made SU-30 fighter plane of the Indian Air Force takes off behind a Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter at the Air Force base Kalaikunda


Members of the media gather in front of a (L-R) Mirage2000, Eurofighter and SU-30 fighter planes at the Air Force base Kalaikunda


A Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot (C) gives explanations to members of the media in front of fighter planes parked at the Air Force base

[shukla]

Indo-UK joint air drill concludes in West Midnapore
Bombaynews

Pilots of the Royal Air Force said that the purpose of this exercise was to enhance understanding between the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force. "The whole purpose of the exercise of the 'Indradhanush' has been to enhance understanding between the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force and whosoever increase...competence as an Air Force and it's been on air front a very, very successful exercise," said Guy Lockwood, a pilot of the Royal Air Force of United Kingdom.

"We have learned good things from them. They follow the NATO procedures, we follow our own. When we fought together we realised they have got some good things, they realised that we have also got some good tactics, we fought together, so it was a good experience," said Susil Kumar, a pilot of the IAF.

[darshhan]

Any news of how the Eurofighter typhoon performed relative to Su-30 MKI and other Indian aircraft?

[Singha]

the size diff between EF and M2k is apparent side by side.

[Lalmohan]

pity there's no mig21 next to it!

[Singha]

its a tall plane. the seating position of the pilot seems above the top of canopy level of M2k.

[Juggi G]

Indo-UK joint Air Drill Concludes in West Midnapore

[andy B]

GARUDA 2010
http://ifile.it/ygdcs1o/GARUDA%202010.zip

[shukla]

UPDATE:

Financial times reports, quoting sources close to the British forces, that the Indians were really impressed with the EF in the exercises and these exercises will help them "seal the deal" in the MMRCA race. Also, they were keenly waiting to welcome India to be a "MAJOR PLAYER" in the consortium.. In a British Vice Marshals discussions with P.V. Naik, he stated that the winner will have to enable India to absorb all prominent 4th gen fighter technology. The V. Marshal observed that EADS was in the best position to do that as the EF was still a fighter in evolution..

(Refer to article in FT as does not allow reposting articles either in part or full)