Joe, Cope India 2005 was an exercise designed for one purpose: To alay the Indian fears of newer F-16s in the hands of the Pakistanis.
Cope India 2005 pitted our F-16s against their Su-30s, and our F-16s were not permitted to use AIM-120 missiles. They could only use Sidewinders and guns, and could not use their in-cockpit data link to share radar information among the pilots. The U.S. was simulating Pakistani F-16s with Pak tactics and Pak equipment.
The fact that the Indians cleaned our clocks was a good thing.
I have a pilots licence and during trianing my c.f.i. had me make a couple of landings at night at the local general aviation airport with no lights on.
I told him what the hell, I'm not going to run drugs or anything, why this?
He told me so that if I lost electricity in the craft I knew I could still land if I'd practiced.
Never know when your high tech stuff will be disabled and you have to make a go of your more basic equipment.
Thanks