This piece was published in 2014 and is reproduced here to highlight how the Indian Air Force rewrote the rules of air combat through the use of its innovative tactics while flying the MiG 21 Bison. The Cope India 2004 air exercise was a landmark in combat aviation, as it highlighted the innovativeness of Indian fighter pilots, the impact of Russian jets and the potentially fatal limitations in USAF pilot training.
Exactly 10 years ago, in the space of just 13 days, the Indian Air Force d...