Indian Air Force : Updates & Discussions

I have to ask - During Gaganshakti-2018, the IAF clocked 11,000+ sorties in 14 days (9000 by combat aircraft), using 1100+ aircrraft, and 5000 in the first 3(?) days itself. The idea was pretty clear - "we don't have 'nuff assets, so let's get this over with quickly..." - 'surge ops'. Now, even the Chinese media (heavily state-regulated, ofc) betrayed grudging respect for the sheer scale of the Exercise, saying if the IAF really did that, then a threat-perception-re calibration, of the Indians, was required by the Chinese and the Russians. Also, the IAF displayed its much vaunted 'asset-switch' capability, from the west to the east. I have to ask, other than the USAF, is there any other Air Force on this planet which could've done that, or better?
@randomradio, @_Anonymous_, @Ashwin, @Gautam, @Milspec, @Hydra, @STEPHEN COHEN ???
 
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I have to ask - During Gaganshakti-2018, the IAF clocked 11,000+ sorties in 14 days (9000 by combat aircraft), using 1100+ aircrraft, and 5000 in the first 3(?) days itself. The idea was pretty clear - "we don't have 'nuff assets, so let's get this over with quickly..." - 'surge ops'. Now, even the Chinese media (heavily state-regulated, ofc) betrayed grudging respect for the sheer scale of the Exercise, saying if the IAF really did that, then a threat-perception-re calibration, of the Indians, was required by the Chinese and the Russians. Also, the IAF displayed its much vaunted 'asset-switch' capability, from the west to the east. I have to ask, other than the USAF, is there any other Air Force on this planet which could've done that, or better?
@randomradio, @_Anonymous_, @Ashwin, @Gautam, @Milspec, @Hydra, @STEPHEN COHEN ???

Pretty much all the big names in theory. Russia, France, Israel etc. But what we did was a bit too impressive and the only way to match what we did is by proving it. Russia's actions in Syria with a small fleet was very impressive as well, but their missions were not as challenging since it was mostly CAS.
 
I have to ask - During Gaganshakti-2018, the IAF clocked 11,000+ sorties in 14 days (9000 by combat aircraft), using 1100+ aircrraft, and 5000 in the first 3(?) days itself. The idea was pretty clear - "we don't have 'nuff assets, so let's get this over with quickly..." - 'surge ops'. Now, even the Chinese media (heavily state-regulated, ofc) betrayed grudging respect for the sheer scale of the Exercise, saying if the IAF really did that, then a threat-perception-re calibration, of the Indians, was required by the Chinese and the Russians. Also, the IAF displayed its much vaunted 'asset-switch' capability, from the west to the east. I have to ask, other than the USAF, is there any other Air Force on this planet which could've done that, or better?
@randomradio, @_Anonymous_, @Ashwin, @Gautam, @Milspec, @Hydra, @STEPHEN COHEN ???
Only Russian military is capable to match USA's airborne military lift capability. They have outsmarted even USA during NATO's Kosovo military intervention.
 
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The Indian Air Force is the only service in the Indian Army capable of asymmetric warfare against China, according to a US expert.


A recent report (2020 - https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/...india-china-postures/China India Postures.pdf) on the military balance between India and China, entitled "The Strategic Postures of China and India", by Frank O'Donnell and Alexander K. Bollfrass, researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School, suggests that the IAF's current inventory of fourth-generation fighters (Mirage-2000, MiG-29 UPG - used by the Western Command - and SU-30 MK and now Rafale (not mentioned in the report) - used by the Western Command - are more than equal to the PLA Air Force's SU-30, J-10 and J-11.

It adds that, given its combat proficiency and flexibility, the IAF is the only service capable of applying asymmetric combat power and withstanding the dreaded SSM barrage of PLA rocket forces.

XI's recent visit to Chinese bases opposite India would mark China's desire to bridge the gap between the two armies ...
 
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The Indian Air Force is the only service in the Indian Army capable of asymmetric warfare against China, according to a US expert.


A recent report (2020 - https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/india-china-postures/China India Postures.pdf) on the military balance between India and China, entitled "The Strategic Postures of China and India", by Frank O'Donnell and Alexander K. Bollfrass, researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School, suggests that the IAF's current inventory of fourth-generation fighters (Mirage-2000, MiG-29 UPG - used by the Western Command - and SU-30 MK and now Rafale (not mentioned in the report) - used by the Western Command - are more than equal to the PLA Air Force's SU-30, J-10 and J-11.

It adds that, given its combat proficiency and flexibility, the IAF is the only service capable of applying asymmetric combat power and withstanding the dreaded SSM barrage of PLA rocket forces.

XI's recent visit to Chinese bases opposite India would mark China's desire to bridge the gap between the two armies ...

It's true as long as the J-20 is either not up to the mark or underestimated.
 
The Indian Air Force is the only service in the Indian Army capable of asymmetric warfare against China, according to a US expert.


A recent report (2020 - https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/india-china-postures/China India Postures.pdf) on the military balance between India and China, entitled "The Strategic Postures of China and India", by Frank O'Donnell and Alexander K. Bollfrass, researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School, suggests that the IAF's current inventory of fourth-generation fighters (Mirage-2000, MiG-29 UPG - used by the Western Command - and SU-30 MK and now Rafale (not mentioned in the report) - used by the Western Command - are more than equal to the PLA Air Force's SU-30, J-10 and J-11.

It adds that, given its combat proficiency and flexibility, the IAF is the only service capable of applying asymmetric combat power and withstanding the dreaded SSM barrage of PLA rocket forces.

XI's recent visit to Chinese bases opposite India would mark China's desire to bridge the gap between the two armies ...
Is this explicitly written?

Also, do you mind if i ask about your opinion of the F16 and MKI shootout during PAF's retaliation on 27 Feb 2019 against IAF's previous day's Balakot attack?
 
Is this explicitly written?

An extract of the article:
A recent report on the India–China military balance, “The Strategic Postures of China and India,” written by Frank O’ Donnell and Alexander K. Bollfrass, researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School suggests that the IAF’s current inventory of fourth-generation fighters (Mirage-2000s, MiG-29 UPG — used by the western command — and SU-30 MK and now Rafale — used by the western command — are more than a match for the PLA Air Force’s SU-30s, J-10s and J-11s.

It adds that given its battle proficiency and flexibility, the IAF is the only service that can apply asymmetric combat power and withstand the much-feared barrage of SSMs from the PLA Rocket Forces.

Also, do you mind if i ask about your opinion of the F16 and MKI shootout during PAF's retaliation on 27 Feb 2019 against IAF's previous day's Balakot attack?
I am not the best person to determine who is right in describing what happened! I was not there.
Disinformation is part of warfare, and if I tend to believe the Indian side, it's more sentimental than anything else. But from a military point of view it doesn't matter much, what matters is that the Pakistani operation has been stopped, and no one disputes that.