The multi-nation air exercise, Tarang Shakti, kicks off tomorrow with five Indian Air Force bases along the western frontier getting activated to simulate a realistic scenario.The exercise starts off at Jodhpur, but adjoining bases will be used by participating forces which — like in any exercise — get divided into two teams, each launching from separate bases to mimic a “real conflict”.Operational lessons derived during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan last year will be applied in the exercise, IAF Vice-Chief, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, had said earlier this week. “Operation Sindoor gave us lessons. Our partners bring their own operational experience. Bringing these together in a realistic training environment allows us to test assumptions, challenge procedures, understand different methods of employing air power and improve inter-operability,” he had said.Eight countries have sent in their air assets. These include the US, France, Germany, Australia and Bangladesh, among others. Also, another 32 countries have joined in as observers, and nearly 100 aircraft will come together along with almost 3,000 air warriors. The exercise will feature a mix of Rafale fighters, indigenous Tejas and Sukhoi 30MKI, F-16 jets, besides the fifth-generation jet, the F-35, and air-to-air refuellers, operating together and many more.The exercise aims to expose participants to planning and execution of multinational joint combat operations in a realistic contemporary battlespace and derive tactically viable solutions.The exercise covers a wide canvas of air operations from counter-air, air defence and force combat to recce, airlift, air-to-air refuelling and other highly complex mission sets.Meanwhile, the planes of the French Air and Space Force today arrived at Jodhpur to participate in the exercise. Sources said the US F-35 is expected to land tomorrow at Jodhpur.