A French Air and Space Force contingent, together with three Rafale jets, made a strategically essential stopover on the IAF’s Sulur base in Tamil Nadu as a part of a mega army operation it carried out within the Pacific Ocean.
The assist offered by the Indian Air Force to the French drive mirrored the implementation of the reciprocal logistics assist settlement signed by France and India in 2018 to spice up army cooperation.
A contingent of the French Air & Space Force staged by way of an IAF base on their technique to Ex-Pitch Black 2022 in Australia.
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A French readout mentioned on Thursday that the cooperation with the Indian Air Force demonstrated a excessive stage of mutual belief and interoperability between the 2 sides.
It mentioned the French contingent was hosted for a technical visit Air Force Station Sulur on August 10 and 11 throughout a long-distance deployment from metropolitan France to the Pacific Ocean.
The French Air and Space Force is finishing up a serious long-range mission within the Indo-Pacific, code-named Pegase 22, from August 10 to September 18.
“The first stage of this mission goals to reveal France’s capability for long-distance air energy projection by deploying an Air Force contingent from metropolitan France to the French territory of New Caledonia within the Pacific Ocean in lower than 72 hours (Tenth-Twelfth August) , the assertion mentioned.
“To achieve this unprecedented 16,600-km deployment, the Air Force contingent made a technical stopover in India, at Air Force Station Sulur,” it mentioned.
The contingent includes three Rafale jets and assist plane.
“Landing at Air Force Station Sulur on August 10th evening, it flew out in the early hours of 11th August after refuelling, en route to New Caledonia,” the readout famous.
“The operation demonstrated a high level of mutual trust and interoperability between the French and Indian Air Forces, which has been further boosted by the fact that both Air Forces now fly Rafale jets,” it mentioned.
The readout talked about the cooperation between the 2 air forces illustrated the “concrete” implementation of the reciprocal logistics assist settlement.
“France is a resident power of the Indo-Pacific, and this ambitious long-distance air power projection demonstrates our commitment to the region and our partners,” French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain mentioned, lauding the IAF’s function within the profitable operation.
He mentioned it’s only pure that to hold out this mission, France associated on India, and described it as France’s “foremost strategic partner in Asia”.
In the next levels of Mission Pegase 22, the French Air Force contingent will participate within the “Pitch Black” air train happening in Australia from August 17 to September 10.
The Indian Air Force will even take part on this multilateral drill, together with Australia, Japan, the US, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore, the UK, and South Korea.
Mission Pegase 22 is a robust demonstration of France’s capability for fast deployment within the Indo-Pacific.
“The mission can be proof that the safety state of affairs in Europe has not diminished the French and European dedication within the Indo-Pacific. In this respect, it additionally goals to strengthen ties with key strategic companions,” the French readout mentioned.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
