A Tactical Exercise Is Conducted By IAF And The Egyptian Air Force

The Egyptian Fighter Weapon School, which is located in Cairo West Air Force Base, hosted a one-month exchange programme in July 2022 between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Egyptian Air Force (EAF).

As it was performed between their respective Fighter Weapon Schools, this was a first-of-its-kind encounter between the two air forces. Three Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft and six Combat Instructor Pilots from Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), which represents the IAF, took part in the training.

Under the auspices of the EAF’s Tactical Leadership Program, the cooperation between the two air forces resulted in a beneficial exchange of ideas in the area of large force engagements including challenging multi-aircraft missions. Pilots from the IAF and the EAF conducted missions together that were both simple and sophisticated during the interaction, sharing experiences and best practises in the art and science of air combat.

The induction and de-induction flights involved over six-hour journeys that included mid-air refuelling assistance from the IAF and UAE Air to Air refuelers.

The synergistic air operations programme has demonstrated the high level of professional trust that has grown between the two Air Forces.

The relationship between the two Air Forces began in the 1960s when Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava, an IAF Test Pilot, test-flew the Helwan HA-300 with EAF Test Pilots. The next step was the training of young Egyptian pilots by Indian Qualified Flying Instructors, a programme that lasted into the 1980s.