80 aircraft, 40 countries: IAF’s Tarang Shakti air exercise kicks off in Jodhpur

The Indian Air Force's (IAF) second edition of the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti commenced in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, with nearly 40 countries and 80 aircraft participating. The airbase in Jodhpur is set to witness over a thousand sorties by both Indian and foreign fighter jets over the next fortnight. This exercise, which will run until October 12, involves seven countries directly participating with their advanced aircraft and fighter assets, while 32 nations are attending as observers.

Among the key aircraft attractions are six US F-35 Lightning IIs, seven French Rafales, UAE's six F-16 jets, MRTTs, KC-135s, Australia's C-130 aircraft, and various IAF fighter jets like Sukhois, Tejas, Mirage-2000, and Indian Rafales. The exercise aims to cover a wide spectrum of missions, including counter-air operations, air defence, close combat, airlift, and air-to-air refuelling, as well as more complex mission sets involving multiple aircraft and forces.

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