Under the heat of the sweltering sun, the roar of jet engines caused the foliage to tremble as the fighter aircraft taxied down the runway. A haze of smoke and dust hovered above the runways as it smouldered under the relentless heat of the afterburners. In rapid succession, the F-16C/D and SU-30MKI fighter aircraft took off to the skies.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are conducting the Joint Military Training (JMT) at Kalaikunda Air Force Station, India, from 31 October to 12 December 2019. The RSAF deployed six F-16C/D fighter aircraft to train alongside the IAF's six SU-30MKI fighter aircraft. To commemorate the 10th edition of the JMT, the scope of the exercise was expanded to include an air-sea training component for the first time, with supporting assets from the Indian Navy.

JMT allows aircrew from both air forces to hone their operational skills and enhance interoperability through high-end training such as Air Combat and Mission-Oriented Trainings. Through the training, interactions and bonding activities, aircrew from both forces are able to forge strong friendships and bonds through each iteration of the exercise.

ME2 Tan Kian Tiong, one of the ground crew from 808 SQN attending JMT for the first time, is in charge of monitoring and maintaining the F-16C/D engines. He shared, "As we have a smaller team of ground crew servicing the aircraft for this high-intensity exercise, we need to be focused on the tasks at hand and look out for one another to achieve our mission. At the same time, we also learn from our peers from the IAF, exchanging and sharing our experiences."

Check out some cool shots from this year's JMT!