IAF Modernisation: An Update

Preamble. Soon after joining the India Strategic team in January 2013, this writer had carried out a detailed analysis of the modernisation requirements of Indian Air Force (IAF) and the air arms of its sister services on the eve of the 9th Edition of the Aero India in February 2013. Even though some big ticket contracts had been signed by then, they were just the tip of the proverbial 'iceberg', as the armed forces' appetite for acquiring greater aerospace power capabilities was unabated. It was then stated that the Indian Military Aviation sector led by the IAF, needed to spend huge sums of money to acquire the necessary operational capabilities. It was visualised that IAF alone would need about $200 billion in the coming decades to fill the existing void and improve its combat force strength to the desired levels.

- AIR MARSHAL VK 'JIMMY' BHATIA (RETD)

Subsequently, reviews were carried out for the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th editions of Aero India shows in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021, respectively. Now, as the 14th Edition of Aero India stands ready to unveil at Yelahanka, Bengaluru on February 13, 2023, it would perhaps be in order to see which way the wind is blowing with regard to various modernisation programmes, to augment India's aerospace power.

INDIAN AIR FORCE (IAF)

Broadly speaking, last two years have been reasonably productive for the IAF in terms of induction of new platforms such as the Rafales, with the delivery of last batch of these 4.5+ generation fighters having been completed by Dassault on schedule in December last year.

India had ordered the jets from France in a truncated G2G (Government to Government) deal for 36 fighters in September 2016, with deliveries starting in mid-2019. The period also witnessed induction of the first two S-400M AD missile, India sought from Russia in a mega $5.5 billion deal signed in October 2018. On the indigenous front, during the period under consideration, IAF received the remaining LCA Mk Is single-seaters from HAL to form two IOC/FOC-Tejas squadrons at Sulur while the twinseat aircraft were awaited to complete their inventories.

The first unit of LCH (Light Combat Helicopter), named 'Prachand' (or Fierce) by the Defence Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, was formed at Jodhpur, while IAF received some more ALH Dhruv and Rudra version helicopters from HAL.

Also, DRDO handed over the first MR-SAM system to the IAF in Jaisalmer in September 2021.

During the period, the earlier inducted Chinook and Apache helicopter units attained fully operational status and are being routinely used in the Ladakh region. While the Rafales, optimally located at Ambala and Hasimara, respectively became fully operational to look after both the north-eastern and western sectors.