Aircraft

Six Indian air force Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighters arrived at the UK Royal Air Force’s Waddington airbase in Lincolnshire on 28 June ahead of their participation in the bilateral exercise “Indra Dhanush ’07”, to take place from the facility from early July.

Accompanied by two Ilyushin Il-78 tankers and two Il-76 transports carrying support personnel on their journey from India, the Su-30s are to participate in this weekend's Waddington air show before conducting a joint air defence exercise with Panavia Tornado F3 fighters from the RAF’s 25 Sqn. The manouevres represent the second part of a bilateral training programme which has already seen F3s from the RAF's 43 Sqn exercise in India.

© Peter Foster

Two Su-30s and one Il-78 from the detachment are also scheduled to appear in the static display at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire from 14-15 July.