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News: The French Air and Space Force will participate in the IAF-hosted multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 during Mission Pégase.
About Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ 2026
- Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ 2026 is a multinational air combat exercise.
- Aim: The exercise aims to expose all participants to planning and execution of multinational joint combat operations in a realistic contemporary battlespace and derive tactically viable solutions.
- Hosting nation: It is being hosted by India (Indian Air Force).
- It is being conducted at Air Force Station, Jodhpur and adjoining air bases.
- 2026 Edition: This is the second edition of the exercise.
- First edition: It was conducted in 2024.
- Participating countries: Eight Friendly Foreign Countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Greece, Sri Lanka, UAE and USA will participate with air assets, while 32 nations will be attending as observers.
- Deployments:
- India has deployed its largest contingent that will include the Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Rafale, Jaguar, Tejas and Prachand.
- U.S.A has deployed its F-35 stealth fighter jet. France has sent its Rafales and UAE has sent its F-16.
- Features:
- The exercise covers a wide canvas of air operations, from counter-air, air defense, and force combat to recce, airlift, air-to-air refueling, and other highly complex mission sets.
- The exercise will focus on interoperability, combat coordination and preparing for the air warfare challenges of tomorrow.
About Mission Pégase 2026
- Mission Pégase 2026 is a long-range air projection exercise conducted by the French Air and Space Force from 8th September to 15th October 2026.
- Aim: It is to demonstrate its core capabilities, rapidly projecting long-range air power anywhere in the world and “defend France’s overseas territories or strategic interests.”
- Edition: This is the seventh edition of Mission. It was first conducted in 2018.
- Features:
- It is deploying a 300-strong aircrew and four Rafale F4s, three A330 MRTT Phénix aircraft and two A400M Atlas aircraft.
- It will cover 40,000 km with nine stopovers, travelling from the Arctic through the Middle East, Pacific, East Asia and Indian Ocean.
- France will strengthen aerospace cooperation with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and India and support collective security and freedom of access to international airspace.
