Exercise Vayushakti-26 of the Indian Air Force (IAF), to be held at Pokhran Air-to-Ground Range, Jaisalmer, on Friday, may miss the indigenous face of India's fighter jets, the 4.5-generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
The exercise aims to showcase the ability of the IAF to rapidly punish the adversary, dominate the operational environment from the outset, and decisively influence the course of operations by transforming tactical actions into strategic outcomes.
The defence ministry, in a release, had stated that full-spectrum operations by fighter, transport, and helicopter platforms of IAF, including LCA Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-29, Hawk, C-130J, C-295, C-17, Chetak, ALH MK-IV, Mi-17 IV, LCH, Apache, Chinook, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), will be executed at the war game.
However, if reports are to be believed, LCA Tejas Mk-1 will be conspicuous by its absence at the exercise.
The fighter jet had sustained damage after it overshot the runway at a frontline airbase on February 7. The manufacturer of the aircraft, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), had downplayed the incident, saying that Tejas was not involved in a crash and that the event in question was a minor technical incident on the ground.
ALSO READ: Did LCA Tejas really crash? HAL reveals real story behind the latest fighter jet incident
According to media reports, LCA Tejas will miss the Vayushakti action as the IAF is carrying out safety checks of the fleet in the wake of the accident.
HAL had said as a standard operating procedure, the issue is being analysed in depth, and HAL is working closely with the Indian Air Force for a speedy resolution.
If reports are to be believed, the aircraft was not part of the full dress rehearsal for the exercise held at the Thar Desert ahead of the main firepower demonstration. LCA Tejas will not be part of the event on Friday as well, according to media reports.
For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India
The exercise, which will be attended by President Droupadi Murmu, will also feature advanced weapon systems such as Short-Range Loitering Munitions (SRLM), Akash, SpyDer, and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS), carrying out day, dusk, and night missions.
The defence ministry had said Vayushakti-26 will also highlight the success of Operation Sindoor, reaffirming the primacy of the IAF in airspace dominance, long-range precision targeting, multi-domain operations, and its ability to deliver decisive effects.
The exercise aims to reassure the nation by reaffirming the IAF's role as a key component of India's national security architecture, the ministry added.
