Major Rishi Sharma: K9 Zac is a tactical force multiplier

NEW DELHI: In a significant boost to the Indian Army’s tactical capabilities, K9 Zac, a highly specialized Belgian Malinois, is playing a pivotal role in joint exercises like Mitra Shakti. Trained at the Dog Training Faculty of RVC Centre and College, Meerut, Zac is just two and a half years old but already showcases remarkable skills in specialized tactical operations.

K9 Zac’s training includes proficiency in operations such as Fighting in Built-Up Areas (FIBUA), Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), Special Airborne Operations (SADO), jungle searches, and area sanitization.

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Moreover, Zac is also adept in highly specialized techniques like Laser-Guided Assaults and Weapon Retrieval. These skills significantly enhance the K9 unit’s effectiveness, making them indispensable assets to the Indian Army.

Adding to Zac’s capabilities is his training in Radio-Guided Directional Control, which, combined with live video transmission from head-mounted tactical cameras, provides real-time video surveillance. This dual advantage of stealth and attack, coupled with Zac’s ability to respond to commands remotely, makes him a force multiplier in operations.

K9 Zac and his handler, Major Rishi Sharma, along with ADT Pranjal Sakiya, form a formidable detachment in the joint exercise. During Mitra Shakti, Zac will participate in various activities, including house interventions, jungle searches, laser-guided assaults, and area sanitization.

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Major Rishi Sharma, Zac’s detachment commander, lauds Zac’s role, stating, “He is a force multiplier and first responder in the majority of related tactical ops.”

Zac’s involvement in such exercises underscores the increasing reliance on K9 units for providing a definitive upper hand in complex and high-stakes military operations.