Keeping the security situation in the neighbourhood and to ensure its soldiers and machines are battle ready, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will demonstrating its combat and firepower on March 18 at Rajasthan's Pokhran firing range. More than 180 IAF fighters, bombers, helicopters, transport planes and mid-air refuellers will showcase their ability to wage war not only during the day time but also in the night during Iron Fist-2016.
The entire event will showcase more than 22 types of platforms and Weapons systems. Frontline fighter aircraft including Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, MiG-29, attack helicopters, Remotely Piloted Aircraft(RPA) and high tech AWACS will display their potential during the show. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and LCH, both prestigious indigenous projects, will also be a part of air display.
Transport aircraft like the An-32, Embraer, IL-76, IL-78 and C-130J will participate while medium lift helicopters(Mi-17, Mi-17 1V, Mi-17V5) and attack helicopters(Mi-25, Mi-35) will also showcase their capabilities.
The IAF will project its transformational state-of-the-art combat potential for meeting challenges from air, land or sea and the event comprises of six packages depicting six themes.
According to IAF officers the primary objective of Iron Fist-2016 is to demonstrate the force's capability to safeguard India's national interests.
Iron Fist will start with a flypast showing IAF's journey over eight decades, with the aircraft of yesteryear like Tiger Moth flying along with the with the latest acquisitions of the force. The flypast by a mixed formation comprising MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and the mighty Su-30 MKI, will represent the transformation of the IAF over the decades.
Next package will be about the net-enabling operations aircraft. Starting with fly past by the indigenously developed Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft, the exercise will then have a synchronized weapon delivery demonstration comprising precision based bombing at simulated targets by Mirage-2000, Su-30 MKI, MiG-27 and the Jaguar.
After demonstrating offensive capabilities, the IAF would showcase its multi-layered Air Defence operations. It will comprise fly-past by Flight Refuelling aircraft, IL-78 FRA along with two Su-30 MKI aircraft which will demonstrate the ability to extend on-station endurance and strategic reach of fighter aircraft. This phase would also include Surface to Air Guided Weapons like the IGLA shoulder-fired missile system and the OSA-AK missiles striking down airborne targets.
Capability demonstration of the indigenously developed Tejas aircraft to deliver Laser Guided Bomb and fire a Air-to-Air Missile and the capability of the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter to carry out rocket firing would be carried out for the first time.
This would be followed by a simulation of a Combat Search and Rescue operation carried out by the IAF's versatile helicopters such as MI-35 and Mi-17V5. The firing of Akash Missile would be undertaken for the first time in the IAF's history of Fire Power Demonstration.
The next phase would highlight the important role played by the IAF in support of the ground forces. This phase involves striking of targets that would simulate the enemy's vital assets which would be engaged from the air by a variety of aircraft in the IAF's inventory. In addition, the assault landing capability of the versatile C-130J aircraft and the fire fighting capability of the Mi-17V5, would also be displayed.
After the demonstration of live weapons, an array of aerobatic displays by the Sarang Team, the Suryakiran Team and the Su-30 MKI would be held. The Air Warrior Drill Team and Air Force Symphony Orchestra would then enthral the audience.
Later the night capabilities of the IAF would be demonstrated. A number of targets would be engaged in this phase by fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters using rockets as well as bombs. The Combat Free-Fall jumps during the night would showcase, how the IAF could take on insertion of troops deep into the enemy territory, undetected.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff, along with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the entire exercise.
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