aero india show 2009
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| A fighter jet on display at the Aero India '09, Bangalore. Copyright Sify.com. Any unauthorised reproduction is prohibited. |
Yelahanka Air Force Base (Bangalore): “Technology is the core of any air force. But does technology drive doctrine, or does doctrine dictate technology?”
“We can debate that till the cows come home,” said Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, but the fact remains that “today the IAF is on a large scale modernisation drive, with good government support, and hard work within the air force, aviation agencies, vendors within and outside the country.”
He was addressing a packed auditorium on February 12 at the Yelhanka Air Force Base near Bangalore, where the Aero-India 2009 is being held.
“Indian Air Force needs the best, and it will be our endeavour to ensure that everything we want in terms of upgrades, modern technology, everything which makes a balanced air force credible and viable, is made available,” the air chief declared.
Noting that there had been a surge in the number of exhibitors from across the world, as compared to the previous show held in 2007, he said it was a sign that “the world is looking at India with a different perspective.”
“Despite the financial downslide, the defence, aerospace industries, will continue to bloom. This is the environment under which we gather here, to look at cutting-edge technology and change the way we look at how air war fighting will happen in coming years, and how the growing up of civil aviation will come about.”
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The air chief was flanked on the dais by Air Vice Marshal DC Kumaria, Air Marshal VR Iyer and Air Commodore Ravi Dhar.
In the question and answer session that followed, on being asked about acquisition of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, he said: “The security environment around the world means the use of UAVs will only increase. The payloads on these UAVs are improving, they deliver better results, and we are in the process of expanding our UAV fleet.”
Asked when the Indian Air Force would be able to meet its sanctioned target of 39 and ½ squadrons, he said: “Right now, we have 34 squadrons, we might come down a little, but by 2017 we will have what we want, and a bit more 2020.”
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“Every air force in the world goes through such phases,” he explained. “At times the numbers keep going up and down as older platforms are phased out and newer ones added. No Air Force has 100 per cent high-end technology, there is the lead time in acquiring aeroplanes and missiles systems, so there is a gap.”
“My job is to maintain the combat edge, so there is a concerted phase in phasing out, and buying new equipment.”
However, “Nothing has been put on fast track since 26/11,” he declared. “ A balanced air force has the capability to always fight…I cannot afford to wait till events like 26/11.”
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Asked whether the southern peninsula was being ignored, he said, “the southern peninsula needs to be protected in sense of assets, and I promise you your southern peninsula will be safer than ever soon.”
Asked whether the Air Force has made provisions for China, he said, “ We have our force deployment in a manner which caters for all our likely adversaries and situations of lower intensity conflicts.”
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As for surgical strikes, “We need to understand what a surgical strike is. It is like real surgery, in the right place, right time, right probe, it has to be a precision strike, no collateral damage, bringing your target down in a manner rendering it unusable.”
“But the decision to order one rests with the government.”
Asked about the role of the air force against ‘no n-state actors,’ he said the “Air Force has a definite role, right from the lowest to highest ends of the spectrum. We can do a cordon and search from the air. We can also conduct surgical strikes.”
On whether there was concern over the same vendor selling equipment to both India and Pakistan, he said: “It depends on the platform. If it is a common platform, I have no issues. There could be occasions when particularly effective equipment could be with four or five different adversaries. What matters is how you tweak those systems to suit your requirements.”
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