Brazen Chariots

·         On March 20, 2008 “Brazen Chariots”, joint exercise by the Army’s Southern Command and the IAF’s South-Western Air Command began at the Pokhran field firing ranges, about 75 km from the Indo-Pak border.

·         With over a 100 defence attaches and invited officers from 59 countries watching, the services showcased their combat prowess and technological capabilities to validate joint air-land battle doctrines and tactics.

·         Army and the Air Force unleashed its firepower in one of the biggest ever war games in recent years.

·         It involved about 37,000 troops and 27 aircraft including fighters, helicopters and transporters.

·         The Army, brought out its T-90 tanks, BMP mechanised combat vehicles recently acquired SMERCH long-range multi-barrel rocket launchers, GRAD rocket launchers, SA-9 and Tangusta air defence systems, miniature spy drones, battlefield surveillance systems and 155 mm Bofors artillery guns, all firing live ammunition.

·         The IAF came in with its Su-30s, MiG-27, MiG-27 and Mi-35 gun-ships to pulverise strategic and tactical ground targets using a variety besides providing IL-76, AN-32s and Mi-17s to para-drop and insert Special Forces and equipment behind enemy lines.