Exercise Vayu Shakti | 08 Mar 2022

Why in News?

Amid the deepening crisis in Ukraine, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to postpone its firepower demonstration, Exercise Vayu Shakti.

• The exercise was scheduled in the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan. The last edition of Vayu Shakti was held in February 2019.

What is Ex Vayu Shakti?

• It is a triennial exercise once every three year. It is aimed at showcasing the capability of the IAF to conduct full spectrum operations (Day and Night), and to see the participation of aircraft and helicopters,transport aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
• The frontline aircraft in the IAF inventory includes:
  
  • Russian SU-30MKI and MiG-29UPG fighters,
  • French Rafale and Mirage 2000,
  • American C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters,
  • Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas), Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) and the Light Combat Helicopter.

Source: TH