Exercise Garuda VI
During the first two weeks of July2019, sixth edition of the Garuda series of exercises between the Indian Air Force and its French counterpart Armée de l’Airwas held at Mont de Marsan air base in southern France. In sending four Sukhoi Su-30MKIs,an interesting “contest”was witnessed between this formidable Russian-origin fighter and their soon to be brothers-in –arms, the French-developed Dassault Rafale.
Su-30MKI of the IAF approaching a French C-135F tanker over the Mediteranean Sea (credit FAF)
Falling under the global framework of bilateral cooperation established in 1998 between the two nations, the Garuda exercise is alternately held in France and India,the first edition of which took place at GwaliorAir Force Station (AFS) in 2003, being the first such exercise between the IAF and a foreign air arm. In 2005,Garuda II was held atIstresair base in Francewhich also marked the first such exercise of the IAF in Europe. The third edition, in 2007, was again held in India and the subsequent edition hosted by France in 2010.
The relative size of the Su-30MKI and Rafaleis clearly seen in this picture of a joint formation during Garuda over the French country side (credit FAF)
During fourth edition of Garuda, which was held at Istres again, Indian and French aircraft refueled from each other's tankers for the first time, highlighting increased operating synergy. Also, this fourth edition was exercised in a trilateral format with Singapore deploying their F-16s to Orange air base at the same time. Due to the Libyan war, in which the French were heavily involved under NATO command, the fifth edition of Garuda took a few years later than anticipated, in June 2014 at Jodhpur AFS,Garuda V witnessing the maiden participation of Rafale fighters in an air exercise in India.
Hawks versus Normandie
An IAF Su-30MKI at Mont de Marsan, with a French Rafaletaxing past (credit FAF)
110 pilots and technicians of the IAF, with four Su-30MKIs of No.24 Squadron ‘Hunting Hawks’ based at Bareilly AFS and a single IL-78 midair refueler of No.78 Squadron at Agra comprised the detachment. Two IAF C-17 Globemaster IIIs provided transport support for the induction/deduction of Indian personal for the exercise. Making technical stops in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, it took the detachment four days to reach France. During the last part of their flight, the Su-30MKIs were refueled over the Mediterranean Sea by a French Air Force C-135FR, underlining cooperation between the two nations. The French reinforced importance of Garuda by supporting the exercise with a variety of assets. Eye catchers were of course the multi role Rafales of Régiment de Chasse 2/30 Normandie Niémen but there also were Alpha Jets, Mirage 2000s, E-3 AWACS and transport aircraft including the C-130 Hercules and Casa 235 during the two-week long exercise.
The IAF IL-78 was used for cross-nation air refueling during Garuda VI (credit FAF)
“Crawl, walk and run”
Preflight briefing with French and IAF pilots (credit FAF)
As the IAF is not familiar with European air traffic condition the exercise was built up through “the crawl, walk and run” principle. First week of flying was to familiarise the IAF pilots with local procedures, weather,(air base) surroundings and French Air Traffic Control. Basic Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) missions, gradually stepping up from 1v1 to 2v2, were flown within visual range (WVR)with pilots of both nations getting the chance to fly in each other’s aircraft to get the best ‘feeling’ of capabilities of both the Rafale and Su-30MKI. Colonel Gaudillere, base commander of Mont de Marsan, flew with Gp Capt Rodrigues in a Su-30MKI, commenting that : “It was a great experience flying the Flanker.” Finally the weapons range nearby Mont de Marsan was visited by mixed formations.
French Rafales and Indian Su-30MKIs fly in formation over the French country side. (credit RC2.30 FAF)
With Indian pilots getting more familiar in France, the exercise stepped up a notch during the second week, largely dominated by Combined Air Operations (COMAO) and Large Force Employments (LFE). These missions centered on gaining and maintaining air superiority against an advanced (air/ground) threat. Missions consisted of 15 Offensive Counter-Air (OCA) aircraft performing all kind of OCA missions including strike, sweep and slow mover protection versus 7 Defensive Counter-Air (DCA) aircraft defending their assets.
Two IAF C-17s provided logistics support for the IAF (credit FAF)
Also practiced during Garuda was training of the role of Mission Commanders,which gave the somewhat younger and less experienced pilots the chance to plan, execute and control a COMAO mission which significantly added to their overall learning curve.AsGpCapt Rodrigues elaborated: “this exercise has been a great experience for the IAF. Going through different phases starting with basic Combat Air Manoeuveres up to the LFE’s in the second week provided value experience which we can exploit when we are back in India.”
IAF Su-30MKI refeuled by French C-135F during their arrival in France late June (credit FAF)
Forging relationship
Military relationship between France and India has been increasing and has been showing in more than one way. Garada VI provided an opportunity to a sizeable number of IAF pilots to have a close-look at the Rafale of which the first of 36 on order will enter service with the IAF from September this year. But not only aircrew benefited from this exercise. For example, firemen of both nations interacted with each other in training together on how to evacuate airmen from each other’s aircraft type. As Group Captain Shah, IAF detachment commander for Garuda VI, stated: “The exercise is meant to increase interoperability between the two friendly nations as well as learning the best practices from each other so both air forces grow and get better at what they do.” Considering the long series of Garuda exercises, but also mutual operations between Navy and Army elements of both nations and the imminent arrival of the first French-origin Rafale for India, it seems that the two nations have forged a strong relationship into the future.
Sqn Ldr Ambure of the IAF before flight in a FAF Rafale aircraft during Garuda VI. (credit IAF)
Article by Stephan van Geem, Patrick Smitshoek and Remco Stalenhoef