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Indra Dhanush IV

Coningsby hosted the Indian Air Force when they returned to the UK with their Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3 Flankers for the latest Anglo Indian exercise Indra Dhanush IV.
Although held in the middle of July the British summer lived up to its reputation for being unpredictable. Fo

ur Sukhoi's were deployed and operated out of Coningsby. The transport aircraft for the exercise a C17 & C130J arrived at Coningsby and offloaded the ground crew and equipment before leaving for Brize Norton where they joined the IL78 supporting the air bridge by tanking the four aircraft.
The four SU30's were operating from within 11Sqns HAS area for the duration the daily routine all four of the SU30's would depart as pairs some days there would be two launches one am the other pm. This wasn't to be the norm as occasionally they would only see one launch a day. The missions would see the SU30's going head to head with Typhoons from Coningsby. These interceptions were played out over the North Sea and the results of which have yet to be released by the MOD &RAF. The exercise culminated with the four SU30's along with Typhoons that were supporting by escorting two C130's as they carried out a Parra dropping mission over the STANTA range, whilst under the threat of attack from up to ten aggressors.

The Indian Air Force also used a Il78 Tanker during their deployment even though they could have tanked from an RAF Voyager however clearance hadn’t been given resulting in the aircraft being refuelled by their national assets.

Indian Air Force aircraft stationed and using Coningsby during Indra Danush

SB 138 SU-30MKI-3
SB 065 SU-30MKI-3
SB 309 SU-30MKI-3
SB 167 SU-30MKI-3

KC-3801 C130

CB 8008 C17