A few years ago, no one would have thought that the largest foreign participant in 2005, especially in terms of aircraft on display, would be the USA. Since Aero India 1996, when two F-15Cs from the Pacific Air Force's 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB and a C-130 from the Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing, participated, relations had gone relatively sour following the 1998 Nuclear tests and the resultant sanctions. Nine years after the very first Aero India, the Americans were back in full strength with two F-15Es, one P-3C, one KC-135, one C-130J and one experimental Bell 407. Despite all this, the public still wanted to see F-16s! Seems that they were requested, considered, approved and later denied but why the latter happened, is anybody's guess. The delegation was generally tight-lipped on this matter.

1. SB-040 and SB-035 refuel in preparation for the next round of sorties. One may have noted the removal of the RWR and IFF aerials from the tailfin. The Tarang RWR's forward looking antennae are now housed in the leading edge while the aft facing antennae are in the ledge corners of the tail sting. The aircraft carries both internal and external Self-Protection-Jammers (SPJs), of the Elta EL/L-8222 type.

2. An American delegation from the 90th SF, 3rd Wing, arrives for a tour of the Su-30MKI while the other moves off for another display run. There will be another 'Cope India' exercise, this year or the next, and will most probably involve aircraft from the same 3rd Wing that so often comes to India.

3. The F-15E pilots have no previous experience with the Su-30 and this is the first time they're checking one out but they somehow seem to be already aware of the indigenous equipment, namely the radar computers, aboard the Russian aircraft. Fl.lt. Pratyush explains the cockpit operations to his guest.