Su-30MKI jets carry out 8-hr drill over Arabian Sea

New Delhi, June 9

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets carried out an eight-hour “mission” as part of an exercise over the Arabian Sea on Friday.

The mission, which lasted eight hours, involved a variety of manoeuvres and simulated operations. The jets were refuelled midair by IAF IL-78 refuellers. A similar exercise had been carried out last week using a Rafale fighter aircraft on the eastern seaboard.

The exercise assumes significance in view of China expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean. Last week, four IAF Rafale aircraft flew a long-range mission for over six hours. “The aircraft ‘fought’ their way through a large force engagement en route to their weapon release point,” the IAF had then tweeted.