Major IAF exercises from tomorrow

BANGALORE: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be conducting from Wednesday major operational exercises for eight days across the southern peninsula, including over key offshore installations on the east coast, and the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands in the south-west.

Called ‘Dakshin Prahar 09’ (Southern Attack) the exercises are being coordinated by the Thiruvananthapuram-headquartered Southern Air Command (SAC). It comes in the background of the heightened threat perceptions in the southern peninsula following the 26/11 attacks using a sea route to enter Mumbai and the acquisition of nascent aerial capabilities by the Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka, who theoretically have the capability of striking at India’s two nuclear facilities in Tamil Nadu.

‘Dakshin Prahar,’ which was held once before in December 2007, will focus on a geographic area below Goa in the west, Hyderabad in the centre and Vishakapatnam in the east. The vast area will require IAF fighter pilots to fly four to six-hour-long sorties, using air-to-air refuelling from strategically placed Il-78 air tankers.

Also, with network-centric warfare the new operational mantra, the IAF’s air defence units/radars across the peninsula will be inter networked, with the Air Defence Direction Centres at Hyderabad and Chimney Hills (Bangalore) coordinating the action. The exercise will also see the validation of the IAF’s concept of flexi airspace use, where the IAF’s assets are linked with those of the civil aviation authorities.

Aircraft taking part in the exercises are the Su-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, the recently upgraded maritime strike Jaguars, which will come from units in Pune, Bangalore and Goa respectively. Transport, communication and logistic support will be provided by the IAF’s workhorse the AN-32s, Avros and Mi-8 helicopters.

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