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In search of the Indian,
With the participation to Fairford of two SU-30 and a IL-78 tanker we decided to attend the show. A extra motivation was the last show of the F-117 ever in Europe with the type decommissioning in august this years.
We attended Fairford on the Sunday, with 1997 being the last time we visited Fairford the condition to take pictures haven’t improved over the years. The Su-30 and support where parked in the middle of the static surrounded by cones and other
obstructions .
Sadly the weather was not very good on the Sunday and the outlook for Monday was not much better, so we decided to take the gamble to go to Waddington to see the aircraft returning from Fairford in preparation of there departure to India on
Tuesday.
With some friends at Fairford departure time would be known in time, giving us the opportunity to go and see the other deployed aircraft first. All aircraft where parked near to the fence so taking pictures was no problem en the setting was
much better than on Fairford. Soon the massage came of there departure from Fairford and we headed to the landing where we took some great shots.
The deployment Exercise Indra Dhanush 2007 at Waddington consisted of six Su-30 of the Indian Air Force with Il-78MK and Il-76 in the support role.
This being the second part of in a exercise program stated last year with the deployment of E-3D and Tornado F-3 aircraft to India.
Host unit for the exercise was 25 squadron from RAF Leeming. Although 43 squadron had taken part in Indra Dhanush 2006, thus making RAF Leuchars the logical choice for the exercise. Because Leuchars had its runway resurfaced during the
exercise and RAF Leeming runway was considered too short by the Indians. The decision was taken to use RAF Waddington as the exercise's venue. Naturally, E-3D Sentries based at Waddington featured in Indra Dhanush 2007.
The Sukhois would fly two daily missions during the course of the exercise, which lasted between 2 and 12 July 2007. Contrary to expectations, the Indian jets did not fight the RAF in mock combat. Instead, mixed packages of Su.30's and RAF
Tornado F.3's and Typhoon F.2's alongside Hawks and Harriers were composed.
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