PHOTOS: Indian, US troops set Thar desert on fire!

[God of Death]

^^These look old.

Old, its very old you can see Gen. JJ Singh as army chief in it.

 

[Abingdonboy]

All VERY old pics (early 2000s I think).

 

[OrionHunter]

 

[manishmaithani]

real character?-
That was the best advice i can give to the indians- it will save lives of the soldiers-

Pls give advice to ur government.....Drones are killings ur people

 

[Agent_47]

Indian and U.S. soldiers participate in a drill during a joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2011-12 in the desert near Bikaner, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, March 13, 2012.

 

[Abingdonboy]

The Indo-US war exercise called Yudh Abhyas 2011-12 has started in the deserts of Rajasthan and the joint drills will feature troops from both nations engaging each other in a series of counter-terror activities and urban warfare training. While the US Army was represented by troops from 25 Infantry Division, the Indian side consists of troops from Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and Mechanised Infantry.

While the US team consisting of 170 members is being led by Colonel Thomas J Roth, Commander of 2nd Engineer Brigade, his Indian counterpart will be Brigadier B S Dhanoa. Yudh-Abhyas 2011-12 will consist of series of tactical drills carried out by Indian and US troops over a period of two weeks. One of the motives behind the exercise is to neutralize possible threats that could be encountered in peace keeping operations of UN.

The session would also involve drills and military exercises involving Infantry Combat Vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carrier. Advanced tools for monitoring and training from both sides are also being used and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detection equipment and other sophisticated communications equipment is also being installed as part of the drill. The two armies will train together and conduct manoeuvres, especially those related to securing lines of communication, search-and-rescue operations and intelligence requirements for sustained peace enforcement.

Yudh-Abhyas 2011-12 will also be milestone in Indo-US defence interactions as for the first time, the US will deploy their tanks in India. Apart from fielding three tanks, the US will also deploy around 200 men accompanied by armoured personnel carriers for the wargames. As for the Indian side, they will field their Russian BMP Infantry Combat Vehicles and Arjun and T-90/72/55 MBTs. The US had participated in exercise 'Yudh Abhyas-2009' with the Indian Army, when it had taken its Stryker infantry armoured vehicles outside of its operational area to a foreign land.

The Indo-US defence interactions have been growing significantly and the rising number of joint military drills has helped to foster greater bilateral ties. The rising number of joint drills affirms the growing interoperability of both the nations’ Armed Forces and the willingness to learn from the other side’s experience.

Once the Yudh-Abhyas 2011-12 is completed, another military exercise will be held in California in April this year called ‘Shatrujeet’. This exercise will involve soldiers from the US Armed Forces who will be joined by more than 130 Indian soldiers from the infantry division. Later in August, 60 soldiers from the American Special Forces will hold a joint high-altitude military training exercise together with the Para Commandos of India. Close to 60 Indian Special Forces soldiers will take part in this exercise, which is scheduled to be held in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand.

Indo-Us Wargames Called Yudh-Abhyas 2011-12 Begin In Rajasthan - Defence Now

Notice Gataks down in bottom left (maroon berets).

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

^^Ghataks wearing maroon berets?

 

[Abingdonboy]

^^Ghataks wearing maroon berets?

Well they are airborne-qualified. Also note the boots and Tavors!

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

Well they are airborne-qualified. Also note the boots and Tavors!

I dont know...i dont have an idea..maybe a larger picture will help and moreover the Ghatak guys whose pic we saw in the excercise are standing at the back but these guys are sitting at a different place with diffferent boots,gun and gear.

Never been so confused after looking at an Army soldiers pic as i am this time.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I dont know...i dont have an idea..maybe a larger picture will help and moreover the Ghatak guys whose pic we saw in the excercise are standing at the back but these guys are sitting at a different place with diffferent boots,gun and gear.

Never been so confused after looking at an Army soldiers pic as i am this time.

How so? The guys in the pics with INSAS, new helmets, goggles and elbow and knee protection are regular Mech Infantry. The guys in the pics with the slightly different helmets and different BPJs on the Gypsies are the Ghataks.


I could be wrong but I know the Ghataks have undergone a MASSIVE upgrade and have all this kit and it would be weird for IA SF to be participating in this ex when they have their own such ex later in August and their are no US SF present.

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

How so? The guys in the pics with INSAS, new helmets, goggles and elbow and knee protection are regular Mech Infantry. The guys in the pics with the slightly different helmets and different BPJs on the Gypsies are the Ghataks.


I could be wrong but I know the Ghataks have undergone a MASSIVE upgrade and have all this kit and it would be weird for IA SF to be participating in this ex when they have their own such ex later in August and their are no US SF present.

Ya..your logic seems right...cool gear though(maroon berets).

The only thing which is creating the doubt is that the Mechanised force Ghataks need not be airborne qualified for obvious reasons and the Infantry Ghataks are not a permanent group ie they keep getting posted here and there or keep changing regularly...but these guys look like a group with everyone having the same cool gear and weapons plus they are airborne qualified.

 

[BATMAN]

.

Very small contingent! what kind of exercise was it?

 

[Abingdonboy]

Very small contingent! what kind of exercise was it?

Not the entire contingent. Around 200+ people from both sides took part including Strykers and Abrams.

 

[angeldemon_007]

Well they are airborne-qualified. Also note the boots and Tavors!

I thought Maroon berets were only meant for SF.

Not the entire contingent. Around 200+ people from both sides took part including Strykers and Abrams.

Yeah what happened to Abrams ?? I didn't saw any...its possible Indian media got confused between tank and Stryker.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I thought Maroon berets were only meant for SF.

Maroon berets are generally for airborne toops as such there are members of the signal, engineer,infantry,mechanical and artillery (who are airborne trained and assigned to airborne divisions and units) as well as SF who wear the maroon beret.

Yeah what happened to Abrams ?? I didn't saw any...its possible Indian media got confused between tank and Stryker.

I was wondering the same thing. But the number of sources that the reported the Abrams as coming to India seems to confirm it, also the specific number of 3 was reported somewhere and I have seen more than 3 Strykers.