IAF, UK navy jets hold joint drills over Indian Ocean

In a display of growing defence cooperation between India and the United Kingdom, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has carried out a joint exercise with the UK Royal Navy over the Indian Ocean.

The UK Royal Navy’s F-35B stealth combat jets, termed as ‘fifth-generation’ planes produced by the US company Lockheed Martin, participated in the exercise. The IAF used

the Russia-made Sukhoi 30-MKI and the British origin-Jaguar which have a maritime role.

The F-35B jets are based on the deck of the 65,000-tonne UK Navy carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales. The IAF jets took off from land bases to carry out the drills.

The IAF, on Wednesday, posted pictures of the exercise and said, “On 14 Oct, IAF’s Sukhoi-30 MKIs, Jaguars, AWACS & AEW&C aircraft joined Royal Navy F-35Bs from HMS Prince of Wales for a joint exercise over the Indian Ocean Region.”

The use of AWACS and AEW&C is crucial. The AWACS (airborne warning and control system) is an aircraft-mounted radar system designed to detect and track aircraft, ships, missiles and other vehicles at long ranges. The AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) is also a radar system designed to detect and track aircraft, ships and then direct own forces to respond. It is flying command and control centre.

The IAF added “the training strengthened interoperability, mutual trust, and collective commitment to regional stability”.  The objective of this aerial drill was to enhance capacities on both sides to operate together.

The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, since April, is on an eight-month-long deployment under ‘Operation Highmast’ and highlights the UK's increasing focus on the Indo-Pacific.

India and the UK have a "India-UK 2030 Roadmap" and the "India-UK Vision 2035," which aim to elevate the bilateral relationship through strategic partnerships in technology and defence.

The two sides announced an agreement for cooperation in military training, under which IAF flying instructors will serve as trainers with the UK’s Royal Air Force.

Last week, the Indian Navy and UK’s Royal Navy concluded maritime exercise ‘Konkan-2025’ with ‘carrier strike groups’ led by the INS Vikrant and HMS Prince of Wales, respectively. It included fighter jets and copters on deck of the aircraft carrier, which is accompanied by other warships and submarines, getting live situational feed from surveillance planes and satellites.

The exercise involved maritime operational drills focusing on anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine exercises, flying operations and other seamanship evolution.