IAF, USAF to hold five more jo

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-07-02 AT 01:09 PM (GMT)]http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_13416,0008.htm

IAF, USAF to hold five more joint exercises in 2002-03
PTI
New Delhi, July 11

Further enhancing military-to- military cooperation between the two nations, the airforces of India and the United States have decided to hold five joint exercises in the coming months and step up cooperation in exchange of experts and officers in various fields.

The decisions were taken during the recent visit to the US by Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, which also saw a heightened interest for cooperation and joint functioning of the armed forces of the two countries in areas where interests of the two nations converge.

The decisions arrived at these meetings between the Air Chief and top US armed forces officials mark a major upward shift in military relations between the two countries, which were on a very low key in the past.

Following the talks, four IAF officials, including an Air Commodore, are now participating in an on-going American air force exercise in Alaska codenamed ‘Operation Cope Thunder’.

The first joint exercise in the series is in reciprocity to the recently-held one in Agra, in which Air Force and Army personnel will participate. This exercise, also to be held in Alaska, would be meant for air transport involving loading, unloading, carrying out air and paradrops and contingency operations, an IAF spokesman said.

The next exercise would be held in the US Pacific Command base in Guam islands at the end of this year, in which IAF was exploring the possibility of sending an IL-76 aircraft.

The possibility of US Special Forces participating in it is still being worked out, he said.

Two more exercises and seminars on relief and rescue operations would be held in the US, but details were being worked out, the spokesman said.

A flight training instructor and a doctor from the IAF are already in the US, with the former imparting training to pilots at the US Training Command. Similar arrangements from the American side were in the process of being implemented.

Besides this, US would send delegations to discuss the issues of logistics, flight safety, medical and intelligence sharing, with the IAF following suit.

The enhancement of the levels of Indo-US military-to- military cooperation has taken shape with Washington realising the import of the situation prevailing in the Indian sub-continent and the Asian region and its resultant thrust by the US to increase cooperation in areas where their interests and India’s converge.

During his visit, the IAF Chief also flew a C-130 gunship which was used by the US in armed operations in Afghanistan.