The prowess of the Air Force was on full display as Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, PVSM, Chief of the Air Staff, arrived at the Air Force Station in Suryalankla on Saturday on a two-day visit to witness the combined guided weapons firing exercise of Surface-to-Air Missiles, code named Exercise CROSS BOW – 18.
The Air chief was received by Air Marshal B Suresh, AVSM VM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command and Group Captain RM Kumarasamy, Station Commander, Air Force Station Suryalanka.
Maiden effort
This was a first of its kind exercise undertaken by the IAF in which firing of four different classes of missiles – AKASH, SPYDER, OSA-AK-M and IGLA — were successfully carried out during December 5-7, 2018 during day and night in an integrated networked environment.
The Chief of the Air Staff along with AOC-in-C Southern Air Command and a number of dignitaries witnessed the missile launch. Later, interacting with the station personnel and the missile combat crew, he lauded their efforts towards the successful conduct of the exercise.
Addressing the missile combat crew, he stressed that improving professional skills during exercises of this kind would improve the combat capability. He also advised all the air warriors to be operationally ready at all times to respond to any contingency at short notice.
