IAF modernisation on fast track
The induction of Pilatus aircraft will start from January 2013 at the rate of two a month, and by July 2013 the Indian Air Force will get 14 basic trainer aircraft.
Disclosing this on the sidelines of the Combined Graduation Parade, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, the Chief of the Air Staff, said that the modernisation of the IAF had been literally put on the fast track.
The main features of this new mode is that the IAF is inducting state-ofthe-art aircraft, including 75 Swiss Pilatus PC-7 basic trainers, Medium MultiRole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), ultra-modern simulators, advanced weapon and combat support system and massive upgrading of training commands like Air Force Academy, Dundigal.
For all those missing the aerobatic Surya Kiran team, the good news shared by Air Chief Browne with this newspaper is that the new aerobatic display squadron will use Hawk aircraft.
The deal for 20 of these will be executed by January or February next year. Further, the strength of Hawk aircraft currently in Bidar will be increased by 40, taking the total to 106.
Other massive additions include increasing the combat aircraft squadron strength to 42. The Air Chief added that upgrading of IAF shall be completed in the next decade.
The contracts signed during the 11th Five Year Plan will be executed by 2017. The ones crucial for IAF and signed in 12th and 13th Five Year Plans will also meet the deadline of 2022.
To keep pace with rapid modernisation and induction of Pilatus, such that the first batch of training on this starts from July 2013, the IAF shall be sending its pilots and technical staff to Switzerland for training on Pilatus-PC 7 by this year end.
“Furthermore, AFA Dundigal itself is being armed with the latest infrastructure for Pilatus and other modernisations at a cost of `130 crores as sought by IAF”, said the Air Chief, adding that a large number of cadets, around 750, will be trained at AFA from 2016. Stage-2 training will be ultimately shifted from Hakimpet to Deesa in Gujarat.
When asked about the progress in Tejas Light Combat Aircraft that has completed its weapon trials, the Air Chief said the Final Operational Clearance is expected by mid-2013. On being quizzed about induction of MMRCAs, he said that India will start inducting the first lot of MMRCAs from 2016. While 18 Rafale aircraft will be bought from French firm Dassault, the remaining 108 will be manufactured by the HAL. The last of these planes will be inducted by 2023.