The AD Command would add needless and unwanted layers to the decision making process, which is extremely dynamic when an AD operation is on. The present intent to forcibly restructure an existing system which is proven and functional is baffling.
An incisive article, which gives great insight into how Air Defence fits into the intricate matrix of the overall air campaign, clearly brings out that in the air, offensive and defensive operations can be simultaneously prosecuted. An exclusive Air Defence Command would take away that capability.
Establishing such an Air Defence Command is NOT recommended.
Excellent treatise, Sir….A comprehensive, balanced and lucid presentation on a critical issue.
Air Defence being one of the few common functions performed by all the three Services within their own domain, one tends to assume expertise in this field. To begin with, it’s not a function or a task but a full fledged operation. And, Air Defence of the entire country is a mammoth, complex and a specialist task, required to be conducted 24X7 with an equal and impeccable efficiency. Let the present, time-tested but ever evolving organisation not be tempered with for imaginary gains and supposedly lofty goals of integration.
World over, Air Defence is deeply interwoven with Offensive Air Operations as a major part of the overall Air Operations. As such, it just can not be divorced from the Offensive Air Operations and prosecuted in supreme isolation as being envisaged.
And, who better to preside over the issue than someone who himself has been a Air Defence Commander, headed Air Operations at the two of the most active Air Commands and has commanded the sword arm of the Air Force, the Western Air Command. My deepest compliments to Air Marshal Soman Sir with a sincere hope that the powers that be, lend not just their ears but apply the mind too, unbiasedly.
Please read once again what Air Marshal SS Soman (Retd.) has expressed. You are not one to say that Indian Air Force is “incompetent”. If so, then you join the IAF and prove yourself. He is also not giving any lecture. All rubbish ideas has cultivated in the mind.
Yes and these Rags would sell India to the enemies. Private views from a CONgi leftist leaning half past six retired fellow!
unwanted reorg is being done and moreover making new commands is totally wrong. We fought 1971 war with existing org and won. There should be no confusion at any level. Present reorg being undertaken should be stopped. Our is a 270yr old army need no teaching from US .let’s look after the man who will be behind the gun in war and win battles for India. Jai Hind.
Go live in a Cave thats how ancestors lived ! Interesting to see This Rag printing all manner of nonsense and moderating salt of the earth messages.
Absolutely perfect. Setting up of the ADC will be more detrimental compared to the meagre gain.
Having personally served in and planned at tactical and strategic level in Air Defense, I think I can say that with some authority.
Firstly, comparisons with USA, Australia, Europe, etc are completely fruitless… reason… they DO NOT have unfriendly surrounding 360°…..
Secondly… they have to fight against a single enemy in single area with single mindset warfare expected… absolutely different setup for Indian scenario…..
Thirdly, can a single Command or Commander “ACTUALLY and PRACTICALLY” look after “real-time” and “split-second decision making from J&K to North East to Andamans to Indian Ocean….. not even USA etc can do that under single Command.
Fourth, speaking of optimization and trilateral requirements…. no doubt it’s always Nation First and Turfs Later, absolutely no doubt….. So, does the IAF control the IN AD setup when they operate in the Blue Waters??…No…. they have their own protocols…. And does the IAF control the IA assets deep in the mountains, where there may be insufficient coverage of radar chain??…No again…. the shoulder fired is under “autonomous” control….
Fifth, Air Defense has a clear word “Air”….if marine warfare was suggested to be shifted under army, like by some countries during WW-II, would it be sensible….or D-Day type of operations shifted to Navy….
The Air Marshal has summed it up beautifully without going into layman explanations (as is expected from that seniority), and I’ve taken the liberty to explain at working levels….
There is a definite need for Jointmanship…. no one denies it….. but hurried decisions without adequate thought and vision… and attempt at extrapolation of theatre strategy to national strategy (actually way way way beyond) brings forward clear analysis that…. it’s
1. Not about unwillingness to give up turf
2. Not about organisational egoism
3. ABOUT accepting a faulty decision and moving ahead with better and informed decisions. Looks pretty simple to me. Who’s got ego…. time tested organisation or individual wanting to establish instant authority..
Air Defense is far from just Shoulder-Fired and ADGuns. AD requires ground/airborne radars, understanding of air tactics, strategic air plans, deep knowledge of fingerprinting of each enemy asset (radars, aircraft, EW, manoeuvres, communication)….is it even worthy of consideration for being shifted to LAND Army… maybe other way around… ACTUALLY other way around to avoid “autonomous” controls being dealt with…..
While individual aspirations were probably Legendary in sub-consicious nature, there remains absolutely no doubt that ADC would be detrimental. More so after certain golden eye-opener words of having gained knowledge recently on capabilities.
Really? Ever wondered how to bring about syngernistic approach to Defence. Pls read more and don’t make assumptions. You appear to be a n anti national.
The idea to split Airforce in two different segments of offense and defense, is ridiculous. CDS is lacking in his assessment of air operations. He is also overlooking that army and navy also have air defence units. And we are now buying S400 anti missile system. So aren’t these meant for air defence.? ..Air force signifies and depicts offensive arm.
After shooting down its own helicopter by their own missiles air force officers should refrain from giving lectures. Not to say anything about the pilot getting shot down. And no missile strike images that are verifiable now proves that the IAF just is incompetent and its assets should be placed under army and navy until its senior officers are repLced
Well, the pilot flying a vintage aeroplane shot down an F-16, whose parachute too descended alongside is proof of IAF’s training and prowess. Pakistani DG ISPR boasting that they had two pilots in custody, one of whom was injured and in their Central Military Hospital, too should have rung home. The sudden silence that followed on the truth emerging was deafening. But, perhaps, some people choose to sing to the rival’s tunes. This is unfortunate.
Fratricide is unfortunate too. And that it happened on that very day was taken grave note of by the IAF. The IAF, to its credit, did not hide this event, and chose to learn from it, even instituting some corrective steps. The Pakis live in denial. Balakot too was similarly denied. Even a child (kid/Sid) did see through it.
Who are you working for- enemy’s (by providing this stupid idea). Our defence forces are more than enough capable secure ourselves. Let them do that on their own. Stop providing mis judgements. IAF shot down their helicopters, because they have not been equiped with friend or foe systems and for the record our air force pilot abhinandan has shot down a F-16 with with an outdated mig-21 not by some other country’s airforce pilot.
Who are you working for- enemy’s (by providing this stupid idea). Our defence forces are more than enough capable secure ourselves. Let them do that on their own. Stop providing mis judgements. IAF shot down their helicopters, because they have not been equiped with friend or foe systems and for the record our air force pilot abhinandan has shot down a F-16 with with an outdated mig-21 not by some other country’s airforce pilor.
While Air Marshal has given all the arguments in favor of a status quo, he has not balanced it with some rationale for a joint ADC that is proposed to be set up. It cannot be the case that there are no arguments in favor of a joint ADC or that the idea has just come out of the CDS’s hat. The issue is strategic and deeply technical in nature and hence, a general reader needs to have more details to form a balanced view of the matter. Otherwise, it would be assumed that IAF wants no change and wishes to protect its turf! The country is concerned with the optimal solution to the issue and not interested in protecting turfs of IAF or Army or Navy.
Russian soldiers to receive wearable thermal imagers
• Russian Armed Forces will begin receiving Sych wearable thermal imagers for engineering reconnaissance.
• State tests of the Sych-ZIR wearable engineering reconnaissance device, created at the Ziklon Central Research Institute by the order of the Ministry of Defense, have ended successfully recently and the devices will be available for the Armed Forces starting in 2021.
US next generation missile interceptor programme officially launched
• The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has released its request for proposal for its Next-Generation Interceptor (NGI), tasked with forming the core of the country’s homeland missile defence.
• The RFP, released on 24 April, says that it allows contractors 90 days to provide proposals to the government beginning 1 May 2020.
• With proposals due 31 July, the MDA allowed for a timetable review in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Eventually, two companies will be selected who will compete for the right to build the interceptor, according to the research, development, and acquisition agency that works on ballistic missile defence systems for the US.
• Specifically, for the NGI programme, the agency earlier requested $664.1 million in fiscal year 2021 as part of a $4.9 billion five-year budget plan.
Australia pitches for trilateral cooperation with India, Indonesia
• In an address to the National Defence College (NDC), Mr. Barry O’Farrell, Australian High Commissioner-designate said that India and Australia will face common challenges in the Indo-Pacific as the COVID-19 pandemic is stretching much of the world’s governmental capacity.
• He called for greater cooperation especially stressing on trilateral cooperation between India, Australia and Indonesia.
• He said that the three countries should build on last year’s successful trilateral maritime security workshop with Indonesia to identify new ways in which the three countries can collaborate to be the best possible custodians of the Indian Ocean.
• On enhancing bilateral cooperation, he said there were many ways through which India and Australia could reinforce each other’s efforts and one of the ways was by making defence facilities available to each other to expand their militaries’ respective operational reach. This was already an evolving area with a logistics support agreement in the final stages of being concluded.
• The High Commissioner designate also referred to the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region which is emerging as a regional hub for monitoring maritime movements and cooperation.
• He also mentioned the increasingly common platforms operated by the two militaries acquired from the U.S., the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft, and India’s soon-to-be-acquired MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters.
The AD Command would add needless and unwanted layers to the decision making process, which is extremely dynamic when an AD operation is on. The present intent to forcibly restructure an existing system which is proven and functional is baffling.
An incisive article, which gives great insight into how Air Defence fits into the intricate matrix of the overall air campaign, clearly brings out that in the air, offensive and defensive operations can be simultaneously prosecuted. An exclusive Air Defence Command would take away that capability.
Establishing such an Air Defence Command is NOT recommended.
Hello sir,
Excellent treatise, Sir….A comprehensive, balanced and lucid presentation on a critical issue.
Air Defence being one of the few common functions performed by all the three Services within their own domain, one tends to assume expertise in this field. To begin with, it’s not a function or a task but a full fledged operation. And, Air Defence of the entire country is a mammoth, complex and a specialist task, required to be conducted 24X7 with an equal and impeccable efficiency. Let the present, time-tested but ever evolving organisation not be tempered with for imaginary gains and supposedly lofty goals of integration.
World over, Air Defence is deeply interwoven with Offensive Air Operations as a major part of the overall Air Operations. As such, it just can not be divorced from the Offensive Air Operations and prosecuted in supreme isolation as being envisaged.
And, who better to preside over the issue than someone who himself has been a Air Defence Commander, headed Air Operations at the two of the most active Air Commands and has commanded the sword arm of the Air Force, the Western Air Command. My deepest compliments to Air Marshal Soman Sir with a sincere hope that the powers that be, lend not just their ears but apply the mind too, unbiasedly.
Please read once again what Air Marshal SS Soman (Retd.) has expressed. You are not one to say that Indian Air Force is “incompetent”. If so, then you join the IAF and prove yourself. He is also not giving any lecture. All rubbish ideas has cultivated in the mind.
Print , wire and so called strategician should be allocated the task of national and international security?only they can handle it,
Yes and these Rags would sell India to the enemies. Private views from a CONgi leftist leaning half past six retired fellow!
unwanted reorg is being done and moreover making new commands is totally wrong. We fought 1971 war with existing org and won. There should be no confusion at any level. Present reorg being undertaken should be stopped. Our is a 270yr old army need no teaching from US .let’s look after the man who will be behind the gun in war and win battles for India. Jai Hind.
Go live in a Cave thats how ancestors lived ! Interesting to see This Rag printing all manner of nonsense and moderating salt of the earth messages.
Absolutely perfect. Setting up of the ADC will be more detrimental compared to the meagre gain.
Having personally served in and planned at tactical and strategic level in Air Defense, I think I can say that with some authority.
Firstly, comparisons with USA, Australia, Europe, etc are completely fruitless… reason… they DO NOT have unfriendly surrounding 360°…..
Secondly… they have to fight against a single enemy in single area with single mindset warfare expected… absolutely different setup for Indian scenario…..
Thirdly, can a single Command or Commander “ACTUALLY and PRACTICALLY” look after “real-time” and “split-second decision making from J&K to North East to Andamans to Indian Ocean….. not even USA etc can do that under single Command.
Fourth, speaking of optimization and trilateral requirements…. no doubt it’s always Nation First and Turfs Later, absolutely no doubt….. So, does the IAF control the IN AD setup when they operate in the Blue Waters??…No…. they have their own protocols…. And does the IAF control the IA assets deep in the mountains, where there may be insufficient coverage of radar chain??…No again…. the shoulder fired is under “autonomous” control….
Fifth, Air Defense has a clear word “Air”….if marine warfare was suggested to be shifted under army, like by some countries during WW-II, would it be sensible….or D-Day type of operations shifted to Navy….
The Air Marshal has summed it up beautifully without going into layman explanations (as is expected from that seniority), and I’ve taken the liberty to explain at working levels….
There is a definite need for Jointmanship…. no one denies it….. but hurried decisions without adequate thought and vision… and attempt at extrapolation of theatre strategy to national strategy (actually way way way beyond) brings forward clear analysis that…. it’s
1. Not about unwillingness to give up turf
2. Not about organisational egoism
3. ABOUT accepting a faulty decision and moving ahead with better and informed decisions. Looks pretty simple to me. Who’s got ego…. time tested organisation or individual wanting to establish instant authority..
Air Defense is far from just Shoulder-Fired and ADGuns. AD requires ground/airborne radars, understanding of air tactics, strategic air plans, deep knowledge of fingerprinting of each enemy asset (radars, aircraft, EW, manoeuvres, communication)….is it even worthy of consideration for being shifted to LAND Army… maybe other way around… ACTUALLY other way around to avoid “autonomous” controls being dealt with…..
While individual aspirations were probably Legendary in sub-consicious nature, there remains absolutely no doubt that ADC would be detrimental. More so after certain golden eye-opener words of having gained knowledge recently on capabilities.
Really? Ever wondered how to bring about syngernistic approach to Defence. Pls read more and don’t make assumptions. You appear to be a n anti national.
The idea to split Airforce in two different segments of offense and defense, is ridiculous. CDS is lacking in his assessment of air operations. He is also overlooking that army and navy also have air defence units. And we are now buying S400 anti missile system. So aren’t these meant for air defence.? ..Air force signifies and depicts offensive arm.
After shooting down its own helicopter by their own missiles air force officers should refrain from giving lectures. Not to say anything about the pilot getting shot down. And no missile strike images that are verifiable now proves that the IAF just is incompetent and its assets should be placed under army and navy until its senior officers are repLced
Well, the pilot flying a vintage aeroplane shot down an F-16, whose parachute too descended alongside is proof of IAF’s training and prowess. Pakistani DG ISPR boasting that they had two pilots in custody, one of whom was injured and in their Central Military Hospital, too should have rung home. The sudden silence that followed on the truth emerging was deafening. But, perhaps, some people choose to sing to the rival’s tunes. This is unfortunate.
Fratricide is unfortunate too. And that it happened on that very day was taken grave note of by the IAF. The IAF, to its credit, did not hide this event, and chose to learn from it, even instituting some corrective steps. The Pakis live in denial. Balakot too was similarly denied. Even a child (kid/Sid) did see through it.
Who are you working for- enemy’s (by providing this stupid idea). Our defence forces are more than enough capable secure ourselves. Let them do that on their own. Stop providing mis judgements. IAF shot down their helicopters, because they have not been equiped with friend or foe systems and for the record our air force pilot abhinandan has shot down a F-16 with with an outdated mig-21 not by some other country’s airforce pilot.
Who are you working for- enemy’s (by providing this stupid idea). Our defence forces are more than enough capable secure ourselves. Let them do that on their own. Stop providing mis judgements. IAF shot down their helicopters, because they have not been equiped with friend or foe systems and for the record our air force pilot abhinandan has shot down a F-16 with with an outdated mig-21 not by some other country’s airforce pilor.
While Air Marshal has given all the arguments in favor of a status quo, he has not balanced it with some rationale for a joint ADC that is proposed to be set up. It cannot be the case that there are no arguments in favor of a joint ADC or that the idea has just come out of the CDS’s hat. The issue is strategic and deeply technical in nature and hence, a general reader needs to have more details to form a balanced view of the matter. Otherwise, it would be assumed that IAF wants no change and wishes to protect its turf! The country is concerned with the optimal solution to the issue and not interested in protecting turfs of IAF or Army or Navy.
Russian soldiers to receive wearable thermal imagers
• Russian Armed Forces will begin receiving Sych wearable thermal imagers for engineering reconnaissance.
• State tests of the Sych-ZIR wearable engineering reconnaissance device, created at the Ziklon Central Research Institute by the order of the Ministry of Defense, have ended successfully recently and the devices will be available for the Armed Forces starting in 2021.
US next generation missile interceptor programme officially launched
• The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has released its request for proposal for its Next-Generation Interceptor (NGI), tasked with forming the core of the country’s homeland missile defence.
• The RFP, released on 24 April, says that it allows contractors 90 days to provide proposals to the government beginning 1 May 2020.
• With proposals due 31 July, the MDA allowed for a timetable review in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Eventually, two companies will be selected who will compete for the right to build the interceptor, according to the research, development, and acquisition agency that works on ballistic missile defence systems for the US.
• Specifically, for the NGI programme, the agency earlier requested $664.1 million in fiscal year 2021 as part of a $4.9 billion five-year budget plan.
Australia pitches for trilateral cooperation with India, Indonesia
• In an address to the National Defence College (NDC), Mr. Barry O’Farrell, Australian High Commissioner-designate said that India and Australia will face common challenges in the Indo-Pacific as the COVID-19 pandemic is stretching much of the world’s governmental capacity.
• He called for greater cooperation especially stressing on trilateral cooperation between India, Australia and Indonesia.
• He said that the three countries should build on last year’s successful trilateral maritime security workshop with Indonesia to identify new ways in which the three countries can collaborate to be the best possible custodians of the Indian Ocean.
• On enhancing bilateral cooperation, he said there were many ways through which India and Australia could reinforce each other’s efforts and one of the ways was by making defence facilities available to each other to expand their militaries’ respective operational reach. This was already an evolving area with a logistics support agreement in the final stages of being concluded.
• The High Commissioner designate also referred to the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region which is emerging as a regional hub for monitoring maritime movements and cooperation.
• He also mentioned the increasingly common platforms operated by the two militaries acquired from the U.S., the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft, and India’s soon-to-be-acquired MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters.
It is time to come out of a single service monopoly on the resources. People on top are understanding this issue.