IAF displays fire power prowess at "Vayu Shakti-2010"
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Feb 28, IRNA -- Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft blasted away targets by day, dusk and night in a fire power demonstration exercise, “Vayu Shakti-2010”, at Pokharan in Gujarat state Sunday.
The dusk and night phase display is the first ever by the IAF.
In the two-hour event, 107 aircraft including frontline fighters – Mig-21 Bison, Mig-27, Mig-29, Mirage-2000, Su-30 MKI, Jaguars; transport aircraft - AN-32, IL-76, Embraer and helicopters – Mi-17 1V, Mi-35 gunships participated in the exercise. Other unseen force multipliers included IL-78 MKI mid-air refuellers, AWACS and UAV, said an official statement issue here.
The day phase displayed the strike capability of ground attack fighter aircraft. The dusk phase displayed the war-waging capabilities of helicopters. The final phase by night showcased two major aspects of air power – counter air operations and counter surface force operations.
President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil was the chief guest at the display. Others who witnessed the exercise included Rajasthan Governor, Smt. Prabha Rau, Defence Minister, AK Antony, Rajasthan Chief Minister, Shri Ashok Gehlot, Minister of State for Defence, Dr MM Pallam Raju, Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh, three Service Chiefs, senior MOD officials, Military Attachés of various countries and other senior members of the Government of India and the armed forces.
An array of targets including mock radar sites, tanks, marshalling yards, terrorist camps, runway, BMP (infantry fighting vehicles), blast pens and convoys were selectively destroyed in the precision attacks by IAF pilots using bombs, rockets and missiles. Both, PGMs (precision guided ammunitions) and conventional armament were used in the display.
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End News / IRNA / News Code 986262
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