New Delhi, October 1
Reflecting the increase in the threat perception against it, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to raise its own specialised force to guard and defend its air bases against possible terrorist and enemy attacks.
In the coming year while the IAF will also get more air and fire power with six of the much-awaited mid-air flight refuelling aircraft and 10 Mirage-2000 fighters to be inducted into the force, the focus will be on raising a specialised Tiger Force for the protection of its air bases.
As many as 80 MiG-27 and Jaguar combat aircraft will undergo upgradation with the most modern avionics to give more teeth to the air power of the force.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, addressing the media on the occasion of the forthcoming IAF day, said the force would set up its own specialised unit — Tiger Force Commandos — to guard its air bases. The decision had been taken after a raid on the Awantipur air base in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year.
He said for the formation of the Tiger Force, 4,800 men from the IAF would be culled out gradually and trained like commandos in unarmed combat and given special technical skills to guard the air bases so that the already stressed Army and paramilitary would not have to be deployed.
This would be for the first time in the history of the IAF that such a force would be brought into existence by the authorities.
The IAF had also planned to focus on its personnel to bring in better
prospects in the force in the coming year with merit-based promotions.
The Chief of Air Staff was also confident that the IAF would get the most needed advance jet trainers AJTs this year.
He said the price negotiations for 66 Hawks had been completed. He, however, added that the IAF was also taking a look at the Czech L-159 trainers. He said the IAF had sent a report to the
government in this regard.
The recently inducted Su-30 MKI would become operational in two to three months with the most experienced Sukhoi pilots of the IAF being converted on to the new warplane which was more accurate and much safer.
The IAF, which would be celebrating its 70th anniversary on October 8, was poised and trained to meet the operational requirements, he said.
Particularly satisfying, he remarked, was the fact that the inductions of modern systems were going on well. Twelve more Su-30 MKIs would come by June and another 10 by the end of 2003. The older Sukhois would go for the MKI upgrade, he said.
The Air Chief debunked recent reports that the Su-30 MKIs were superior than the American F-22. “Technically speaking this will not be a correct statement. F-22 is today far, far superior than the rest of the aircraft in the world,” he said.
Pilots were being trained for plugging and taking on fuel in mid-air. The Sukhois and Jaguar combat aircraft had the capability required for mid-air refuelling. The existing Mirage-2000 had the option but the fuel receiving capability would have to activated while the 10 new ones that would join the force would have air-to-air refuelling capability.
The MiG-21 BIS upgrade programme was also going as per schedule, he said.
On the programme to acquire the airborne warning and control systems (AWACs), he said the IAF was looking at putting the Israeli Phalcon on the IL-76 but the project had many complexities.
Using the MIG-21 BISON expertise, the IAF had also signed contracts for upgrading 40 MIG-27 fighters and 40 Jaguars.
He said contracting was also under way to upgrade the network of radars through a complex programme that would use indigenous capabilities.
Asked how the Air Force was coping with the long deployment, he said men and machine were being rotated. Routine training was now being conducted in the background of operational preparedness.
He confirmed that air power was used recently on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir to thwart Pakistani intrusions.
“There is no issue of sanctity for use of air power on and near the LoC and this does not tantamount to any escalation”, he said.
