New Delhi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has done it again. It’s simply proved that it is as good as any, and earned praise from the partners in the friendly, but near realistic Red Flag Exercise held at the Nellis Air Force Base in the deserts of Nevada this August. .

Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal P V Naik told newsmen here after the return of the Indian team recently that the exercise was useful as the IAF pilots operated for the first time in a totally network centric environment and also in coordination with US AWAC (Airborne Warning and Control Systems) aircraft.

“Network Centric Warfare capability is vital and indispensable in today’s warfare,” he said while pointing out to its advantages and added that IAF itself is progressing towards complete network centricity very fast.”

The Red Flag exercise is held every three months for a duration of around two weeks, and it generally involves NATO allies of the US. India sent eight SU 30 MKIs of the elite 20 Squadron, along with two IL 78 midair tankers and one IL 76 heavy lift aircraft along with 91 officers and 156 other ranks. The contingent covered a distance of 19000 km after leaving the home base of Pune on July 7 and passing through several countries to reach Mt Home Air Base 10 days later.

It left the US territory on Aug 25, taking off from the Nellis Air Force Base, and returned to India through UAE, where it did four days of mutually beneficial aerial exercises with the UAE Air Force’s six squadrons of F-16 and Mirage 2009 aircraft.

The Vice Chief and contingent commander Group Captain D Choudhury were all praise for the US Air Force as well as the pilots of the French and South Korean air forces who took part in the Red Flag.

It was teamwork throughout, and although there were 80 aircraft at any given time during the exercise, including AWACs and electronic warfare Prowlers, there was total coordination and assigned targets were achieved.

The exercise was realistic, and those shot down either by hostile aircraft or ground fire – by cameras instead of guns or missiles – were taken off, said Gp Capt Choudhury. The Red Flag covered air to air, air to ground and ground to air operations.

The US has always been conducting exercises against the Soviet, and now Russian, forces as the assumed enemy. This time also, USAF F 16s and F 15s, as well as hostile radars and Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) were painted in the colours of its Cold War enemy, trying also to emit signals and signatures appropriate to them.

Notably, it was the first time ever that aircraft of the type of Sukhoi were in US territory, and some curiosity was natural. It was the same for Indians who wanted to learn more about the French Rafale and the US F 15s and F 16s.
It may be noted however that at various air shows around the world, aircraft are on open display, and free flights are possible for customers, and even journalists.

The IAF did not disclose the full potential of the SU 30 MKIs, as secrecy of some of the systems and their operations had to be maintained. For its pilots accordingly, it was like having one hand tied to the back.

But they still earned the Laurels both in visuall and Beyond Visual range (BVR) combat simulations.

Air Marshal Naik said that the IAF pilots flew day nad night Offensive Air Operations, Large Force Engagement and Dynamic Targeting Missions while its Garud Commandos practiced Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations in urban warefare scenarios. Infact, they also won laurels from the exercise commanders.

During the exercise, the Garuds also demonstrated their mission capability by neutralizing an enemy radar site and capturing an airfield.

In the exercise, one side is called the Blue Force, and the other, which simulates the enemy, as the Red Force. The latter position was assigned to USAF F 16s and F 15s. The Red Force also had SAMs like SA 2, SA 3, SA 6 and SA 8 along with long and short range Quick Reaction missiles which can be activated within five seconds.

The IAF contingent was deployed at the Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, for the main exercise along with the South Korean Air Force flying the F 15Ks, the French Air Force flying its brand new Rafales, and the USAF flying the F 15s and F 16s.

The Blue Force pilots had all the possible odds against them, including an intense Electronic Warfare environment, first for the IAF to experience. There is some excitement as the Red Force infiltrates the Blue Force ranks and also gathers intelligence electronically, and then uses this vital information against the Blue Force itself.

IAF pilots participated in Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), Dynamic Targeting, Air to Air and Air combat to Ground missions.

The experience of engaging in completely networked combat, supported by AWACs, with such a large number of aircraft – 80 at any time – was described by Air Marshal Naik as of immense training value as the IAF itself is in the process of acquiring AWACs and also networking its assets with real time data links in future.

The Il 78 tankers were in active support during the missions, refueling the Su 30MKIs midair. The IL 76 aircraft undertook tactical transport and large force engagement operations.

Notably, thanks to excellent maintenance, the SU 30 MKIs flew 140 sorties, while the IL 78 and Il 76 flew 26 missions each.

There was a third force, that of Umpires designated as the White Force, in the arena. Armed with sophisticated instruments and debriefing tools, they evaluated the performance of various participants in a clinical manner, and occasionally asked the Blue Force participants to change plans at short notice to increase pressure on them.

It may be noted that the general trend in aerial warfare is that if a pilot survives his first 10 offensive missions, then he goes a long way and becomes an ace or what is called the Top Gun.

The umpires rated the Indian pilots as among the best. Air Marshal Naik said that although the experience of the exercise was extremely useful, it was expensive to take part in exercises in foreign lands.

IAF will possibly hold its own international exercise some time, learning from the experience at the Red Flag.