Article Posted on : - Nov 01, 2011

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) will deploy its major frontline combat aircraft including the Su-30, Jaguars and the Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) in a massive joint exercise codenamed 'Maha Gajraj' with the Indian Army over the western desert in Rajasthan.

All major war-fighting equipment will be deployed in the joint exercise with the Army over Pokharan in Rajasthan, senior IAF officials told PTI here.

The exercise, which will mainly have the aerial assets under the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command, will start in November and culminate in December.

The SWAC area of responsibility extends from Rajasthan to Maharashtra and has several important bases such as Jodhpur, Naliya, Bhuj, Jamnagar and Pune under it.

It also looks after the maritime security aspect of the western region and has aircraft such as the Su-30MKI, maritime Jaguars, MiG 27 and MiG 21s under it.

During the exercise, the IAF will validate its war-fighting doctrines and practice joint manoeuvres with the Army troops on ground.

The Army bit of the exercise has been codenamed 'Sudarshan Shakti' and will involve over 50,000 troops and over 200 main battle tanks mainly from the Bhopal-based 21 Strike Corps and the Jodhpur-based 12 Corps.

The two Services will hold the wargames under SWAC Commander Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi and Southern Army Commander Lt Gen A K Singh.