1745561973118Rafale leads India’s Aakraman drill to sharpen deep-strike capabilities

 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has started a massive operational exercise code-named Exercise Aakraman. The drill has been conducted following tensions brewing between India and Pakistan after the heinous terror attack in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

The purpose of the exercises is to enhance the force’s offensive prowess in both flat and mountainous terrain in order to be well equipped when partaking in sudden aerial combat.

 

Rafales at the Core of Operations

 

The exercise carried out in the central region involves the IAF’s latest fighter inventory, under the leadership of the French-indigenous Rafale fighters. The multirole jets, deployed at Ambala in Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal, are leading sophisticated operations involving extended-range strikes and mock enemy base attacks.

Defense sources informed ANI that the Rafales, among other frontline fighters, are performing “high-intensity ground attack and electronic warfare training,” with several assets shifted from eastern bases augmenting the operation.

 

Combat-Realistic Training in Hostile Environments

 

Targeted at simulating actual wartime environments, Exercise Aakraman provides IAF pilots with the means to practice combat-realistic high-stakes exercises. From mountainous attacks to plains-based bombing missions, the exercise is planned to sharpen the force’s readiness for deep-strike missions under enemy conditions.

Top IAF fighter pilots, call them the service’s “Top Guns”, are involved in sorties of longer ranges, conducting precision bombing on far-off, simulated targets. “These combat simulations are being carried out under the close supervision of highly experienced instructors and senior leadership from Air Headquarters,” a source said.

 

Force Multipliers Enhance IAF’s Cutting Edge

 

The exercise also reflects the IAF’s increasing technological advantage in the South Asian region. The integration of advanced weapons like the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and long-range precision strike weapons like the Rampage and Rocks missiles has greatly enhanced India’s striking capabilities.

In addition, the induction of the S-400 air defense system has provided India with a strong layer of aerial defense, capable of countering sophisticated threats like enemy airborne early warning and control aircraft.

 

Strategic Timing Indicative of Strong Posture

 

The timing of Exercise Aakraman is interpreted as a strategic indication amid regional instability. It follows barely days after the ISI-sponsored terror attacks in Pahalgam that took civilian life, sparking security concerns along the Indo-Pak border.

Experts opine that such exercises not only demonstrate India’s military readiness but also act as a deterrent by displaying the IAF’s capability to deliver coordinated and targeted strikes, if attacked.

The Indian Air Force has indicated more such high-tempo exercises in the months ahead, as it continues to upgrade its fleet and refine its months ahead, as it continues to upgrade changing security environment.