New Delhi, October 6
To ensure that the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) squadron does not get depleted, efforts are being made to acquire more multi-role fighter aircraft, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy said here today.
According the IAF’s projections, the force required about 125 multi-role aircraft and it was in the process of clearance from the government, he said.
“The IAF is expecting delivery of 10 additional upgraded Mirage 2000 from France by early next year,” the Air Chief said.
The acquisition of these aircraft, coupled with the delivery of the upgraded Su-30MKI and the upgradation of the Jaguar deep-penetration strike aircraft would bring back the IAF squadron strength back to its earlier level.
He said the decision to go in for a stop-gap acquisition of multi-role fighters had been triggered as the country’s indigenous LCA programme was running a “bit slow”.
Addressing a press conference on the eve of the 72nd anniversary of the IAF, he said the Strategic Forces Command was fully operational at various locations.
At the same time, he acknowledged the fact that the strength of the fighter squadron of the IAF was already below 39 — much lower than the 45 squadron force as visualised.
The new fighter aircraft would be acquired much before the IAF discarded its ageing fleet of 300 MiG-21s in the next few years, he said.
His comments assume significance with the Army raising more missile groups to be armed with 700-km shorter surface to surface Agni-I and-2000 km medium range Agni-II missiles.
Mr Krishnaswamy said for the first time in 34 years the IAF fighter accident ratio had been the lowest this year at .83 per 1,000 even though it was still higher than the ideal accident rate of .5 per 1,000.
Within a year’s time some indigenous Su-30MKI would be converted into operational frontline mid-air refuellers which would be equipped with the capability to refuel in mid-air other fighters.
“For this we are developing a buddy refuelling pod on the Sukhois which can then refuel fighters like Mirages and Jaguars,” he said.
The government approval was awaited on Air Force Engineering College in Bangalore, he said, envisioning that work should start in the institution by early next year.
The specialised airbase protection force — Garuda — has now reached the deployment stage. The personnel of this force was trained in unarmed combat by specialised agencies like the Special
Protection Group and the National Security Guard.
Outlining the measures for acquiring more indigenous radars to enhance the air surveillance cover, he said: “We have placed orders with BEL for more advanced Indra II radars and with Hyderabad-based LRD for 3-dimensional radars to improve the air surveillance coverage.”
Besides, the IAF would work in close coordination with the civil aviation authorities to integrate civilian radars for an improved
National Air Defence System. In addition, Bharat Dynamics was examining the upgradation process of surface to air missile — Pechora — even as he stated eventually the missile had to be replaced as it had become almost outdated. Moreover, the DRDO had been asked to complete the high-altitude testing of the indigenous Kaveri aero engine. This would enable the first LCA squadron to be airborne by 2007.
Regarding the proposal to establish an Aerospace Command, he said it was still at an academic stage.
On the issue of downsizing manpower, he said the focus was on manpower rationalisation by imparting multi-skilled training to IAF personnel while privatising civilian administrative jobs.
The entire process of downsizing would take about five years. The present manpower strength of the Air Force was about 1,50,000. The Air Chief, however, ruled out any move to curtail recruitment as it would adversely affect the age profile of the force.
