Rotor Clap III: IAF helicopter counter-drone drill
Why in the news
The Indian Air Force wrapped up a week of helicopter-led anti-drone drills on 2 August 2026 in the Rajasthan desert.
Key facts
- Exercise Rotor Clap III is the third edition of the series.
- Venue: Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, in the Western Desert Sector.
- Theme: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (Counter-UAS).
- Participation was exclusively Indian, with multiple helicopter units from across the IAF.
- Purpose: to validate fresh operational concepts and test Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs).
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Host force | Indian Air Force |
| Place | Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan |
| Participants | Only Indian units; multiple IAF helicopter units |
| Theme | Counter-UAS |
Purpose
- Refine how helicopters respond to small unmanned aircraft.
- Strengthen the rotary-wing fleet’s readiness under realistic desert combat conditions.
Exam angle
- Conducted by: Indian Air Force. Edition: third. Focus: rotary-wing (helicopter) fleet.
- Not a bilateral or multilateral exercise; it involved no foreign forces.
- Related terms: Counter-UAS, TTPs, low-altitude drone threat.