Article Posted on : - Apr 12, 2018

The LCAs of the Indian Air Force taking part in the ongoing 'Gaganshakti' combat exercise.

JAIPUR (PTI): Air Force stations based in Rajasthan close to Indo-Pak border are participating in the ongoing Indian Air Force's combat exercises, defence officials said.

The two-week long exercise named 'Gaganshakti' started from Sunday to check the force's operational preparedness with a focus on dealing with any possible security challenge from China and Pakistan, the officials said.

The air force stations at Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Uttarlai, Phalodi, Nal and Suratgarh in Rajasthan are also participating in the exercise, they said.

"The aim of this exercise is real time coordination, deployment and employment of air power in a short and intense battle scenario," the IAF said in a statement.

It said concepts of accelerated operations, network centric operations, long range missions with concentrated weapon releases across all air to ground ranges in India and inter valley troop transfer have been planned as part of the exercise.

Special operations employing transport aircraft and helicopter as well as special forces have been planned during the exercise whereas new strategies and tactics, various humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills will also be validated, the IAF said.