Rescue Uttarakhand pilgrims and more: IAF missions for Indian gamers

Ever enjoyed the thrill of blowing a rival aircraft to smithereens in a make-believe war situation, while your console controller thrummed in your hands? Then there’s the annoyance of your ammo finishing just when you had an airbase locked in your sights, and the utter joy of finishing your mission despite taking a hit on your left engine.

If all this gives you a high and you want to turn this passion of playing air combat games into a career - then the Indian Air Force’s plan to launch a gaming app will certainly appeal to the pilot inside you.

Well, at least that’s what they hope.

Mumbai Mirror says that the IAF are planning to launch the app with advanced weapons and aircraft in a bid to entice youth to join and make up for their acutely short staff. The game will run on Android and iOS but could also be launched for consoles like PlayStation.

[caption id=“attachment_992909” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The IAF are planning to launch the app with advanced weapons and aircraft in a bid to entice the youth to join and make up for their acutely short staff. Getty Images[/caption]

Maybe you are the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator types - and also like the intricate landing and stealth missions - but it seems the IAF are gearing for a more Ace Combat style game, which takes you headlong into the battle.

According to th e _ Mirror _report, the IAF has issued a request through the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) to interested gaming companies, which says: Air headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi, invites expressions of interest for a mobile gaming application for the IAF. A pre-bid meeting on 8 August 8 with top gaming companies has been called for. The report says that IAF’s public relations officer was unaware of any such development.

But sources have told the paper that aircraft like the Sukhoi series, Hawks, MiGs, Jaguars, Mirages and high-end choppers are expected to be included and a lot of levels will be based on the IAF’s real-life missions, including the recent relief and rescue operations at Uttarakhand, during which the IAF saved over 25,000 stranded people.

Last year’s official figures indicated that the air force was facing a shortage of 962 officers and 7,000 airmen. The IAF is seriously stepping up its bid to attract the youth to join with a series of advertising initiatives which also saw them dump Sachin Tendulkar as their brand ambassador. The IAF will now use images of the basic trainer aircraft Pilatus to attract more personnel.

Click here to read the full Mirror report.

Below is a YouTube video of air combat game Ace Combat Assault Horizon. Will the IAF game look like this?