Indian Army’s Kharga Corps and the Indian Air Force have conducted a joint exercise ‘Gagan Strike’ in Punjab. The exercise, conducted over four days, comprised the deployment of attack helicopters as the aerial arm in support of ground forces carrying out drills, practising annihilation of enemy defences and deep penetration. It also showcased the precision firepower of the attack helicopters in coordination with ground forces’ mechanised columns.

The joint exercise was spearheaded by General Officer Commanding, Kharga Corps, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma. The exercise was also attended by Lt Gen Nav K Khanduri, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Command, who exhorted the forces to continue to evolve such concepts and remain prepared to counter any contingency on the western borders.

Force Multiplier

The force multiplier effect of combining these machines with ground operations has enhanced the combat superiority of our forces. The exercise consisted of attack helicopters being employed as the aerial arm of manoeuvre in support of ground forces carrying out drills practising annihilation of enemy defences, deep penetration and thereby creating a criticality for the adversary.