As the instructor of the US Marines, Lassitter, is giving some last-minute instructions to the troops both from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and US Air force (USAF), his Indian counterpart, J S Behal, is breathless while trying to translate it all to the Indian soldiers. In the end, Behal says, “Don’t worry, boys. The commands are similar to ours. There are very few differences.”

In a few minutes, the soldiers will be diving from

over 10,000 feet from a USAF aircraft they are not familiar with.

The jump is a part of ‘Cope India-09’, a five-day joint air exercise between the IAF and USAF, which got underway at the Air Force Station in Agra on Monday.

For the event, the USAF has flown in three C-130H Hercules, one C-17 Globemaster, one C-130J Super Hercules and 180 personnel. The IAF is fielding five AN-32, one IL-76, two Mi-17 1V and one Chetak helicopter with a force strength of 270 personnel.

This is the sixth exercise that the US and the Indian Air Forces have conducted since 2003. The exercise, which is being held from October 19 to October 24, is expected to be a platform for learning about each other’s operational aspects and validate procedures for operations towards internal security, airborne assault operations and NVG (night vision goggles) aided tactical operations in a simulated hostile scenario.

“One of the major exercises includes management of mass casualties at base and medical evaluation of critical patients by air. Rapid insertion of troops and combat search and rescue are among the other major exercises that will be practised,” said Capt Mammen Mathews, the IAF exercise director.

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