New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Wednesday said the Air Force is moving in the “right direction” but the pace can be little faster than it is today as he asserted that it needs to bolster its capabilities in the age of rapidly evolving technology.
In his address at an event here on the eve of the 94th anniversary of the Indian Air Force, he also flagged the delay in delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A, while underlining that the IAF has been “actively engaging” with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on this programme.
“We have come to a way forward, and a now we are waiting for the HAL to complete whatever has been promised… I am very confident that in this financial year, we will be able to get a reasonable number of aircraft, at least the defence secretary has spoken about it,” the IAF chief said.
The LCA Mk-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft.
Air Chief Marshal Singh said IAF’s support to LCA Mk-2 or Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programmes continue, as also for the procurement of the 114 Rafale aircraft under the multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) programme, and procurement for medium transport aircraft, medium range helicopters, among other assets.
“These contracts are likely to be signed maybe in this financial year or positively the next financial year,” he said, without elaborating.
On the C-295 aircraft medium tactical transport aircraft, the air officer said, “The 17th aircraft, the very first aircraft, to be made in India, is already in production. There are some minor issues, which are getting resolved, hopefully it will come up in a month or two.”
The first C-295 was inducted into the IAF in September 23, after India sealed a Rs 21,935-crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space to procure the jets to replace its ageing Avro-748 fleet.
Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in fly-away condition from its final assembly line in Seville by 2025 and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
In his addressing to a gathering of air warriors and IAF veterans at the Air Force Auditorium at Subroto Park, Air Chief Marshal Singh also said there are areas in which we need “greater capacity, faster induction and more combat mass”, and a need to accelerate indigenous R&D and production capacities.
Air Chief Marshal Singh, who retires this month, will hand over the mantle to Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who has been named his successor.
In the last few years, the focus in the IAF has shifted from “platform-centric to capability-centric” approach, and also on the integration of various components, the CAS said.
“And, it proved its worth during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
The IAF chief said air power is, and going to be, the mainstay of any offensive action, “and, I think, we have been able to prove that well. And, I am happy that we are progressing in the right direction, but whether we are progressing at the correct pace or not, is something for everybody to judge. According to me, yes, we can be a little faster than what we are today”.
“But there are constraints of procedure, procurement and development constraints. So, as far as capability development is concerned, we are aware that we have a contract for 180 LCA Mk-1A aircraft, and they have been delayed. We have been actively engaging with HAL. There will be lot of discussions on what can be done, and what cannot be done,” he added.
In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The first set of aircraft was to be delivered in March, 2024. However, not a single jet has been supplied to the IAF till now.
The IAF wants to induct the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 29 from the officially sanctioned strength of 42.
The defence ministry in September last year sealed another deal worth Rs 62,370 crore with HAL to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for the IAF.
The CAS also pitched for boosting drone, counter-drone, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and C-UAS, space and cyberspace capabilities.
On the HALE (high-altitude long endurance) RPAs (remotely piloted aircraft), he said, contract has been signed, while the medium-altitude long endurance (MALE) RPAs, are under negotiations.
In his address, he further said that operations have tested the IAF, military exercises have stretched it, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts have taken it beyond the border, and air diplomacy has expanded the partnerships.
The IAF chief, however, said, as far as firefighting is concerned, this has been “an area of concern”.
“In case of fires at installations, or in an aircraft, ground run or an accident, our performance has been lacking, lacking in a sense it can be better,” he said.
He said the force is planning to have some simulators where an actual fire-like simulation at a site, or an aircraft can be done for training purposes, adding, a large number of “fire bots” are being planned to aid firefighters in areas where it is difficult to take big equipment.
He also said a museum on the IAF is coming, and should be “ready in few months”.
It will be a “very good, world-class museum that we will be very proud of”.
A senior official said this will be a new museum. An old museum exists near Palam air base. PTI KND ZMN
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