Indian contingent to participate in Exercise Red Flag'08 in US

New Delhi, Jul 6 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in a multinational air Exercise--Exercise Red Flag 08--at the invitation of the United States Air Force (USAF), scheduled to be held at Nellis Air Force Base in the US from August 9-23.

It would participate in the exercise with eight SU-30 MK-I aircraft, two IL-78 air-to-air refuellers and one IL-76 transport aircraft, Defence Ministry sources said here today.

The Indian contingent, led by Gp Capt D Chaudhury, would comprise 156 personnel below officers rank and 91 officers (inclusive of ten members of 'Garud', IAF Special Force team).

Exercise Red Flag is a multinational air exercise that is held thrice a year at Nellis Air Force base, US.

The IAF would be participating in the Exercise alongwith South Korean Air Force with F-15K and the French Air Force with their latest Rafale aircraft, apart from the USAF.

Red Flag was originally conceived in 1975 by the USAF with an advanced aerial combat training format - the purpose was to ensure that pilots were trained enough to survive in air combat and win air battles.

Prior to the main Exercise Red Flag 08 at Nellis, the IAF's contingent would be working up at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho, US, from July 17 to August seven.

At Mountain Home, the IAF contingent would be flying with the F-16s and F-15s of the USAF.

The IAF contingent with its aircraft are scheduled to depart from Pune tomorrow and transit via Doha (Qatar), Chorlu (Turkey), Mont de Marsan (France) and Lagest (Portugal) before reaching US and Mountain Home airbase on July 17.

UNI SH GT KN1914