India will continue to procure foreign fighter jets: IAF Chief

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

Facing a dwindling fleet of fighter jets, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will continue to procure foreign fighter jets as banking entirely on the locally produced, LCA Tejas, may not be enough either in numbers or capability.

Though it looks as a setback to the “Make in India” initiative, it’s a pragmatic balance between being “war-ready” and waiting for still-developing indigenous technologies.

The IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, while addressing a press conference here today, said, “The Tejas alone cannot meet the needs of the IAF in numbers or the roles the IAF is needed to play. We need more multi-role combat fighter jets (Rafale-type),” he said and listed out options from Russia and a long term — more than 15 years away – plan for a locally produced fighter jet with a foreign design partner.

The government in April this year announced a deal to get 36 of the twin-engine Rafale jets in a fly-away condition from French-maker Dassault aviation.

“The IAF has projected a need for six squadrons (16-18 planes in each squadron) of Rafale-type planes,” he said confirming what was first reported in The Tribune in its edition dated July 4 this year.

On being asked if the IAF wanted more Rafales, the IAF Chief said, “I may wish to have Rafale. But there are equally good aircraft. If the deal is good, the government can decide on more. There are alternatives. I cannot say I only want Rafale. I want capability of Rafale-type aircraft. So the government will have a look at it and based on urgency and the type of contract is signed with Dassault Aviation, further decisions may be taken by the government. I cannot predict.”

“At the moment cost negotiation is on. We should be able to ink the contract by the end of this calendar year. It will take two to three years for the first squadron to be raised,” he added.

On the Tejas, the IAF Chief said, he was looking at 120 of the Tejas that will include four major upgrades proposed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

So far, only 40 have been ordered. On being asked if the order beyond 40 planes will be the “Tejas Mark-2” with upgraded engines, Raha said, “Let’s just call it Tejas. We are not insisting on Mark-2 for now. It will incorporate characteristics such as mid-air refueling, missiles and improved radars.”

Later sources said the engine of the upgraded version would not change from the present standard fitment of US-produced GE 404. The first lot of Tejas is likely to get final operational clearance by March next year.

Raha said the targeted 42 fighter squadrons — needed for a simultaneous war with China and Pakistan — would be in place by 2027.

As of now, the IAF has 35 fighter jet squadrons. A mixed ancestry and level of technology marks the fleet, largely imported from Russia over the past 30 years. British and French companies have supplied around 150 planes.

The IAF needs 400 jets over the next 10-12 years. There are some 260 obsolete MiG-21s and MiG-27s (Soviet Union-era single-engine fighter jets) in the fleet and these have to be replaced on priority.

The IAF Chief, on being asked about the Russian plan to supply attack helicopters to Pakistan, said, “Let’s not make a mountain of a molehill. The French have supplied Mirage (fighter jet) to Pakistan and also to us. The US supplied F-16 (fighter jet) we use. Let’s not look at it narrowly.”

On having a Chief of Defence Staff, Raha said, “The Chief of Staff Committee has given its recommendations. Having a CDS is the priority of the government.”