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| India-Pakistan |
| India, France kick off air combat exercise |
| 2007-02-13 |
| NEW DELHI: A large air combat exercise between India and France kicked off at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal on Monday, with Indian Sukhoi-30s, Mirage-2000s and MiG-27s taking on the French Mirage-2000D and Mirage-2000V fighter jets. This 'Garuda-III' exercise will also see IAF deploying an IL-78 mid-air refueller, while the French air force will chip in with a E-3F AWACS aircraft. In both Garuda-I and Garuda-II, IAF pilots had proved more than a match for the French pilots. "The main objective this time is to expose our pilots to the French fighter tactics and vice-versa. The exercise will help build interoperability since pilots as well as the ground crew will become familiar with each other's operational, technical and administrative practices," said an officer. |
| Posted by:john |
| #8 The French do love their delta/triangle designs -one of major brouhahas wid the Brits + Germans, etc, over the proposed all-Euro stealth fighter. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-02-13 22:16 |
| #7 India by ten points. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2007-02-13 20:19 |
| #6 Also, the French are trying to use these exercises to demonstrate their aircraft to the Indians, and maybe catch a few sales to keep the Mirage lines running. India is looking to replace a lot of aircraft in the next 10 years - most of their MiG 21s, older Hawkers and Gnats, and the like. Plus, these exercises give the French a chance to fly their Mirages against the newer Sukhoi and MiGs, and see how well their ECM equipment does against same. Helps the French improve their models, which helps with export sales. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-02-13 18:51 |
| #5 IAF pilots had proved more than a match for the French pilots. Actually while they outperformed the French at WVR combat during the first exercise, they lost in BVR (where it really counts in modern air-warfare - the days of dog-fighting are over). They've had to upgrade their BVR skills. The French pilots were also expecting Soviet tactics, forgetting that the IAF had a British origin, actually had French origin aircraft of their own, and exercised occasionally with the Israelis... |
| Posted by: john 2007-02-13 17:49 |
| #4 The IAF will be an observer at the Red Flag exercises in 2007 and a participant in 2008 |
| Posted by: john 2007-02-13 17:44 |
| #3 The IAF always prevails on home-turf. :> It's a requirement of the exercise. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-02-13 17:39 |
| #2 expose our pilots to the French fighter tactics Can you fly a white flag at supersonic speeds? |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2007-02-13 17:38 |
| #1 "The main objective this time is to expose our pilots to the French fighter tactics and vice-versa. You know - just in case there is ever a war in which France will fight and if they do it will probably be some country like India but never some one that really matters. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back 2007-02-13 16:51 |