The Army is preparing for a significant combat exercise to evaluate new weapon systems and technologies as well as to validate fresh ideas in long-range weaponry, battle-readiness, and force preservation, including lessons from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Sources revealed that preparations are in full swing on the western front in Rajasthan for the ‘Trishakti Prahar’ exercise of the 21 Corps, which is one of the four major “strike formations” of the 12,00,000 strong Army.
“The final phase of the two side exercise will be in the first half of November. Over 30,000 troops, T-90S and Arjun main battle tanks, a wide array of howitzers, choppers and the like are participating in the exercise. Fighter jets, Apache attack and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and other aircraft from the IAF and Navy will also be there,” a source said.
Integrated air-land and combined arms operations, swifter mobilisation and deep-strike offensive capabilities, including “degradation by long-range vectors and precision high-volume strikes” backed by ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and electronic warfare capabilities, will all be tested during the war game.
“Better mobility and effective shoot-and-scoot capabilities, another crucial force-preservation lesson from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, will be another focus area. Similarly, armed swarm drones and loitering munitions or kamikaze drones will also be in play,” the source said.
The Army has made significant emergency procurements (EP) in response to the ongoing military conflict with China in eastern Ladakh, which has been going on for four years now. These EP include specialised technologies like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones), precision guided missiles, loiter munitions, counter-drone, communication, and automatic spectrum monitoring systems.