Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter jets to participate in international exercise Orion in France

Four Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter aircraft will be participating for the first time in an overseas exercise. On Friday, the Rafales along with two C-17 Globemaster, two lL-78 transport aircraft and 165 air warriors leaving for France to participate in exercise Orion with the French Air and Space Force at Mont-de-Marsan. The exercise will be conducted from April 17 - May 5, 2023.

Besides the IAF and the FASF, Air Forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain and United States of America would also be flying in this multilateral exercise.

"Participation in this exercise would further enrich the employment philosophy of the India Air Force, by imbibing the best practices from other Air Forces," IAF PRO Wing Commander Ashish Moghe said.

As per the French defence ministry, "Exercise Orion 2023" is the first exercise in what French Joint Forces Command hopes will be a triennial cycle of exercises "aimed at reinforcing joint forces operational readiness."

This is the fourth and final phase of exercise which would involve over 12,000 troops, including NATO allies. The first leg of the Orion 2023 wargames started on February 23 and culminated on March 11. The drills come one year after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.