IAF to showcase firepower in Pokharan on Feb 17

The Indian Air Force will display its full spectrum of combat and fire capabilities during Exercise Vayu Shakti-2024 at the Pokharan firing range on February 17, senior officials said on Friday.

Fighter jet Rafale and Prachand and Apache attack helicopters will be among the assets which will take part in the exercise for the first time, Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal A P Singh told reporters here.

The Pokharan firing range is close to India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan.

The triennial exercise will take place for 2 hours and 15 minutes during the day, dusk and night, he said.

”We plan to conduct Exercise Vayu Shakti to showcase the full spectrum of operations that Indian aerospace power can take on. It is going to be conducted in near-realistic scenario,” Air Marshal Singh said.

About 100 assets will take part in the exercise, which was conducted last in 2019.