NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) today carried out a maritime air operation on the western sea board to check its deep strike capability in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
The drill was part of a mega combat exercise launched last week by the IAF to check its operational preparedness with a focus on dealing with all possible security challenges including from China and Pakistan.
“As part of the ongoing massive IAF exercise ‘Gaganshakti’, IAF conducted maritime air operations on the western sea board, with the clear aim of air dominance and deep strike validation over the extended area of interest in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),” the IAF said in a statement.
Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal S B Deo visited the Sirsa air force base in Haryana to take stock of the mega exercise. Later, Mitra and Deo took a sortie in Sukhoi fighter jet.
In today’s drill, a fleet of Su-30 fighter jets took off from a base on the eastern coast, engaged multiple targets in the western seaboard, at distances beyond 2,500 km, and landed at a southern base, covering a total distance of 4,000 km, in a single mission, it said. (AGENCIES)
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