Gagan Shakti 2018: The IAF Will Field 1,100 Aircraft For Mega War Exerc

[Darth Malgus]

10,000 sorties in 3 days. That's got to be typo. If it's real then its mindboggling...

Most likely accurate, they did plan to do 3000 to 4000 sorties a day...

 

[Zer0]

10,000 sorties in 3 days. That's got to be typo. If it's real then its mindboggling...

1100+ aircraft with 3 sorties/day=3300+ sorties/day, 3300*3=9900+ sorties for 3 days

 

[Anathema]

1100+ aircraft with 3 sorties/day=3300+ sorties/day, 3300*3=9900+ sorties for 3 days

The logistics for this kind of operations has to be out of the charts..this is great stuff

 

[Kay]

Costly but necessary exercise.
Doklam is a game of anticipation - will the Chinese pull the trigger or not? We have to demonstrate preparedness or that battle will be lost without firing a bullet.
The Chinese will think twice before playing chicken.
Also, it seems that IAF morale is down as their planning had been based on planes, capabilities and numbers they are not getting. Hopefully this will allow them to plan to work with what they have and will be getting (read Tejas).

 

[indus]

Most likely the excercise was to simulate a two front war scenario. Hope they got what they were looking for.

 

[Prashant12]

Indian Air Force aircraft displays air to air refueling capabilities

 

[V_Force]

I saw 4 HAWK AJT of surya kiran team flying closely friday and saturday morning.

I live near wahga atari border in Amritsar, Punjab and pakis are pissing in their pants and having close eye on Ex Gagana Shakti using their Dassault Falcon 20E by flying the same over the Punjab region nearly 40 - 60 kms away from the international border.

 

[Kalki_2018]

http://pib.nic.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1529134

This is awesome.

In the long range strike concept validation, the Su-30s, airborne from a base on the eastern coast engaged multiple targets, in the western seaboard, at distances beyond 2500 Km, and landed at a southern base, thus covering a total distance of 4000 Km, in a single mission.

 

[Kalki_2018]

Just look at google map and you will see how much coverage IAF has with Su-30. Of course if IN had Tu-22M3 this would increase to 5000 km.

 

[captscooby81]

IAF Long Range strike missions over IOR with SU30MKI Air to Air Refuelling

 

[scatterStorm]

IAF Long Range strike missions over IOR with SU30MKI Air to Air Refuelling

Woah did we just pulled our MKI from East to west with multiple air refueling. Damn I was thinking they would do that. Next exercise if happens would see two front exercise simultaneously. Damn if only we could've had Rafale with us.

 

[Suryavanshi]

Woah did we just pulled our MKI from East to west with multiple air refueling. Damn I was thinking they would do that. Next exercise if happens would see two front exercise simultaneously. Damn if only we could've had Rafale with us.

We are more then capable of giving a bloody nose to the chincoms if we put our hearts and minds into it.

When we think about Chinese air force we think about 250 j10s, 54 Su30mkm, and some 300 odd j7 and Q7.
Little do people realise that India isn't China's primary concern it's battle is in South China sea half of its air force is placed in north Korea border as well as decent amount in Vietnam border.
So at any time we have to face only a part of China's air force.

Granted China has built a decent logistic transport system them have 250 mi 17 and wide network of border road.

Though there is a very big headache for us

This

China has 160 of these.
Only way to counter a bomber is a string self defence network and interceptor aircrafts.

 

[Mikesingh]

New Delhi: Group Captain Arun Marwaha leaked sensitive information on national security to Pakistan's ISI, Delhi Police said in its chargesheet against him.

The Police said that in total 12 sensitive documents, including the upcoming 'Ek Gagan Shakti' Air Force exercise and IAF-Army joint Human Aid in Disaster relief exercise, were passed on. The exercises now remain stalled.

The chargesheet said that Marwaha, who was in the post of Joint Director Operations (PARA) at Indian Air Force Headquarters, and the ISI agents would talk on a 'hookup' app. The platform provided them secured chats which get deleted every time the users log out.

The officer was first approached by the agents on Facebook from two IDs named Kiran Randhawa and Mahima Patel. They then started chatting with him on WhatsApp, followed by the app.

The chats between the agents and Marwaha were explicit in nature. It was done to honey trap him, the group captain confessed in his disclosure statement.

On approaching Facebook, the IP addresses of the IDs were ascertained to have been operated from Pakistan. Marwaha was arrested on February 7 this year by Delhi Police. He had been chatting with the ISI agents from December last year, police said.

The Group Captain was first detained by the Army for inspection and after proof of espionage was found, he was handed over to Delhi police who booked and arrested him under the Official Secrets Act. Laptops, Mobiles and CDs were recovered from him.

Shameful! This is what happens when one has an uncontrollable libido. For some, sex and moolah are the be-all and end-all of life.

 

[scatterStorm]

We are more then capable of giving a bloody nose to the chincoms if we put our hearts and minds into it.

When we think about Chinese air force we think about 250 j10s, 54 Su30mkm, and some 300 odd j7 and Q7.
Little do people realise that India isn't China's primary concern it's battle is in South China sea half of its air force is placed in north Korea border as well as decent amount in Vietnam border.
So at any time we have to face only a part of China's air force.

Granted China has built a decent logistic transport system them have 250 mi 17 and wide network of border road.

Though there is a very big headache for us

This

China has 160 of these.
Only way to counter a bomber is a string self defence network and interceptor aircrafts.

Big, heavy, fuel guzzler... a very hot red target on our radar systems. It will bring a party of say 100 or 50 jets as defenders, then still we can handle it, but over Himalayas would be a suicide for chinks. Terrain advantage is with us here.

hmm wait, if they have long range Standoff weapons like a cruise missile ( I believe they do) it can practically launch few of them and take a U turn before Himalyas hit em.

I saw a video by Binkov's battleground, he led down the theory that mostly likely the war will be slow and mostly land based. Where army will play a huge role.

If they pull off there navy, then they have to cover a very long distance and by that time we will be ready for em. But recent navy drill at SCS shows it's navy can beat us, especially if numbers are concerned. We also currently are under armed.

 

[Suryavanshi]

Big, heavy, fuel guzzler... a very hot red target on our radar systems. It will bring a party of say 100 or 50 jets as defenders, then still we can handle it, but over Himalayas would be a suicide for chinks.

In a worst case scenario if by chance all our aircraft gets taken out these things will bomb our military infrastructures deep inside our territory.

Terrain advantage is with us here.

The chicken neck kinda cancels out all the terrain advantage we have u know in a war we both have to put extra effort.

I saw a video by Binkov's battleground, he led down the theory that mostly likely the war will be slow and mostly land based. Where army will play a huge role

Yes our war with China is mostly Land and army oriented but remember air force plays a crucial part specially logistics transport.

China will mass produce Y 20 aircrafts like a madman to beef up their transport of soldiers and logistics.
They already have some 300 odd Mi 17 for large scale troop deployment in chumbi valley and Tawang.
Personally I wished that we had taken license and mass produced Mi 17.

If they pull off there navy, then they have to cover a very long distance and by that time we will be ready for em. But recent navy drill at SCS shows it's navy can beat us, especially if numbers are concerned. We also currently are under armed.

Thing is just eye candy.

Not subsiding the chinese threat tho.
Their navy is mostly oriented for South China sea. They have Vietnam, Japan, Phillipines and Indonesia to defend against. As well as the biggest pirate fleet ever in history the US navy.
U must realise that China is like a wild beast surrounded by swarms of Hunter struggling to move and breath.
This is the reason why they are making strides in Pakistan through Gwadar port.

China is a paranoid nation it has a lot of threats and very little foothold.


But we gotta do our own thing as always.

We have a strategic advantage against China and that is Andamn and Nicobar Island.
We should fortify that island with Air defence, anti ship missile, minesweeper, Sumabairne, Sumbarine hunting Helicopter, planes, and Frigates and destroyers.
Compulsory military service must be inacted on that island so that the public is ready for a sea based invasion.

In a idela case I want 5 Aircraft carrier by 2030 2 for Arabian Sea, 2 for Bay of Bengal and 1 for Indian ocean.

 

[scatterStorm]

In a worst case scenario if by chance all our aircraft gets taken out these things will bomb our military infrastructures deep inside our territory.


The chicken neck kinda cancels out all the terrain advantage we have u know in a war we both have to put extra effort.

Yeah most likely they will eye that portion, but let's not underestimate the enemy. Airborne units can be dropped anywhere to sabotage roads, tunnels etc. Most likely by 3rd week of war, we may cinks dropping troops on our infrastructure.

China will mass produce Y 20 aircrafts like a madman to beef up their transport of soldiers and logistics.
They already have some 300 odd Mi 17 for large scale troop deployment in chumbi valley and Tawang.
Personally I wished that we had taken license and mass produced Mi 17.

J or Y20 whatever they wish to make, it's not going to be easy. Troop deployment will be improved on our side as the infrastructure build up will commence form 2019 onwards. Besides I am very confident that our missile tech will help us curbing this problem, we are progressing towards multi layered defence air defence shield.

Chinks will most probably hit our infra with there DF systems.

China is a paranoid nation it has a lot of threats and very little foothold.

Agreed, but let's be honest, they are not democracy ... so there's a little advantage to control people, which in our case we seriously lack.

We have a strategic advantage against China and that is Andamn and Nicobar Island.
We should fortify that island with Air defence, anti ship missile, minesweeper, Sumabairne, Sumbarine hunting Helicopter, planes, and Frigates and destroyers.
Compulsory military service must be inacted on that island so that the public is ready for a sea based invasion.

As much as I like to be agreeable, not everything will work out. The problem is some mofo political party will make tings worse. Telangana is an example.

In a idela case I want 5 Aircraft carrier by 2030 2 for Arabian Sea, 2 for Bay of Bengal and 1 for Indian ocean.

Judging by our current pace, I'd say 4, it can also be possible that we will have 3 active carriers but 4th one will be in construction.

 

[AMCA]

Indian Air Force jets do 5,000 sorties in 72 hours on western front
Rajat Pandit | TNN | Updated: Apr 17, 2018, 08:28 IST

Gagan Shakti 2018: Indian Air Force shows its might
HIGHLIGHTS

• The IAF’s entire war-machinery has been activated for the ongoing pan-India exercise “GaganShakti”.
• As many as 1,150 fighters, aircraft, helicopters and drones have been deployed for the high-voltage exercise.
• The exercise is taking place with active participation from Army & Navy for integrated land-air-sea combat operations.

NEW DELHI: After the “surge” in air combat operations on the western front with Pakistan, which saw a staggering 5,000 sorties by fighters alone in just three days last week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has now switched its forces to the northern borders with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

No, the worst-case scenario of a two-front war has not suddenly hit India. Instead, the IAF’s entire war machinery has been activated for the ongoing pan-India exercise “GaganShakti” . “It’s the biggest such exercise in terms of scale since Operation Brasstacks in 1986-1987, or Operation Parakram in 2001-2002 when India nearly went to war with Pakistan after the terror attack on Parliament,” said a senior officer.

Despite having just 31 fighter squadrons, when 42 are required to tackle the Pakistan-China threat, the IAF has pulled out all stops to hone its war-fighting skills by testing offensive and defensive capabilities on the two fronts.



READ ALSO:

• IAF kicks off its biggest combat drill Gagan Shakti in Jaisalmer

As many as 1,150 fighters, aircraft, helicopters and drones as well as hundreds of air defence missile, radar, surveillance and other units have been deployed for the high-voltage exercise, which is taking place with active participation from Army and Navy for integrated land-air-sea combat operations. The IAF has systematically worked towards achieving 83% serviceability (operational availability of the number of aircraft at any given time) for the exercise, in conjunction with defence PSUs like Hindustan Aeronautics and base repair depots, from the usual 55%-60% in peacetime.

“The aim of the exercise is to validate our operational capabilities and concepts in a realistic war-like scenario as well as check our ability to sustain high-tempo operations. It’s not aimed at any country,” said IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa. But the game-plan is quite clear. If the focus in the western theatre was to generate the maximum possible sorties with the same number of fighters to overwhelm the enemy forces, the intent in the eastern one is to operate from dispersed locations to avoid the adversary’s rocket forces while undertaking deep strikes with Sukhoi-30MKI fighters being refueled in mid-air by IL-78 aircraft.



The combat manoeuvres along the northern borders will also see intensive high-altitude operations at advanced landing grounds and helipads, some as high as 20,000 feet, as also inter-valley troop transfers and logistics sustenance by heavy-duty helicopters to make up for the lack of roads.

“Fighters are also practising concentrated weapon releases in realistic attack scenarios all throughout Gagan-Shakti, which includes firing precisionweapons with ‘through window’ capabilities. A simulated battalion-level airborne assault behind enemy lines, which included paradrop of 560 soldiers, combat vehicles and GPS-guided cargo platforms, has also been undertaken with six C-130J Super Hercules and seven AN-32 aircraft launched from multiple airbases,” said another officer.

GaganShakti, in short, reiterates the primacy and flexibility of airpower in modern-day battles.The Sukhoi-30MKIs, which have a combat radius of about 1,500-km without mid-air refueling, for instance, have even got airborne from an eastern coast airbase to strike multiple targets in the western seaboard at distances beyond 2,200 km before landing at a southern base to cover a total distance of around 4,000 km in single non-stop missions.

 

[Mikesingh]

IAF exercise shows India can send to battle double the number of fighter jets that Pakistan can

The ongoing training exercise Gagan Shakti of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has demonstrated that it can put out double the number of fighter aircraft in combat compared to the Pakistan Air Force, should the situation arise.

As per the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, IAF has achieved unprecedented serviceability levels of 80 per cent for its fighter aircraft during the exercise.

In an exclusive conversation with The Indian Express, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said that “full credit goes to our engineers that we have built up the serviceability of fighter aircraft to 80%, compared to a target of 75%, and a dispatch reliability of more than 95% during Gagan Shakti exercise”.

Considering the vintage of its aircraft and problems with availability of spares, IAF has struggled to maintain high serviceability levels, i.e, have a greater number of its fighter aircraft available for operations. Dispatch reliability is the IAF’s ability to make airborne the number of serviceable aircraft, a figure which has been lower during peace time.

Top IAF sources said that these numbers were significant as they demonstrated IAF’s capability to “overwhelm the Pakistan Air Force by bringing double their number of fighter aircraft in combat, and that too with significantly higher throw weight”.

At 70% serviceability for its 371 fighter jets, Pakistan Air Force is estimated to be able to bring approximately 260 aircraft into combat but they have lesser stamina and capability than their IAF counterparts.

As far as China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is concerned, sources said the IAF had shown its ability to observe the PLAAF from dispersed locations, thereby reducing the probability of it being hit by Chinese missile strikes. Sources, however, conceded that PLAAF has an overwhelming superiority in the number of fighter aircraft and its ability to employ them is constrained only by the geography of Tibet.

The IAF currently has 31 fighter squadrons against an authorisation of 42 squadrons. Sources conceded that this shortfall remains a criticality because these high serviceability and dispatch reliability levels have been achieved after eight months of sustained effort. It would be tough for IAF to replicate these numbers, if it is asked to go into combat on very short notice. Most analysts believe that the most likely future military conflict involving India would be a short war at very short notice. To kick off the IAF from peace locations and provide overwhelming superiority in such a scenario, it would need a much larger number of fighter squadrons.

Exercise Gagan Shakti has also shown that the IAF can do long-range sorties where fighter aircraft taking off from bases in southern and western India can reach targets 3,000 km away, say inside Tibet. But sources added a note of caution about the reach of long range trans-theatre flying due to low availability of mid-air refuellers.

Sources said that Exercise Gagan Shakti was not about learning tactical lessons but focused on checking logistics stamina to build up and sustain the high serviceability levels. This physically validates the operating time and effort taken to rotate the fighter aircraft after it has made one sortie, fired all its weapons and turn them out again after loading them fully.

As per Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa, “This has happened due to support of the defence ministry and because of close cooperation with public sector units such as HAL and BEL. I have said it at the recent Defence Expo in Chennai and personally thanked HAL Chairperson Dr T Suvarna Raju for the tremendous support HAL has given for the buildup of this serviceability.”

http://www.defencenews.in/article/I...mber-of-fighter-jets-that-Pakistan-can-547662

Pak's front line fighters the F-16s having a serviceability rate of < 50% due to lack of spares and cannibalization would be able to get just about 30 birds in the air during war. The J-17 Thunder blunder is of little consequence. In other words, they're screwed.

 

[sjmaverick]

Have read all possible statement and comments but without a single word on how did Tejas performed in the exercise as this was a near real test of its potential and if IAF has actually made a strategy to use it. Only news was that it was deployed at forward bases .....anybody has info on the same please post it even "indirect sources" are welcome

 

[patriots]

Have read all possible statement and comments but without a single word on how did Tejas performed in the exercise as this was a near real test of its potential and if IAF has actually made a strategy to use it. Only news was that it was deployed at forward bases .....anybody has info on the same please post it even "indirect sources" are welcome

8 tejas...were the part of the exercise tejas demonstrated ccm and bvr capability and each tejas flown 3 sorties/day ....

also night sorties