EVE OF IAF DAY
IAF
Special
“RESPONSE TO THE STAND-OFF ALONG THE LAC IS INDICATIVE OF OUR OPERATIONAL STATE” Coming decade will see 114 MRFA fructify and a significant boost in AWACS, AEW&C capabilities, ISR, and aerial refueling capability. Enhanced air combat capabilities with sixthgeneration technologies including Directed Energy Weapons, Smart Wingman concept, optionally manned combat platforms, swarm drones, hypersonic weapons will be added to the arsenal of the Indian Air Force.
Photographs: IAF
By Neetu Dhulia ‘IAF is transforming at a rapid pace and over the years up the combat capability through modernisation and operawe have grown’, speaking at a press conference ahead of the tional training with an inclination on indigenous equipment Air Force Day celebrations, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Mar- to achieve self-reliance and strategic autonomy. The offensive shal R.K.S. Bhadauria said that the emerging security scenario strike capability has been honed with up-gradations and new in our neighborhood and beyond mandates a need to have a inductions of weapons and platforms. IAF has the largest strarobust capability to fight across the entire spectrum of warfare. tegic airlift capability in the region comprising of IL-76, C-17 & He stated with confidence that operationally we are amongst C-130 platforms with enhanced heli-lift capabilities. ‘Response to the stand-off along the LAC in the North is the best and our position as a credible combat-ready force is vital given the role Air Force will play towards ensuring victory indicative of our operational state today. We are determined to handle any contingency. Our airlift capability had the Indian in any future conflict. Army rapidly mobilise the troops and He acknowledged the advent of equipment to the operational area at a future warfare and new threats and pace which our adversary didn’t expect’, said that ‘the matrix of threat is comhe mentioned. plex, apart from sub-conventional The Rafale combat CAS mentioned that the creation of threats emanating from terrorism and CDS and DMA has been a landmark cyberspace, disruptive technologies and aircraft inducted its step towards increasing tri-services drones are making the threat picture first woman fighter effectiveness, coordination, and overeven more complex, particularly in the pilot recently all combat capabilities of the Indian sub-conventional domain’. Armed Forces. ‘The formation of an Air The Air Force has continued to scale
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ISSUE 9 • 2020
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