Vajraprahar to Red Flag: Army, Air Force of India and U.S. Hold Simultaneous War Games around the World
Dated 16/8/2008
Printer Friendly
Subscribe
It is not just the Indo-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Deal that has gained momentum in recent days, nor is it just the ever growing economic and business ties but the Armed Forces of the two largest democracies in the world are coming together at an unprecedented rate even as the Government of India has gotten rid of its Communist backers in the Indian Parliament.
Operation Vajraprahar
Indian and American armed forces are holding joint maneuvers on counter-terrorism in the famous Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairangte, Mizoram - about 100 km from Mizoram capital Aizawl. The three week-long 'Operation Vajraprahar' began in the first week of August and will be the fourth round of joint exercises between the special forces of the two countries.
Representing the U.S. Army are 30 soldiers from the Green Berets, tasked with eight primary missions - unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, psychological operations and information operations. The school at Vairangte is considered one of the world's most prestigious anti-terrorist institutions with troops from several countries getting counter-insurgency training.
About 250 American soldiers have already undergone training at Vairangte in the last four years as relations between the two nations has steadily improved since the lows of the Cold War Era.
Red Flag – 08
Meanwhile the tough and prestigious Exercise red flag began at Air Force Base Nellis, Nevada USA on 10 Aug 08 with inaugural briefings & mission planning by the participating Air Forces. 09 Aug was the day of lead in preparations.
The Red Flag 08 has the debut of the Indian Air Force with eight Su-30s, two IL-78 tankers an IL-76 aircraft & 247 Air Warriors along with the French Air Force with Rafale, South Korean Air Force with F-15s & US AF with F-15s & F-16s. IAF & other visiting Air Forces along with a large USAF element are part of the Blue Forces (friendly) which would engage in combat with the Red Forces. The Red Forces are the "Aggressors" with F-15s & F-16s aircraft of 64th & 65th Aggressor squadrons of USAF based at Air Force Base Nellis.
Exercise Red Flag provides a realistic war situation in which the Blue Force pilots will have all possible odds 'thrown' at them. Availability of a large air to air range with threat replication contributes to the tremendous training value of the exercise. The replication of the air war would see the IAF's Su-30 aircraft participating in suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) air to air & air to ground missions. The IL-78 tankers and USAF AWACS would be in active support role. The IL-76 would undertake tactical transport operations and large force engagements operations.
During the exercise a set of Red Flag team forms the 'white Force' and use high tech instrumentation and mission debrief tools to evaluate the performance of the participants in a clinical and detached manner. During the exercise the Blue force are made to change their plans often to put them under pressure. The White Force watches the entire exercise in real time on monitor screens on ground. Kill removal (removal of the pilots and aircraft assumed shot by the enemy) makes the exercise more realistic.
Addressing the participating Air Warriors, contingent commander Group Captain D. Choudhury said "we have trained long and hard for this day. It is the time to showcase our professionalism. I have total faith & confidence in you. The world is watching us, so gentlemen lets show them what we are made up of."
