New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning big and is aiming to become a dominant force in the sky. This is what the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has said. RKS Bhadauria did not rule out procurement of more Rafale jets in addition to the 36 already ordered. He said the induction of the French-made multi-role aircraft has given the IAF an operational edge to strike ‘deep and hard’.
The Chief of Air Staff also said the government is concentrating on procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas (Mark 1A), 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA). The Centre is also planning to acquire a large number of advanced medium combat aircraft.
Bhadauria spoke on induction of the first fleet of Rafale.”The integration of Rafale jets brings in a platform armed with weapons, sensors and technologies that is way ahead. It gives us an operational and technological edge in this area,” Bhadauria said.
“Combined with upgraded operation capabilities of our current fighter fleet, it gives us the ability to shoot first and strike deep and hard, even in contested airspace,” he added.
The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived July 29 in India. It happened nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France. The agreement states that India will procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.
There has been a view among some officials in the military establishment that the IAF should at least have four squadrons of Rafale. There are 18 aircraft in a squadron. They think it will be the ‘cheapest option’ as the cost of research and development for all India-specific enhancements have already been covered in the previous deal.
The Chief of Air Staff cited budget constraints as one of the factors in taking any decision (regarding procurement). However, he did not rule it out. “Well… we may go in for procuring more than 36… yes there are discussions on within the government,” Bhadauria said.
“Whether we go in for more Rafale or MRFA, it will be an open competition… The current status is that we have received all the RFIs (for the MRFA programme). All these issues are on the table now in terms of taking a final call. There are various issues that need to be considered,” he said.
Ten Rafale jets have so far been delivered to India. Five of them stayed back in France for imparting training to IAF pilots. A second batch of four to five Rafale jets is likely to arrive in India by November.
Bhadauria said the IAF would get 3-4 Rafales after every 2-3 months till supply of the entire fleet of 36 is completed.
The newly inducted fleet has been carrying out sorties in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a bitter border row for the last five months.
“We have operationalised the recently acquired Rafale, Chinook, and Apache aircraft and integrated them into our current concept of operations in record time,” the IAF Chief said.
“In the next three years we will see the Rafale and LCA MK1 squadrons operating with full strength, along with additional Su-30 and Mig 29 aircraft,” informed Bhaduaria.
Bhadauria said the mid-life operational upgrade of Mirage-2000, MiG-29 and Jaguar fleet would add to the IAF’s capability in this period, thereby further enhancing not only their operational capability but overall potential.
Agencies