Shillong: The Indian Air Force, under the banner of Exercise Eastern Skies, conducted a series of rigorous operational, maintenance, and administrative activities across the entire Eastern Air Command (EAC) today, as stated in an official release.

The Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force is presently engaged in its annual high-impact command-level exercise, Exercise Eastern Skies, scheduled from October 30 to November 5. As part of this exercise on Wednesday, the Indian Air Force meticulously executed a wide array of operational, maintenance, and administrative tasks aimed at assessing readiness and enhancing

practical training. Notably, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) actively participates in this exercise.
During the course of the exercise, the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) "Prachand" achieved a remarkable feat by landing at a high-altitude Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) during one of its initial deployments. This operation was conducted in collaboration with ground forces and involved numerous combat platforms and systems, all actively participating in the exercise.

As part of his ongoing visit, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, visited various forward-area locations in the North East. During these visits, he had the opportunity to engage with air warriors and commend them for their operational preparedness. The locations visited included Farkawn, Mechuka, Pasighat, Tuting, and Ziro, where Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari received briefings on the operational deployments of various detachments participating in Exercise Eastern Skies.

This exercise encompasses the application of air power in all its dimensions and includes joint operations with the Eastern Command (EC) of the Indian Army, set against the challenging backdrop of mountainous terrain, as highlighted in the official statement.

Significantly, the exercise involves the activation of the entire Eastern Sector and features the active participation of IAF Garuds, who are engaged in special missions in conjunction with the Special Forces (SF) of the Indian Air Force.

The exercise has also seen the deployment of air defense assets from both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, creating realistic battle scenarios. All major IAF fleets are actively engaged in the exercise, along with specialized mission aircraft, as further elaborated in the official statement.

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