An illustrated account on ‘Exercise Garuda VI appeared in Vayu Issue IV/2019. This follow on article with equally superb images augments the record of that important exercise.
The sixth edition of Exercise Garuda was held in July 2019 atBase Aérienne 118 Colonel Rozanoff, Mont-de-Marsanin southern France, with the objective of “improving the level of interoperability of French and Indian air crew in air defence missions and ground attack”.
The scenarios had been jointly prepared by the two air forces, so as to bring the French and Indian crews on the same page to prepare for missions and operating their respective aircraft in realistic complex tactical situations.
Dasault Rafale at Mont-de-Marsan (Alexvan Noye)
GarudaVI witnessed participation of a large mix of the French Air Force aircraft such as the Dassault Rafale, Alphajet, Mirage 2000 C/D, Boeing C-135F tanker, Boeing E-3F AWACS, Lockheed C130 Hercules and CASA-235 tactical transport aircraft. This French armada of aircraft was joined four Indian Air ForceSukhoi Su-30MKIs, one Ilyushin-Il-78 and two Boeing C-17 heavy transport aircraft,which transported personnel and supplies from India and then returned to home base.
Su-30MKI at Mont-de-Marsan (Alex van Noye)
The IAFSukhoi Su-30MKIs, were from No.24 Squadron ‘Hunting Hawks’,normally based at Air Force Station Bareilly, and the Il-78 tanker was from No.78 Squadron ‘Battle-Cry’ at AFS Agra. There were 110 IAF personnel,departing India on 26 June with intermediate stops at the UAE and Egypt; arriving in France on 28 June,with Base Commander Mont-de-Marsan Colonel Gaudillereformally receiving the Indian Air Force contingent on their arrival.
Garuda VI was hosted by 2nd Squadron of the 30th Fighter Wing (Escadron de Chasse EC2/30) ‘Normandie-Niemen’, operatingDassaultRafalesat their homebase BA Mont-de-Marsan.
With the imminent induction of DassaultRafales in the IAF’sinventory,Garuda VI was all the more important as it gave IAF pilots the chance for a closer look at their new fighter. The first IAF Rafales are expected to be handed over to the Service in September 2019, which will be then employed for conversion training, testing and evaluation for the next six months before they are ferried to India and formal induction in the Indian Air Force.
The Exercise itself
Two missions were planned for every day, whereby the Indian and French Air Force would alternate rolesas mission leaders. The workup phase was to get the pilots acquainted to fly in large packages of dissimilar aircraft in compact air space, particularly important for the younger pilots.Also air-to-air refueling was included in these preparatory sessions.
Rafale before take off (Alex vanNoye)
After launch of aircraft, select media weretaken to the Detection and Control Centre (Centre de Détection et de Contrôle (CDC)) with call sign ‘Marina’ to monitor morning wave of the exercise, the ‘Marina’ CDC being responsible for all flying activities in southwest France, monitoring air traffic, controlling exercises and Air Defense QRA missions (Permanence Operationelle, PO) in that region. The control centre cooperates closely with other regional CDCs and the centralised French CDC at the Lyon-Mont Verdun airbase, with call sign ‘Rambert’.
Mirage 2000D returns from sortie (Joris van Boven)
Lt-Colonel Courty, commanding officer of EC 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen, briefed the media about the exercise and its goals, the main focus being co-operation by building up the exercise from familiarisation missions in the first week to large package in the second week.
After morning missions, debriefings took place in the afternoon,a key objective of the exercise being to protect a slow moving transport aircraft delivering paratroopers to a DropZone (DZ). The IAF Sukhois, as Blue Air, were tasked to protect the transport aircraft.
Su-30MKI returns to Mont-de-Marsan (Alexvan Noye)
From the Indian Air Force, interviews were held with Group Captain Rodrigues ‘Rods’,who has 3000 flying hours including 1000 on the Su-30. He too flew operational missions during Garuda VI as did Group Captain Arvind, CO of No. 78 Squadronf with the Il-78 MKI, having8000 flying hours himself,including 3500 hours on the Ilyushin-78.
IAF Ilyushin Il-78 (Joris van Boven)
As GpCapt Rodrigues summed it up, “this was a great experience and more than challenging, it was much more learning value for us, primary because the French Air Force is at NATO standards, so in terms of understanding each other, it was not difficult. But going through various phases, starting from the basic fighting manoeuveres until large force engagements, and at each stage,integrating with them, the learning value was quite a bit.And we have much to take away, continue to progress to move ahead in years to come”.
Text and photos :Joris van Boven and Alex van Noye