10-day Combined Guided Weapon Firing exercise CROSSBOW-2018, concludes

A Combined Guided Weapon Firing exercise named 'CROSSBOW-18' ended on Thursday.

The ten-day exercise was held from December 3 to December 13 at the Air Force Station Suryalanka under the aegis of Southern Air Command. Various surfaces to Air Missile systems like the indigenously developed AKASH, SPYDER, OSA-AK-M, and IGLA carried out drills and live firing for the first time on maneuverable aerial targets.

Live firing by night added to the uniqueness and complexity of the exercise. Participation of SU-30 fighter jets made the exercise operationally realistic. Air warriors from over 20 participating surface to Air Guided Weapon squadrons actively participated in the exercise.

Furthermore, the live firing helped Indian Air Force in validating the Air Defence philosophy by integrating both legacy and modern Surface to Air Guided Weapon Systems and the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS).

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Air Marshal B Suresh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, and Southern Air Command visited the Station to witness the live missile firing by four missile systems.

Various dignitaries including AOC-in-C, Western Air Command and senior officers from Air Headquarters and various Air Commands also visited the station during this period.