IAF to join US Red Flag exercise in 2013

SpArK

SORCERER
Senior Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2010
Messages
2,093
Likes
1,112
IAF to join US Red Flag exercise in 2013


New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is to take part in the US Air Force-hosted 'Red Flag' combat aviation exercise in the US in 2013, in which it had last participated in 2008.


"We will participate in the Red Flag exercise with the US sometime in 2013," IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told a press conference here.


The IAF had participated in the prestigious Red Flag exercise held at Nellis air force base in Nevada, US, in 2008. The Red Flag exercise is considered the pinnacle of combat aviation war gaming for its sheer quality that tests both the machine and the man behind the machine.


The IAF had flown its top notch Sukhoi fighter jets in the Red Flag exercise in 2008.


Asked if any joint exercise with China is being envisaged, Browne said: "Frankly, there is nothing on the table as of now."


He, however, said that the IAF will hold a joint exercise with the Omani Air Force at Jamnagar in Gujarat in the middle of October, when the Jaguar combat jet fleets of both air forces will match their capabilities.


Later, the Singaporean Air Force will join the IAF in a joint exercise at Kalaikunda in West Bengal, he added.




http://www.stratpost.com/iaf-to-joi...tter&utm_campaign=Feed:+stratpost+(StratPost)
 

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
Awesome - what is IAF going to take to the Redflag?
 

utubekhiladi

The Preacher
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2010
Messages
4,768
Likes
10,311
Country flag
which one will participate? tejas mk1 or super su30mki or maybe Mrca?
 

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
Not MRCA - the first one will be delivered in 2015.
Su-30 MKI for sure. Tajas will be fabulous. Even 2 will be great.
Also, C-130J, AWACS and refuelers.
 

utubekhiladi

The Preacher
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2010
Messages
4,768
Likes
10,311
Country flag
Not MRCA - the first one will be delivered in 2015.
Su-30 MKI for sure. Tajas will be fabulous. Even 2 will be great.
Also, C-130J, AWACS and refuelers.
i think we will be better off by keeping the secrets of super su30mki..

remember? usa and uk tried to spy on su30mki's radar in previous exercises?
 

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
Not really - it was the French who was accused by the Americans of Spying on the IAF Flankers.
 

utubekhiladi

The Preacher
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2010
Messages
4,768
Likes
10,311
Country flag
Not really - it was the French who was accused by the Americans of Spying on the IAF Flankers.
U.S. Spying on Its Pals? (Corrected) | Danger Room | Wired.com

U.S. Spying on Its Pals? (Corrected)

By David Axe August 28, 2007 | 9:00 pm | Categories: Spies, Secrecy and Surveillance

The U.S. and India have become pretty close friends in recent years. But what's a little spying between best buds? Especially when there's an opportunity to figure out the secrets of the newest Russian-made fighter, the Su-30MKI? As usual, the excellent Air Forces Monthly mag has the scoop:

When the Indian Air Force sent six Su-30MKI Flankers and a couple of Il-78MKI Midas tankers to RAF Waddington [air base] on June 28 [for a two-week exercise], the U.S. and U.K. airborne intelligence agencies were provided with a major coup. It gave them a chance to learn more about the radar frequencies of one of the most feared combat aircraft in the world — even if it meant "eavesdropping" on their Indian friends.

AFM says that a U.S. RC-135U electronic spy plane just happened to be en route to the U.K from the Middle East at the same time that the Indian aircraft were arriving, giving the U.S. jet a chance to use its radar-frequency measuring equipment to probe the Indians. Why does this matter? Because the Flanker's "Slot Back" N-011 radar will also be used by Chinese and Venezuelan jets — and if you know its frequency, you can jam. it.


The Americans weren't the only potential spies in the area. The Brits also happened to have a BAC-111 test plane, reportedly sporting frequency-detecting gear, in the area as the Indians flew mock dogfights with British Tornado fighters.

The Indians have a reputation for paranoia (in this case justified), so the Su-30s weren't allowed to use their radars during the mock battles, instead flying only close-range, visual dogfights. But radars in standby mode still radiate, so unless the radars were completely switched off at all times before, during and after the exercise, it's likely that the U.S. and Great Britain scored some seriously valuable intel.

Maybe the U.S. Air Force considers it revenge for the drubbing the Indians handed them a couple years back in the Cope India exercise, where some Alaska-based F-15s got repeatedly "shot down" by Indian jets.
 
Last edited:

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
Huh! Did not see this one! I thought you were referring to the Red Flag 2008.

Now I wonder if IAF will indeed take the MKI with AESA radars anywhere.

This is the same paranoia that the USAF has used for the F-22 - for years.
 

SajeevJino

Long walk
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2012
Messages
6,017
Likes
3,364
Country flag
'RED FLAG'' called off due to US Budget cut#

In the US, the cancellation of the air combat exercise comes after a series of budget cuts by the administration due to the economic crisis. With the defence budget this year remaining steady at $526.6 billion without accounting for inflation, cuts have been required to maintain US military's global presence.

The US has also called off its Red Flag-Alaska exercise that was to take place this month and was to be attended by Canada and UK Air Forces. The Nellis exercise was called off after a series of new budget cuts that came into effect on March 1 in an attempt to save $300 million by temporarily curtailing training operations.

In fact, the Nellis "Red Flag" exercise was planned 2 years ago, taking into account the money allocated to the IAF to conduct training programmes. By most estimates, the IAF would have incurred a cost of over Rs.100crore to deploy the aircraft, along with the 150-odd personnel, for the exercise.

The IAF will now have to re-plan its training schedule, but may not be able to squeeze in such a high-profile exercise due to the last-minute notice.

The last-minute cancellation has come as a surprise for the IAF which was getting ready to send a team of its top-line Su 30 MKI fighters along with support aircraft for the war game. Besides 8 of the combat aircraft, the IAF was to send 2x C-130 J special operations aircraft, 2x IL-78 air refuellers as well as an IL-76 transport aircraft for logistics support.

fullstory
 

bhramos

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
25,625
Likes
37,233
Country flag
'RED FLAG'' called off due to US Budget cut#

In the US, the cancellation of the air combat exercise comes after a series of budget cuts by the administration due to the economic crisis. With the defence budget this year remaining steady at $526.6 billion without accounting for inflation, cuts have been required to maintain US military's global presence.

The US has also called off its Red Flag-Alaska exercise that was to take place this month and was to be attended by Canada and UK Air Forces. The Nellis exercise was called off after a series of new budget cuts that came into effect on March 1 in an attempt to save $300 million by temporarily curtailing training operations.

In fact, the Nellis "Red Flag" exercise was planned 2 years ago, taking into account the money allocated to the IAF to conduct training programmes. By most estimates, the IAF would have incurred a cost of over Rs.100crore to deploy the aircraft, along with the 150-odd personnel, for the exercise.

The IAF will now have to re-plan its training schedule, but may not be able to squeeze in such a high-profile exercise due to the last-minute notice.

The last-minute cancellation has come as a surprise for the IAF which was getting ready to send a team of its top-line Su 30 MKI fighters along with support aircraft for the war game. Besides 8 of the combat aircraft, the IAF was to send 2x C-130 J special operations aircraft, 2x IL-78 air refuellers as well as an IL-76 transport aircraft for logistics support.

fullstory
I also heard another story. Not sure how true it is. But, I heard that with the North Korean situation, the US is in DEFCON III level. Because of this no foreign armed forces are allowed with the perimeters of the national boundaries.
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
I also heard another story. Not sure how true it is. But, I heard that with the North Korean situation, the US is in DEFCON III level. Because of this no foreign armed forces are allowed with the perimeters of the national boundaries.
Could be possible. I really don't think budget can be the reason for the cancellation. I mean they are right now in the midst of an exercise with SoKo which has been seen as an escalation by NoKo.
 

arnabmit

Homo Communis Indus
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
6,242
Likes
7,522
Country flag
Technically, US as a country does not go into DEFCON levels. One or more of the 5 armed commands goes into DEFCON. Now with the NoKo situation, maybe the Strategic Command is in DEFCON III, USN in DEFCON II and USAF, Army in DEFCON I.

However, better possibility of WATCHCON III or LERTCON III rather than DEFCON III. DEFCON III includes initialization of costly logistic chain.

I also heard another story. Not sure how true it is. But, I heard that with the North Korean situation, the US is in DEFCON III level. Because of this no foreign armed forces are allowed with the perimeters of the national boundaries.
 

U Sun Dar

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
94
Likes
39


Source from Times of India


"We will participate in Red Flag in 2013. Since such exercises are very expensive, we have decided to undertake them only once in five years", says IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik. The only time IAF has participated in Red Flag was in 2008, with eight frontline Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, two IL-78 mid-air refuellers, an IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft, 91 officers and 156 other ranks.

The bill for the complex aerial combat manoeuvres, touted to be the closest one can get to real war, had come to over Rs 100 crore three years ago.

"The Americans were surprised by our pilots, who flew as many as 356 sorties during Red Flag, and were full of praise for them. The exercise established IAF's capability to project its air power by deploying a trans-continental task force and sustaining prolonged operations there," said another officer. "The US had wanted Indian participation in Red Flag, which trains pilots 'to survive in war and win' in an advanced network-centric environment, to become a regular feature. We, however, have financial constraints," he added.

But the fact remains that the stunning flurry of Indo-US military exercises, with well over 60 such joint war games being held over the last decade to build "interoperability", has been the most visible symbol of the upward trajectory in strategic ties between the two countries.
 

sorcerer

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
26,920
Likes
98,472
Country flag
The exercise established IAF's capability to project its air power by deploying a trans-continental task force and sustaining prolonged operations there," said another officer
Thats the icing on the cake.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top