IAF kicks off massive combat exercise, activates all airbases

[Bond]

NEW DELHI: The IAF on Saturday kicked off a major exercise, 'Live Wire', to hone its war-fighting skills, with hundreds of fighters, helicopters, transport aircraft and drones from all its five operational commands participating to test both offensive and defensive airpower capabilities.

The exercise, the biggest in a decade with all the airbases around the country being activated, will be held in phases to validate network-centric operations.

"The entire IAF is involved in the endeavour, which will see operations being conducted from Leh to Car Nicobar," said an officer.

The high-voltage exercise comes close after IAF held a massive fire-power and bombing display, 'Iron Fist', at Pokhran last month.

In July, the IAF will dispatch its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters and other aircraft to the US to take part in the mother of all air combat exercises, the Red Flag, which is held at Nellis US Air Force base in Nevada.

Much like the Iron Fist, the underlying message behind the Live Wire exercise is also the same. India has the requisite military muscle to defend its expanding geo-strategic interests. The combat drills will see different types of fighters - from Sukhoi-30MKIs and Mirage-2000s to Jaguars and MiG-29s as well as force-multipliers like mid-air refuellers and AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) - take to the skies.

With the nodes of IACCS (integrated air command and control system) also becoming operational on the western front facing Pakistan, the exercise will be conducted in networked environment.

The automated IACCS enables quick transfer of data from low-level transportable radars, high-power static radars and medium-power radars as well as ground stations of AWACS and aerostat radars to one central place. This provides a composite real-time air situation picture to ensure operations can be conducted in a much swifter, cohesive and effective manner.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IAF-kicks-off-massive-combat-exercise-activates-all-airbases/articleshow/19009485.cms

 

[SatishChandra07]

Good war preparedness is a must. But I hope IAF has checked those parachutes it provides to it's pilots, they may come in handy given the current trend.

 

[rockstarIN]

Indian Air Force kicks off Operation 'Live Wire' exercise

JAISALMER (BNS): The Indian Air Force (IAF) has started its biggest aerial exercise code named operation 'Live Wire' by deploying all its frontline aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 ,all MiG series platforms, mid-air refuellers, C-130J and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), from Sunday.

Live Wire is IAF's biggest exercise in a decade following the recently conducted 'Iron Fist' held in the deserts of western Rajasthan.

During the wargame, the IAF will practice for fighting both conventional and non-conventional warfare which would including manoeuvres to carry out surgical strikes.

The aerial exercise Operation 'Live Wire' will involve the assets of IAF's main operational formations including the Delhi-based Western Command and Gandhi Nagar-based South Western Command, IAF officials said.

The exercise is aimed at proving IAF's warfighting concepts under a networked atmosphere, as per reports.

The exercise of this scale is held after every five to six years but this edition is the biggest so far considering the fact that the IAF has also grown since 2007 when the last such operation took place.

After Iron Fist and Live Wire, an IAF team will prepare to leave for Red Flag exercise in the US, which is also taking place after a gap of five years.

 

[Screambowl]

I guess too much bombs and ammo just going to expire as it remain unused. (joke)

 

[Markus]

Aren't we conducting too many exercises back to back ?

Possibly preparing for some action if things deteriorate following US exit from Afghanistan.

 

[Screambowl]

Aren't we conducting too many exercises back to back ?

Possibly preparing for some action if things deteriorate following US exit from Afghanistan.

NATO will march out but NOT COMPLETELY.

 

[Markus]

NATO will march out but NOT COMPLETELY.

It seems they will operate at minimal levels, this region is surely going to start boiling next year as thousands of terrorists will start having a free run.

 

[Screambowl]

It seems they will operate at minimal levels, this region is surely going to start boiling next year as thousands of terrorists will start having a free run.

They will watch Alqaida only. Taliban has no interest in going out of afghanistan. Where as Al Qaida operates world wide. Only the nexus of ISI and Taliban will trouble India and will be dangerous for India. And that we have to see with the help of Karzai govt without involving military.

One more fear is all those who helped the NATO, will be eliminated after NATO moves out.

 

[Koovie]

Aren't we conducting too many exercises back to back ?

Possibly preparing for some action if things deteriorate following US exit from Afghanistan.

Too many? No I dont think so. Iron Fist was just a public demonstration to show off.

This one will test all IAF commands at the same time for the first time ever and test the new network centric warfare capabilities.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Aren't we conducting too many exercises back to back ?

Possibly preparing for some action if things deteriorate following US exit from Afghanistan.

"Too many"? There is no such thing as "too many" where training is concerned, ever heard of the saying "the more you sweat in peacetime the less you bleed in war"?!! There is nothing unusual about all these exercises taking place- the IAF conducts such large scale exercises on a semi-annual basis in the same way the IA conducts massive exercises on an annual basis. The only thing that is new is the scale of the exercises if late, the Indian armed forces are working much more to a simulation of actual full-out war of late. And IIRC Ex-Iron Fist was actually a part of Ex Live Fist that has been ongoing in one form of another for a few months now. Ex Iron Fist was one component in a much larger exercise.


+ if you think the IAF is having "to many" exercises then it probably won't please to to know that this year the IAF will be participating in the Red Flag ex at Nellis AFB in the US!!

 

[Abingdonboy]

Im starting to think you are a CONGRESS PLANT>

The CBI alleged that during his tenure as Air Chief Marshal, the IAF agreed “to reduce the [mandatory] service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m”, a source in the CBI said.


Weren't you defending this heli at all costs. You need to check yourself. You lying sos

WTF???!!

+ if you're talking about the AW-101, nothing has changed in mind I still feel it is best helo for the role. Ask yourself why this helo would ever need to land at over 4,500m? When's the last time an Indian PM landed at such heights?


You're just buying into all the sensationalist media cr@p that the desi media is spewing out.


RFIs and basic criteria change over the course of a procurement, there is nothing unusual in the slightest about this. IIRC only 1 bidder had responded to the original RFI which stipulated being able to land at 6,000m and we all know that sole entrant bids are on risky ground wrt corruption possibilities.



Anyway let things play out, this is much more to do with internal Italian politics than anything really in India.



Wrt you other nonsense- get a grip mate.

 

[indian_foxhound]

Im starting to think you are a CONGRESS PLANT>

The CBI alleged that during his tenure as Air Chief Marshal, the IAF agreed “to reduce the [mandatory] service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m”, a source in the CBI said.


Weren't you defending this heli at all costs. You need to check yourself. You lying sos

Yea service ceiling to increase competition which is good for any kind deal. you need to know service ceiling got no importance because the heli are being used by vvip. we were not going to used it for troop movement. we you get 2 3 competitor you always have option to chose best which falls in your budget. secondly our s.p.g commandos are 6feet+ the on other helli have that much roof ceilling.
So we have to change it. On other option

WTF???!!

+ if you're talking about the AW-101, nothing has changed in mind I still feel it is best helo for the role. Ask yourself why this helo would ever need to land at over 4,500m? When's the last time an Indian PM landed at such heights?


You're just buying into all the sensationalist media cr@p that the desi media is spewing out.


RFIs and basic criteria change over the course of a procurement, there is nothing unusual in the slightest about this. IIRC only 1 bidder had responded to the original RFI which stipulated being able to land at 6,000m and we all know that sole entrant bids are on risky ground wrt corruption possibilities.



Anyway let things play out, this is much more to do with internal Italian politics than anything really in India.



Wrt you other nonsense- get a grip mate.

Okay thats what i said lol

 

[axisofevil]

WTF???!!

+ if you're talking about the AW-101, nothing has changed in mind I still feel it is best helo for the role. Ask yourself why this helo would ever need to land at over 4,500m? When's the last time an Indian PM landed at such heights?


You're just buying into all the sensationalist media cr@p that the desi media is spewing out.


RFIs and basic criteria change over the course of a procurement, there is nothing unusual in the slightest about this. IIRC only 1 bidder had responded to the original RFI which stipulated being able to land at 6,000m and we all know that sole entrant bids are on risky ground wrt corruption possibilities.



Anyway let things play out, this is much more to do with internal Italian politics than anything really in India.



Wrt you other nonsense- get a grip mate.

Fine but seein how we allowed those Italian guards walk away doesn;t sit well with me.

Yea service ceiling to increase competition which is good for any kind deal. you need to know service ceiling got no importance because the heli are being used by vvip. we were not going to used it for troop movement. we you get 2 3 competitor you always have option to chose best which falls in your budget. secondly our s.p.g commandos are 6feet+ the on other helli have that much roof ceilling.
So we have to change it. On other option



Okay thats what i said lol

I see you mentioned height requirement but that is ridiculous. Look at Gurkhas, they are not tall but damn fierce.

 

[li0nheart]

Fine but seein how we allowed those Italian guards walk away doesn;t sit well with me.





I see you mentioned height requirement but that is ridiculous. Look at Gurkhas, they are not tall but damn fierce.

Am I reading this out of context? I really don't understand what height of Gurkhas has to do with vvip chopper! Please enlighten me. Or maybe not! ;-)

 

[Joe Shearer]

Im starting to think you are a CONGRESS PLANT>

The CBI alleged that during his tenure as Air Chief Marshal, the IAF agreed “to reduce the [mandatory] service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m”, a source in the CBI said.


Weren't you defending this heli at all costs. You need to check yourself. You lying sos

What sort of a pathetic post is this open attack against a well-respected member?