20 May, 2007

Russia created SU-27 to counter US F-15. The only know duel between the two aircrafts happened in July 1992, when USAF 1st Fighter Wing hosted the first leg of a Russian-American fighter exchange. Two Su-27UB fighters and one IL-76 transport were deployed to Langley AFB. The Russians claim that one of their SU-27UB got absorbed into a simulated duel with US F-15’s. Later the SU-27UB video footage clearly showed it acquiring US F -15d and F -15c. But the USAF did not reveal its footage and hence there was no data on how SU-27UB fared in the duel. Russia claims that it had approached US for an air duel, SU-27 vs. F-15, which was not entertained by US.

In this background, when India gave a proposal to US on joint air exercises, could US resist?

There could have been multiple reasons for US to consider the proposal. Indo-US relations were getting better. India was a huge arms importer. A scan of the past, one can find how reliable ally was India to Russia. India was the only country which can engage China. Did US actually believe the Pakistani propaganda on poor quality of Indian pilots? Here was a golden chance to show the Russian equipment down and to prove American weapon supremacy. Or did the Pakistani defeat in all the wars with India in spite of being equipped with US weapons and training made US sit up and realize the potential of Indian Air Force (IAF).

For Russia it could have been validating their design. There was a chance to show the superiority of Russian equipment. But did they trust the Indian pilots?

India had bought a lot of equipment from Russia. It is understandable that India wanted to test them. After all it had paid for all those weapon systems.

The initial Russian reaction to the eventuality of IAF SU-30 exercising with USAF F-15 was not very polite. Eventually, they gave in. After all it was now Indian equipment. India had every right to do so. All the research, machinery and equipment were paid for by Indians.

After the first Indo-US one of the points came clear. US had actually undermined the quality of IAF pilot’s. Maj. Mark A. Snowden, the 3rd Wing’s chief of air-to-air tactics and a participant in Cope India 04, spoke for the 13 U.S. pilots who attended the exercise. He said “The outcome of the exercise boils down to [the fact that] they ran tactics that were more advanced than we expected. India had developed its own air tactics somewhat in a vacuum. They had done some training with the French that we knew about, but we did not expect them to be a very well-trained air force. That was silly.”

Another outcome was the IAF Mirage -2000 aircraft performed better than the F-16’s. Not just in Indo-US exercises but also with Singapore exercises.

US have opted for F-22 after the Indo – US exercises. India has opted for more SU-30 MKI’s and is going to participate in fifth generation fighter project.

In the medium range combat aircraft (MRCA) category, India gained few ideas. India was clearly impressed with the sophistication level of the US aircrafts. A mirage – 2000 or an F-16/18 or a MiG-29 airframe will not bother IAF as long as it has latest electronics.

In the light aircraft category, the exercises showed that MiG-21 had not lost its relevance. IAF should not take lightly the development of Light Combat Aircraft “Tejas.” Tejas airframe is at least two generations ahead of a MiG-21 airframe. If a 1960’s design like MiG-21 equipped with modern avionics can be so effective, then Tejas is a must for the Indian Air force.

Copyrights: Frontier India Defence and Strategic News Service. 2007