New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is all set to kick off exercises with the US air force to be conducted at the Kalaikunda air base in West Bengal this month known as the ‘Cope India’ exercise. The exercise will be conducted from April 10 – April 21. It will further enhance the operational capability and interoperability between the two forces. Tokyo will significantly act as an observer in this exercise, it will witness “air combat and mobility elements” operating from multiple airbases like Kalaikunda, Panagarh, Agra and Hindon.
The Indian Air Force will be fielding the French-Origin Rafael fighter jets, Russian Sukhoi-Su 30MKI and indigenous TEJAS fighter jets as well as AEW&C (Airborne warning and control systems), C17 Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft and IL-78 mid-air refuellers for the exercise. The US will deploy its F15 Strike Eagle jets.
This exercise comes amid India’s long 3-year military standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The IAF since the start of this year has taken part in four overseas exercises. The Indian Air Force’s primary goal is to take part in various fighter engagements and learn from other air forces’ best strategies. It helps them in learning the latest developments in tactical as well as operational employment of air power. India deployed four Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters, two C-17 Globemaster and one IL-78 aircraft with 150 IAF personnel for the first-ever air exercise with Japan called “Veer Guardian” which was conducted at the Hyakuri air base in January.
Also, the five LCA Tejas fighters, two C-17s, One IL-78 and 145 personnel of the IAF took part in another multinational exercise ‘Cobra Warrior’ in the UK from March 6-24, 2023. The IAF also participated in the ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ exercise with Japan’s air self-defence force at Komatsu on the sidelines of the bilateral exercise ‘Dharam Guardian’ from February 13 to March 2.
India and US regularly conduct various military exercises, ranging from bilateral ‘Yudh Abhyas’ land combat to the quadrilateral Malabar Naval war games. Yudh Abhyas, a bilateral drill between India and the US, was held in the high-altitude region of Auli in Uttarakhand last November, just 100 km from the Line of Actual Control with China.
