Staff Correspondent
In a bid to make the youth aware about Indian Air Force and encourage them to join the Armed Forces, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa launched a combat-based mobile game ‘Indian Air Force – A Cut Above’. “Launch of IAF MobileGame: Android/iOS version of IAF developed Mobile Game (Single Player) will be launched on Jul 31, 2019. Download on your mobile phones and cherish the thrilling flying experience. The multiplayer version will soon follow,” the Air Force hand tweeted on July 20.
The teaser, which was released earlier this month gave insights on the single-player game and showed several fighter jets in aerial combat, targeting different on-land structures. “I am an air warrior, proud, dependable and fearless. In every act and deed, I put the honour and security of my motherland, first,” the teaser said setting up the storyline for the game. I fly deep into enemy territory and strike fear in the hearts of my enemies,” it added.
The game features a character sporting a gunslinger mustache similar to that of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s, who was captured and later released by Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight with Pakistan Air Forces F-16s on February 27 over the skies of Srinagar, in which he shot down one plane, which broke out in the aftermath of Balakot airstrikes.
Wg Cdr Abhinandan’s actions exemplified the criticality of the man-behind-the-machine ethos since the plane he was piloting, the MiG-21 Bison, was a Cold War-era aircraft while the F-16 is a modern day fully modern machine with all latest in military electronic hardware. After himself being shot down, he was held captive by Pakistani authorities before being released two days later at the Wagah border.