Just received this from the Indian Air Force: Indo-UK Air Force Exercise Indradhanush will take place at Air Force Station Kalaikunda, in West Midinapur district, West Bengal from 18 Oct 2010 till 03 Nov 2010.
This would be for the first time when RAF (Royal Air Force) Typhoons would be seen in a joint operational scenario in India. The IAF would be participating in this exercise with the Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-27 and Phalcon AWACS. The RAF would also be deploying its E-3D AWACS and VC-10 mid-air refuellers.
According to the Air Marshal KK Nohwar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command “Indradhanush is an opportunity for both the Air Forces to get an insight into each others operational philosophies and work cultures. This will greatly enhance the understanding of our Air Force to operate in scenario involving state of the art technologies”.
In a written brief to the participating aircrew, Air Marshal LK Malhotra, Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command said “This exercise will prove to be a boon for both the nations to fine tune their procedures for multi-national operations, which are likely to happen with greater frequency in future. It will help fine tune tactics for large force engagements and also share each others experience to hone up the skills even more”.
During Ex-Indradhanush, specific emphasis will be on exposing more IAF aircrew and controllers to missions like Large Force Engagements, and protection of High Value Aerial Assets — roles routinely undertaken by RAF as part of coalition/expeditionary force deployment around the globe. It will be for the first time that IAF AWACS will participate in a joint AF exercise. The other novel exposure is expected to be logistical management needed to move large forces for a possible out of area contingency.
Shiv, would you know if the radars of the Sukhoi's will be on this time?
American Weapons for China – President Obama Pushes for Sale of C-130s to China
2010-10-11 In a complete reversal of decades of U.S. policy on geopolitics and strategic security, U.S. President Barack Obama has written to the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate seeking a termination of suspension of Arms Exports to China and to allow the sale of C-130 medium lift transport aircrafts to China. The letter by the President claims that this is in 'American national interest' and is for 'oil spill cleanup' efforts.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol and aerial firefighting. It is the main tactical air-lifter for many military forces worldwide.
Quoted below is the letter by President Obama (Original):
For Immediate Release October 08, 2010
Letter from the President Regarding an Export Waiver for China
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Dear Madam Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 902(b)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101-246)(the "Act"), and as President of the United States, I hereby report to the Congress that it is in the national interest of the United States to terminate the suspensions under section 902(a)(3) of the Act with respect to the issuance of temporary munitions export licenses for exports to the People's Republic of China insofar as such restrictions pertain to the C-130 cargo aircraft to be used in oil spill response operations at sea. License requirements remain in place for these exports and require review and approval on a case-by-case basis by the United States Government.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
Source: http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4617
Would this affect the MRCA results – I definitely think so…
good hunting IAF
It is great to see that indians think that they are so important that the current superpower will not deal with the up and coming superpower…just because they want to spend 10 Billion dollars. This amount is peanuts. Saudi's don't even fart for this amount. Here have a look at this…it explains indian power:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11512674
Hmmm… It is Pakistan after Afghanistan.
@Sher Khan-
The point you miss is that an Indian IS the governor general there.
How many of your countrymen are in similar positions? And even if they did get to a similar position on merit, people around them will be wondering when the holy human bomb will decide to explode..
10 billion maybe peanuts, that explains why a western neighbor of India is keen to beg for any paltry million thrown its way (excluding the 1.5 billion every year of American tax payers money).
Peanuts indeed.
I guess the IAF is working under the umbrella of phalcon AWACS for the first time, naturally they will be more than the match to the RAF's EF. Though our pilots will have close look at EF's performance against Su-30MKI in close combat but i guess the RAF will be sorted out by the IAF.