In the first ever exercise, the IAF last month tested its capabilities to fight a two-front simultaneous war with Pakistan and China by deploying more than 400 aircraft and helicopters all over the country in a three-week exercise codenamed ‘livewire’.
Giving details on Monday, IAF officials said these capabilities were tested successfully in the exercise in which all the air bases throughout the country besides advanced landing grounds in inaccessible terrain in North-East including Arunachal Pradesh were activated.
IAF created a simulated scenario of a challenge from both eastern and western fronts and swiftly mobilised its frontline fighter and transport aircraft from Pakistan border to the eastern front.
All the major aircraft including Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, Jaguars, MiG 29, MiG 27s and the MiG 21s took part in the war games and flew 8,000 hours of sorties. The IAF also deployed Phalcon airborne early warning radars (AWACS) and mid-air refuellers besides recently acquired C-130 J transport aircraft and AN-32s. Army commandos were also airdropped in ‘enemy zones’ by transport aircraft and helicopters in day and night operations, officials said. PNS