NEW DELHI: The biggest ever Indian Air Force (IAF) combat exercise GaganShakti was kick-started from Wednesday (April 11) along the Pakistan andChina borders, and it saw the participation of the indigenous Light CombatAircraft (LCA) Tejas for the first time.
Over 11 aircraft have been deployed for this exercise at differentoperational locations. This exercise is unique as the India-made LCA Tejasis being deployed at forward bases.
During the first phase of the exercise on Wednesday, all the deployed LCAaircraft had participated.
“The operational efficiency and mission worthiness of these platforms wouldbe put to test in a real-time intense exercise environment” read anofficial IAF release.
The release also mentioned that “A milestone towards ‘Make in India’, LCAwill employ Close Combat and Beyond Visual Range Air to Air missiles in asimulated scenario apart from Air to Ground weapons.”
The scale of the exercise can be gauged from the fact that just from AirForce more than 300 officers and more than 15,000 airmen have beenmobilised. Joint operations scenario with the Army and the Navy are also apart of this exercise.
The pan India synergised exercise will showcase the multi-spectrumcapabilities, both offensive and defensive. The IAF will conduct allterrain operations- desert, high altitude, maritime scenarios and specialoperations- in the real time.
Gagan Shakti exercise will go on till April 23.