Inclusion of an Indian Air Force (IAF) flying display as part of the opening ceremony of the eighth edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit has added new attraction to the flagship biennial event of the State Government.
The IAF flying display would be performed on the eve of inauguration ceremony of Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries from across the world on Monday.
The flying display would comprise of a Paradrop by the Akash Ganga team from a MI-17 V5 helicopter, dropping of flower petals by a Chetak helicopter, Advanced Aerobatics Display by a SU-30 MKI Fighter jet and a Formation Aerobatics Display by the renowned Surya Kiran Formation Aerobatics Team of the IAF.
Moreover the IAF along with the Army and the Indian Navy shall be showcasing their wares at the Defence Equipment Display and at their respective stalls in the exhibition area in the Summit.
“With an aim to benefit the maximum number of people, a full dress rehearsal of exactly the same sequence is also planned on Saturday over Swarnim Park area in Sector 11 of Gujarat’s capital city for public viewing. The final show would be held on Monday, January 9th,” said Air Marshal RK Dheer, AOC – in –C, South Western Air Command, adding that invitations have been extended to various schools and colleges to provide the young students a peek at the dare devilry and prowess of their Air Warriors in order to motivate them to take up a career in the IAF.
The entire show is slated to be a 40-minute display, with Hawks aircraft moving in from Hyderabad and Su-30 from Jodhpur, he said.
Broadly deemed – ‘Guardians of the Sky’, the Air Warriors of the Indian Air Force on most occasions, instead, have descended from the skies as ‘Angels of Hope’ in the recent times.
Achieving such synergy is the outcome of relentless efforts including coordinated participation in tailor-made mock exercises conducted to hone skills and enhance interoperability.
Exercise ‘SAHAYATA’ simulating an Earthquake in Bhuj in September 2016 and Exercise ‘NATPOlREX-VI’ off Mundra port in December 2016 are recent examples of Civil-Military joint drills that serve to enhance mutual cooperation and evolve objective joint SOPs to effectively mitigate the effects of disasters.