Fly combat missions for India’s Air Force in this new video game

Look out, Pakistan – archrival India is getting a slew of brand-new pilots ready to take to the skies to defend the Hindu homeland – at least, in the digital world. The Indian Air Force recently launched a new mobile game for Android and iOS that lets players fight in aerial combat and take off on air strike sorties, all from the palm of their hands.

India's chief Air Force officer, Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, said the game gives India's youth a realistic feel for the air force while teaching them more about it. They might even be motivated enough to think of the IAF as a viable career option, one that will be exhilarating at the same time.

"This new facilitation-cum-publicity pavilion and the IAF-themed mobile game have been designed to raise awareness among the youth like you, about the IAF, and inspire them to take up career in the Air Force," he told a group of students at the game's launch. The game is intended for kids 14 and older.

Yes, there's a helicopter mission.

This newest game is called "Indian Air Force: A Cut Above," and allows the player to take to the wild blue yonder on ten missions, each comprised of three sorties to highlight the various roles the IAF can play in a wartime or contingency situation. It especially highlights air combat scenarios, but it isn't limited to air combat. The game is supposed to be a realistic representation of the multilateral nature of India's air forces.

"The various missions, include, airstrikes, air-to-air refueling, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. Also, career navigator and augmented reality sections are available, which will give a realistic feel of the IAF's assets to the user," the Chief Marshal said.

Defend India when the Red Skull attacks.

But this isn't the only Indian Air Force game available to play on mobile. The IAF launched another game in 2014 called "Guardians of the Skies," which received more than a million downloads. This new version has an upgraded platform, augmented reality integration and an entirely new phase of the game due out in October. The new version will include multiplayer capabilities, just in time for Indian aviation enthusiasts to celebrate Air Force Day behind the stick of an F-16.