The Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force have commenced their second bilateral air exercise Indradhanush-2007 with their personnel getting into the act at the RAF base Waddington, in the UK.
The inaugural day Monday -- primarily for familiarisation of the participating IAF's Su-30 MKI aircrew with the flying environment in UK -- saw the IAF Air Warriors flying alongside RAF F3 Tornadoes of the Leeming-based 25 Squadron -- operating from Waddington for the duration of the exercise, according to reports received in New Delhi.
Also airborne were a Eurofighter Typhoon from the No 17 Squadron from RAF Conningsby, and a Hawk aircraft.
"It will be a mutual learning experience for both," said Wing Commander AK Bharti, talking of the learning values in terms of inter-operability between the two Air Forces after returning from a sortie of a four-aircraft formation comprising the Su-30 MKI, F3 Tornado, Typhoon and a Hawk.
The 'airborne warning and control' system experience -- a veritable electronic 'eye-in-the-sky' platform -- was also observed by a few IAF personnel onboard an E3-D Sentry AWAC aircraft belonging to RAF's No 8 Fighter Squadron, based in Waddington.
The E3-D Sentry and the F3 Tornadoes had also participated in Indradhanush-2006, held at Gwalior.
The exercise between two simulated air elements, the 'Red Air' (aggressors) and the 'Blue Air' (defenders) forces will have the training element for the latter. Missions comprising multiple aircraft will form some of the intrinsic training missions, some of them highly advanced and complex.
Mediating between the two will be the 'White' force, who remain neutral and whose decisions will be the last word, to mitigate differences, if any.
They comprise 'observers' from both sides, and include members from the IAF's Tactics and Combat Development Establishment and the RAF's Air Warfare Centre, the premier institutions of the two Air Forces, constituting the 'best-amongst-the-best' aircrew and personnel on both sides.
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