The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, has declared this far-off aim but that’s what it takes: Distant Dreams with Steady Modernisation towards Step by Step Milestones.
2047 is 24 years away, or about a quarter of century. We Are Where We Are after 91 years, and if one looks at the cycle of planning, Technical and Financial approvals, the placement of orders and delivery schedules, the actual acquisition and induction of aircraft and other systems, the timeline defined by the Air Chief is realistic.
Technology is also fast changing, and in his Indian Air Force Day address at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, where the ceremonial annual Flypast was held this time, he clearly highlighted the IAF Vision: Air Power Beyond Boundaries. The transformation has to be towards hybrid warfare, multi-domain operations and that highlights the need “to redefine, reimagine and recalibrate ourselves.”
Given the current global scenario and the fast pace of technological evolution, Air Force operations now extend worldwide, providing rapid mobility, global reach even for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
Appropriately, and significantly, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari observed: “We need to understand the nuances of evolving air power, setting the pace to preserve peace, and if and when necessary, to fight and win wars.” This in fact defines IAF’s Pathway and Timeline till 2047.
The Indian Air Force modernisation meanwhile continues in all domains, for aircraft modernisation to new radars, new missiles, upgrades, replacement of Mig 21s by the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Dhruv, Space, Satellite Connectivity and a host of Force Multipliers.
IAF’s existing fleets of Dassault Rafale and Mirage 2000I, the upgraded Indian variant, are potent combat flying machines, with defined timelines for further upgrades. So is the Boeing AH 64 Apache, Ch 47 Chinook, et al, and associated systems.
IAF has also inducted its first Airbus C-295 Transport Aircraft, made by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in India in collaboration with Airbus Spain. When you make them in India, the advantage is you gain the much required technologies from foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and as you have paid substantially in setting up the production and testing infrastructure, the later production requirements can be set by yourself. Of course, many of the components would still be needed from the OEMs.
IAF already operates the beautiful strategic airlifter, Boeing Globemaster III C 17. The aircraft is out of production but a larger number than 11 would have been better.
IAF’s big emphasis is now on Unmanned Combat Aircraft and Drones. Besides the long range General Atomics MQ 9 high flying Reconnaissance and Attack UAS, the indigenous industry is being encouraged to produce drones in sizeable numbers.
All said and done, IAF is on the right past. India Strategic extends Greetings to IAF and Salutes all its Personnel for the dedication they have shown in defending the country.
— Gulshan Rai Luthra
