- The exercise will be carried out under the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command (SWAC)
- The 2-hour-15-minute-long exercise, which will begin at dusk, will see the participation of over 120 aircraft, including 77 fighter planes, 41 helicopters and five transport aircraft
- Key components of the exercise will include air-to-air and surface-to-air missile systems, with firepower demonstrations by MICA, R-73, SAMAR, and Akash
- The C17 transport aircraft will also be seen dropping ammunition for the first time in the exercise
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, FEB 2
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to organise ‘Exercise Vayu Shakti-24’ at Pokhran’s Air to Ground Range, near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, on Saturday – February 17 with several firsts planned for demonstration. The exercise seeks to “showcase the full spectrum of operations” that the IAF can undertake “in a realistic scenario”.
नभः स्पृशं दीप्तम्। pic.twitter.com/UuWvtjj97I
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) February 2, 2024
The last edition of exercise Vayu Shakti was held on 16 February 2019.
The 2-hour-15-minute-long exercise, which will begin at dusk, will see the participation of over 120 aircraft, including 77 fighter planes, 41 helicopters and five transport aircraft. Some of the aircraft will be in support and stand-by roles on the ground.
Exercise #VayuShakti 2024 at Pokhran on 17 Feb promises a stunning display of offensive & #defensive capabilities. With 121 aircraft, joint operations, and cutting-edge tech, it's a testament to #IAF precision and strength. 🇮🇳 #VayuShakti2024 https://t.co/AJfxERTFpJ
— Aarnav Sharma (@SharmaAarn) February 2, 2024
Key components of the exercise will include air-to-air and surface-to-air missile systems, with firepower demonstrations by MICA, R-73, SAMAR, and Akash. The inclusion of these systems underlines the IAF’s commitment to maintaining cutting-edge capabilities.
Speaking with the media in New Delhi on Friday, Vice-Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal AP Singh said, “We plan to conduct the Vayu Shakti-2024 exercise to showcase the full spectrum of operations that Indian aerospace power can take on. It will be conducted in a realistic scenario.”
He added that the aim of the exercise is not only to practice and showcase the equipment or capability of the crew, but also to showcase the ability to undertake swift operations that involve coordination.
“The aim is to be able to deliver 40-50 tonnes of ammunition in a radius of 1-1.5 km,” he said.
The exercise will feature several firsts, such as the debut of the Rafale fighter, the indigenously developed Prachanda Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Apache attack helicopter. The C17 transport aircraft will also be seen dropping ammunition for the first time in the exercise, said Air Marshal Singh.
The 2024 exercise carries the tagline ‘lightning strike from the sky’ (translation from Sanskrit phrase).
The exercise will be carried out under the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command (SWAC).
The participating aircraft will include other indigenously manufactured ones such as the Tejas fighter and the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). Aircraft such as Mirage-2000, MiG, Su-30, Jaguar, Hawk, C17, C130, Chinook, and Mi-17 will also be a part of the demonstration. The Avros and An-32s will be in support roles.
The exercise will also showcase joint operations with the Indian Army.
