IAF Downplays Sukhoi-30MKI Vs. RAF Eurofighter Competition in Indo-UK Air Exercises

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has down-played claims of 'victory' over the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the recent Indo-UK air exercise held in Lincolnshire, UK even as RAF.

“There are no classic wins and losses as no weapons are fired as per their actual capability,” an IAF release said Monday ending speculation that IAF Su-30MKI fighter jets outsmarted RAF’s Eurofighter typhoon at the recently held Indo-UK bilateral exercise, ‘Indradhanush’.

Amid speculation by major Indian media reports claiming IAF pilots flying SU-30MKI had a resounding 12-0 victory scoreline in within visual range (WVR) dogfighting operations, the RAF has rebutted saying that “it’s not cricket”.

“The Group Captain Ashu Srivastav's claim was comical and aimed to please a domestic audience. The headlines of the Indian Press bear no relation to the results of the tactical scenarios completed on the exercise in any shape or form,” LincolnshireEcho quoted an unnamed RAF officer as saying.

The RAF said: "RAF pilots and the Typhoon performed well throughout the exercise with and against the Indian Air Force.

"Both forces learnt a great deal from the exercise and the RAF look forward to the next opportunity to train alongside the IAF."

"These cricket-style scores claimed by the IAF look impressive but should be treated with caution and certainly not as a realistic gauge of combat capability,” Tony Osborne, the London bureau chief of Aviation Week was quoted as saying to the Times by the daily.

"We have to view these scores through the haze of pilot bravado, national pride and also some political correctness,” Osborne said.

"Nonetheless, the Su-30MKI is one of the aircraft that the Typhoon was designed to tackle and defeat, and no doubt in the right hands would present a potent challenge,” he said.

The IAF reaction came in response to some reports that IAF pilots flying Su-30 Mki had a resounding 12-0 scoreline in their favor against Royal Air Force Typhoon jets in Within Visual Range (WVR) dogfighting operations.