The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently carried out an eight-hour long non-stop extensive sortie over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to test the operational capabilities and readiness of its SU-30 MKI frontline fighter jets, the IAF announced on Friday.
With China’s increased presence in the IOR posing a challenge to India, these sorties demonstrate India’s commitment to safeguarding its strategic interests in the region. This sortie marks the second exercise of its kind in the Indian Ocean in the past few days.
The first mission, involving four Rafale jets, lasted over six hours and had a strategic objective. “Another outing into the Indian Ocean Region! This time, with IAF Su-30s flying nearly eight hours, on a different axis. Both Seaboards covered,” read a tweet from the official IAF handle on Friday. The sortie covered both the eastern and western seaboards of the country.
The SU-30 MKIs possess the capability to fly for extended durations and can undertake missions within China if required. Currently, India has nearly 260 SU-30s, which were initially manufactured in Russia, with their induction into the IAF beginning in 2002. These jets are equipped with various weapon systems, including the indigenously designed and manufactured BrahMos supersonic missile.
In a separate effort to enhance the combat readiness of its Rafale jet fleet, the IAF conducted a “strategic” mission lasting over six hours in the Indian Ocean Region. The mission, which involved various manoeuvres and simulated operations, demonstrated the long-range combat capabilities of the Rafale jets. Providing further details, sources revealed that the Rafale jets took off from the Hasimara Air Force station in the eastern sector on May 31.
After completing the mission and achieving the desired results, the jets returned to base. Although specific details of the mission were not disclosed, it showcased the operational capabilities and readiness of the Rafale jets in dealing with challenging situations.
The IAF tweeted about the mission, stating, “Four IAF Rafales flew a long-range mission for over six hours into the IOR. The aircraft ‘fought’ their way through a large force engagement en route to their Weapon Release Point. Pickle on time, weapon on target—the IAF way!” However, the exact date of the operation was not revealed. The Rafale jets, the first major acquisition of fighter planes by India in 23 years since the import of Sukhoi jets from Russia, are manufactured by France and boast a wide range of potent weapons.
Currently, the IAF possesses 36 Rafale jets, with one squadron based in Ambala, responsible for the western sector encompassing China and Pakistan, and another squadron in Hasimara, West Bengal, covering the entire eastern sector facing China.
The induction process of the Rafale jets commenced in 2020 and concluded last year. In 2016, India and France signed a government-to-government deal worth over 7 billion Euros for the acquisition of 36 Rafale jets from Dassault, the manufacturer.