📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Rufus
Defence
F-35A Makes First Flight Over Jodhpur During Tarang Shakti 2026
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 29 Sep 2026, 03:18 PM
👁 13
During the Tarang Shakti 2026 exercise, an F‑35A fighter jet performed its inaugural flight over Jodhpur, marking a significant milestone for the Indian Air Force.
The Tarang Shakti 2026 exercise, held in the western state of Rajasthan, saw the Indian Air Force conduct a series of high‑altitude sorties over the city of Jodhpur.
For the first time, an F‑35A Lightning II, the U.S.‑made stealth fighter, took to the skies over Jodhpur, demonstrating the advanced capabilities of the aircraft and the growing partnership between India and the United States.
The exercise also featured other top‑class fighters such as the Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Su‑30MKI, all of which performed coordinated sorties to showcase interoperability and combat readiness.
Military officials highlighted the importance of the exercise in strengthening air defence preparedness and underscored the role of modern aircraft in safeguarding national security.
For the first time, an F‑35A Lightning II, the U.S.‑made stealth fighter, took to the skies over Jodhpur, demonstrating the advanced capabilities of the aircraft and the growing partnership between India and the United States.
The exercise also featured other top‑class fighters such as the Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Su‑30MKI, all of which performed coordinated sorties to showcase interoperability and combat readiness.
Military officials highlighted the importance of the exercise in strengthening air defence preparedness and underscored the role of modern aircraft in safeguarding national security.