NEW DELHI: In a significant reflection of the deepening military ties, an Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent of SU-30MKIs and personnel is currently in Egypt for the month-long Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) at the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) Weapon School. The other air forces invited for the programme include those of Jordan and Greece.
On behalf of the IAF, the TLP is being led by the Gwalior-based Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), which trains top combat pilots and instructors.
Sources confirmed that the IAF team arrived in Egypt for the month-long TLP on Tuesday. "It was a non-stop flight supported by the IL-78 mid-air refuelers," added the source.
The programme aims to hone air combat skills by simulating various scenarios and missions, both day and night, involving air-to-ground and air-to-air combat alongside Egyptian F-16s, Rafales, and F-16s from Greece and Jordan.
The first TLP was conducted in July 2022 between their respective Fighter Weapon Schools. It is a unique exercise in which the IAF is participating with its aircrew acting as instructors.
TACDE participated with three Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft and six combat instructor pilots. The induction and de-induction involved flights of over six hours with mid-air refueling support from IAF and UAE Air-to-Air refuelers.
According to the IAF, the first TLP was a fruitful exchange of ideas in the domain of Large Force Engagements involving complex, multi-aircraft missions. During the interaction, IAF pilots flew alongside EAF pilots in missions of multiple complexities. The participants also shared their experiences in the art and science of air combat and discussed their best practices.
During the first TLP, IAF aircraft participated in day and night missions, involving air-to-ground and air-to-air combat scenarios, as well as Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) activities alongside Egyptian F-16s, Rafales, and Mig-29s.
The first TLP, which involved synergistic air operations, according to the IAF, "illustrated a high degree of professional trust that has developed between the two air forces." The bond between the two air forces dates back to the 1960s when Group Captain Kapil Bhargava, an IAF test pilot, test-flew the Egyptian prototype of the Helwan HA-300 with test pilots from the EAF. This was followed by Indian Qualified Flying Instructors training young Egyptian pilots, a programme that continued into the 1980s.