Potential
of air training by Pakistan Air Force
Last week, the Pakistan Air Force
(PAF) launched Indus Shield 2024, a significant multinational air exercise
featuring participation from up to 24 countries, including key partners like
China and Turkey, as well as an expanding group of nations from the Middle
East, Africa, and Europe.
This marks the second iteration of
Indus Shield, which began in 2023 and has grown to include 10 additional
countries compared to last year's exercise.
According to a PAF press release,
Indus Shield 2024 is being conducted at two locations simultaneously. The
exercise aims to enhance interoperability among participants, strengthen
partnerships, and practice both air-to-air and air-to-surface tactics.
Read
More China’s
PLAAF actively participates in Indus Shield 2024 air exercise in Pakistan
However, viewing Indus Shield merely
as a large-scale drill misses the broader strategic objectives the PAF seeks to
achieve through such programs.
The
Importance of Air Exercises
Exercises like Indus Shield, along
with others such as Anatolian Eagle and High Mark, are modeled after the U.S.
Air Force's Red Flag, which was initiated in 1975 to refine air combat
strategies based on lessons from the Vietnam War.
Red Flag's primary goal is to create
a realistic operational environment for air forces to test their systems,
tactics, and maintenance procedures. Such exercises provide valuable
opportunities to benchmark practices against other nations and gain experience
in conditions that simulate real conflicts.
While actual combat is the ultimate
test, large-scale exercises offer a nearly realistic environment for building
operational experience. For the PAF, participation in such exercises has been
credited with enhancing its success, including its response during the 2019
Balakot incident.
Recognizing that not every country
can attend Red Flag, the PAF aims to position Indus Shield as a viable
alternative or complementary exercise for air forces that participate in other
training programs.
Exposure
to Diverse Platforms and Doctrines
One of the distinctive features of
Pakistan’s air exercises is the integration of aircraft from both Eastern and
Western origins. Indus Shield features a range of platforms, including Chinese
J-10CEs, Sino-Pak JF-17s, U.S. F-16s and F-15s, Russian Flankers, and various
European aircraft like the Tornado.
Read
More Pakistan
Air Force conducts air exercises with key allies including Saudi Arabia, Egypt
Refining
Training and Processes
The PAF is a robust air force,
equipped with modern fighter jets featuring advanced technologies, such as
active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, airborne early warning and
control (AEW&C) systems, drones, and tactical data links (TDL). This
expertise enhances its capabilities in key areas of air warfare.
Enhancing
Industry Marketability
Indus Shield also provides a
platform for the Pakistani defense industry to showcase its solutions to
potential buyers, particularly in the Middle East and Africa. The industry has
opportunities to excel in niches such as drones, guided munitions, and custom
integration services.
A
Prestige-Building Initiative
Ultimately, enhancing its prestige
appears to be a key goal for the PAF with Indus Shield. The PAF intends to
conduct this exercise annually, representing a significant investment,
especially if it continues to invite more countries to participate or observe.
Source: https://quwa.org/