Cope India 2006, the major exercise being staged in India by USAF and the Indian Air Force, is getting interesting. For the first time, USAF fighter pilots have gone up against India’s newest and most advanced aircraft—the Russia-designed Su-30 MKI. The MKI has thrust-vectoring capability, making it highly maneuverable. The air-to-air encounter unfolded on Nov. 9, said USAF. It pitted two F-16s against the Indian fighter. Some 250 PACAF airmen have deployed to India for the two-week exercise. No word yet on the result.
The Space Force expects to award $905 million in contracts over the next five years through a new Maneuverable GEO program, which aims to form a commercial fleet of mobile communication satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
