Having pitted their skills against each other in the recently concluded multi-national air exercise "Red Flag" in the US, the IAF and USAF helicopter and transport planes will take part in a joint exercise in Agra early next year. The Red Flag exercise saw the fighter pilots of IAF, USAF French and South Korean Air Force testing their skills in a modern day battlefield scenario. The exercise next year in Agra will include transport aircraft and helicopters and the two air forces will focus on logistics and air maintenance, officials said here on Monday. While the USAF will, most probably, deploy its Chinook and Bell helicopters and C-130J Hercules transport planes and the IAF will deploy MI-17 and MI-26 helicopters and AN-32 and IL-76 transport aircraft, they said. Incidentally, India has bought six C-130J Hercules for its special forces and a follow-on order of another six Hercules was in the pipeline and delivery of the first lot of these planes will begin in 2010. The Red Flag exercise, rated to be most prestigious and demanding exercise in the world, saw the Indian pilots flying the frontline fighter jets SU-30 and performing very well. India and US have taken part in joint exercises in the last ten years here and in the US in an effort to enhance interoperability, jointmanship and understanding the operational philosophy of each other's Air Force. source: Pioneer
