Indian Sukhoi to star in US war games

http://www.telegraphindia.com/105110...ry_5446107.asp ^

Sukhoi to star in US war games

- Top fighter to be deployed for first time after wary IAF shakes off hang-ups SUJAN DUTTA

New Delhi, Nov. 6: The Indian Air Force will deploy its top-end fighter aircraft, the Sukhoi 30 Mki, for the first time in the Cope India 2005 exercise with the US Air Force.

The exercise, to be based out of Kalaikunda in Bengal, which the Left is protesting against, takes off tomorrow.

The IAF has normally been wary of fielding the Sukhoi 30 Mki for drills with foreign air forces. The Sukhoi 30 Mki is the IAF’s latest custom-made acquisition from Russia and air headquarters has been keen to ensure confidentiality of its radar signatures, avionics and equipment of the multi-role combat aircraft.

The Sukhoi 30 Mki will be among the IAF’s other fighter aircraft to be used for the exercise. Among them are the MiG 29 fighters that are home based in Kalaikunda, the Mirage 2000, the Sukhoi 30K, MiG 21 Bison and MiG 27.

The decision to field the Sukhoi 30 Mki was taken because Cope India 2005 is the largest and most sophisticated of air exercises that the IAF will be participating in with the Americans.

The deployment by the USAF of an E-3 Sentry AWACS (airborne early-warning aircraft) and the possibility that the IAF will participate in the Red Flag exercises — the largest multinational fighter aircraft exercises — in the US next year were motivating factors that have led to the decision to use the Sukhoi 30 Mki.

The USAF has already conveyed to the Indian Air Force that it was keen to host the Sukhoi 30 Mki in the Red Flag exercises.

The USAF’s deployment of a full squadron of 12 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and the E-3 from its bases in Misawa and Kadena in Japan easily makes Cope India 2005 the largest and most sophisticated drill between the two air forces.

Actual fighter manoeuvres during the war game beginning Monday will commence on Tuesday and last till November 17.

In the Dissimilar Air Combat Manoeuvring exercise, the complement of aircraft from the US and the IAF will be split in Red and Blue forces. Each force will comprise a mix of IAF and USAF aircraft. The E-3 will be used in turn for the forces and be deployed in both offensive and defensive roles.

The manoeuvres will include air-to-air combat, air-to-ground attack and co-ordination with the USAF’s E-3 Sentry from its 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron. Cope India 2005 is qualitatively different from its previous version, Cope India 2004 held out of Gwalior in February last year. During one drill in the manoeuvres last year, the USAF’s six F-15Cs were pitted against 12 Indian aircraft. But the F-15Cs were not armed with long-range active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radars.

This time, the E-3 Sentry will carry out all-weather surveillance, command, control and communication.

The AWACS is a modified version of the Boeing 707/320 aircraft with a rotor dome mounted on it and has a radar range of more than 320 km. This enables BVR (Beyond Visual Range) warfare and the Sentry can direct fighter-interceptors to low-flying enemy aircraft.

Planning for Cope India 2005 has been carried out for about a year. In September, six IAF personnel visited Misawa in Japan to familiarise with the USAF aircraft that are now in Kalaikunda.

Hi,

Awwwww it's that Time of the year again 8) ........... And this time it's going to be the Biggest Cope Series Excersise held .

It's one of the Many Excersises that take place every years ........... just a few weeks ago we Witnessed another Annual Excersise Malabar 2005 which was biggesr then any Malabar Excersise ever held ........... We saw the monster Nimitz with 110 F/A - 16 Super Hornets on it ............. and now this ........ more Groovy Pictures i tell you

it would be Very interesting SU-30 MKI is our Best Figther ................. Last year USA just sent 4 F-15 without any AWACS......... this year the excersise got really serious with 12 F-16 and E-3 Sentry AWACS ........... so India had to feild Somethign Serious apart form Mirage 2000, the Sukhoi 30K, MiG 21 Bison and MiG 27 which will also take part in the excersise ........... i can see Videio on Indian News Channels showing the Excersises today


The Su 30 MKI is a customized Su 27 PU built according to Indian specifications.

The M is for Modernized, K for Commercial and I for Indiski (India). It is probably the first time that an aircraft has been built in Russia for a foreign customer specifications................It's a mix of Russian Airframe , Isarali and French avoinoics and weapons and Indian Software




For People With Short Memories Here are some Excelent Hi-res Pictures of Cope India 2004

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Peace
-=SF_13=-

Hi,

Source:American AirForce

American, Indian Airmen ‘mix it up’

by Capt. John Redfield
Cope India Public Affairs


11/10/2005 - KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- For the first time, U.S. pilots faced the Indian Air Force’s most advanced, and newest, fighter -- the Su-30 MKI -- during an exercise Cope India 06 mission here.

F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots Capt. Martin “Gabby” Mentch and 1st Lt. Robert “Pipes” Stimpson were the first to mix it up with the Su-30s Nov. 9.

The Airmen, deployed here with the 13th Fighter Squadron from Misawa Air Base, Japan, flew against the new jets, which have a thrust-vector capability and updated avionics.

The MKI “is an amazing jet that has a lot of maneuverability,” an essential trait when fighters fly within visual range of their enemy during combat missions, Captain Mentch said.

The American fighters are also squaring off against an older version of the Su-30 Flanker during the exercise, which runs through Nov. 19. The Indians are also flying the MiG-21 Fishbed, MiG-27 Flogger, MiG-29 Fulcrum and Mirage 2000 against U.S. Airmen participating in the exercise.

With all these different types of aircraft, the training the pilots are getting here is invaluable, said Lt. Col. Hugh “Hef” Hanlon, the Misawa squadron commander.

“Flying against dissimilar aircraft gives us a different level of training than if we were back home just flying against ourselves,” he said.

Colonel Hanlon also said flying against the Indian aircraft is a thrill.

“In all my 18 years in the Air Force, I’ve dreamed of going up against these aircraft,” he said.

In addition to the initial MKI-F-16 encounter, the exercise has another piece of history to it.

Americans are learning from their Indian counterparts that this is the first time U.S. Airmen have operated from here since World War II. Back then, Army Air Forces pilots flew supply missions from here. Many of those missions were to China, over “the hump” of the Himalaya Mountains.

About 250 U.S. Airmen from throughout the Pacific region are participating in the exercise, which Colonel Hanlon said is “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

"We’re proud to represent the Air Force and the United States of America,” he said.

Peace
-=SF_13=-

Hi,


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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Capt. Benjamin Freeborn and Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Tahir Shaikh discuss the order in which aircraft return to base following sorties during the Cope India exercise here. Captain Freeborn works in the air traffic control tower as the supervisor of flying for American Airmen. Squadron Leader Shaikh is the senior launch coordinator for Indian Airmen. Both deployed here for Cope India 06, which began Nov. 7. The exercise will enhance interoperability between the two air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. John Redfield)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- F-16 Fighting Falcons, from the 13th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft from the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, fill the flightline here. Both squadrons and Airmen from throughout Pacific Air Forces are here participating in the Cope India 06 exercise, which began Nov. 7. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. John Redfield)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Capt. James Munroe explains E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft capabilities to Indian Air Force radar officers during exercise Cope India '06 here. Captain Munroe is from the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan. The exercise began Nov. 7. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Martin Jackson)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- A 13th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon taxis past Indian Air Force MiG-27 fighters on the flightline here. American and Indian Airmen are participating in exercise Cope India 06, which began Nov. 7. The exercise will help enhance interoperability between the two air forces. The squadron deployed from Misawa Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. John Redfield)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Crew chief Staff Sgt. Garrett Faust cleans the heads up display on his the F-16 Fighting Falcon here. The Falcons are flying dissimilar air combat sorties against Indian MiGs -- like in the background -- and other aircraft during exercise Cope India 06, which ends Nov. 19. The sergeant is from the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Martin Jackson)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India -- Crew chief Staff Sgt. Garrett Faust inspects the exhaust nozzle on his the F-16 Fighting Falcon here. The Falcons are flying dissimilar air combat sorties against Indian MiGs -- like in the background -- and other aircraft during exercise Cope India 06, which ends Nov. 19. The sergeant is from the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Martin Jackson)

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India -- Crew chief Staff Sgt. Garrett Faust removes the intake cover from his the F-16 Fighting Falcon here. The Falcons are flying dissimilar air combat sorties against Indian MiGs -- like in the background -- and other aircraft during exercise Cope India 06, which ends Nov. 19. The sergeant is from the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Martin Jackson)