The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy are participating in two massive international war simulations being hosted by their American counterparts. For the two-week global air exercise Red Flag, which began in Alaska on May 30, the IAF has sent out Rafale fighter jets. Conversely, the Indian Navy is preparing for Ex RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), which is set to take place in Hawaii from June 25 to August 2, by sending its stealth frigate, INS Shivalik.
According to reports, the Indian Air Force has sent out eight Rafale fighters, three C-17 transport planes, and two IL-78 mid-air refuelling planes. India had participated in Ex Red Flag, which included using Russian SU-30MKI fighter aircraft.
The USAF claims that Red Flag-Alaska is built to offer accurate training in a combat simulation setting. The announcement read, “More than 100 aircraft from 4 nations scheduled to participate in Red Flag-Alaska 24-2 are expected to be flown, maintained, and supported by approximately 3100 service members.”
The main flying activities will occur over the Joint Pacific Alaska range complex, using aircraft from Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base and Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. According to the USAF, Red Flag-Alaska is intended to give realistic training in a combat-simulation environment so that joint combined forces can improve interoperability with other service members while exchanging tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The Indian Navy said on June 1 that the mission, INS Shivalik, which is stationed in the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, left Singapore on May 30 to travel to Yokosuka, Japan. There, it will take part in the mid-June Japan-India maritime exercise JIMEX-24 before continuing on to RIMPAC-24.
According to a statement from the Commander U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs, the biennial RIMPAC exercise will take place in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 26 to August 2. It will involve approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel. The largest international maritime exercise in the world, RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that started in 1971.
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, United Kingdom, and the United States are among the nations taking part in RIMPAC this year. The exercise’s final planning meeting occurred in March at Naval Base Point Loma Annex in San Diego.
Exercise RIMPAC
- Event: June 25–August 2, 2024, Hawaii, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
- The Indian Navy will participate.
- The indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik is being deployed.
- The goal is to improve communication between the US Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and other partner navies.
- Among the participants are over 150 aircraft, over 25,000 soldiers, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, and 29 nationalities.
- Australia, Peru, India, Germany, Indonesia, Belgium, Brazil, Philippines, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Singapore, Colombia, Netherlands, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, , South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, UK, and the US are among the nations taking part in RIMPAC this year.
