New Delhi: The Navy, Coast Guard and the IAF
today kick-started a major joint war game in the Bay of Bengal
off Visakhapatnam to test their synergy levels in a sea battle
scenario.
Ahead of the exercise, Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma
and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar boarded India`s sole
aircraft carrier INS Viraat, deployed in the eastern front
after several years, to watch the three armed forces going
about their war drills codenamed `Tropex-2010` in the sea.
"The exercise involves the participation of most major
combatants of the Indian Navy, as also participation of the
Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard," a Navy press release
said here.
"Just as the combination of the two fleets and the
elements of the sister services contribute to synergy, the
presence of the Defence Secretary with the Navy Chief is
indicative of the close coordination and synergy of the Navy
and Defence Ministry, which is the key to enhancing
effectiveness at the `business end` of the Navy," it added.
The sword arms of the Navy, the Western and Eastern
fleets, were presently carrying out a joint work up, after
which they would proceed for a mock battle to test their
tactical skills and operational readiness.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Airborne Early Warning
(AEW) helicopters and advanced missile systems of the Navy and
air-to-air re-fueller, Jaguars and Sukhoi-30 of the IAF were
being deployed for the exercise. Missile, torpedo and gun
firings would also be conducted.
-PTI
