Low on firepower, India races to add jets

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

Bengaluru, February 14

With the Indian Air Force (IAF) now operating at its lowest combat strength —the numbers are expected to dip further in the coming five years — India is making yet another bid to ramp up the numbers of fighter jets to face a simultaneous two-front collusive war with Pakistan and China.

The previous such bid to have more fighter jets was officially launched in 2001 to get 126 twin-engine modern technology jets. It was scrapped 14 years later in 2015. New Delhi ended up buying only 36 of the twin-engine Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation, France. The IAF needs 300-400 more fighter jets of various types over the next decade and the Navy has its own needs for ship-deck operations.

At present, the IAF has 34 squadrons (18 planes in each) and some 10 of these are of the 1960s design soviet origin MiG-21 series, operating much beyond their life. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has mandated 42 squadrons for the IAF.

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Sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have confirmed to The Tribune “the number of squadrons is expected to drop further down from the present 34. The production of Tejas (light combat aircraft) is still not at the desired 16 planes-per-annum mark and it will take at least 3-4 years for new foreign collaborated jets to fructify”. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, addressing mediapersons at the 11th Aero India here today, said “talks for single-engine and twin-engine fighter jets are in advanced stages and we want to get them done in during current calendar year (2017)”. He listed the needs as “300-400 fighters”.

On ramping up production of the Tejas, Parrikar said: “We are putting in second line at a cost of 

Rs 1,359 crore. Work will start in three months and production in two years.”

He said it would produce eight planes per annum and one line was already functioning with capacity of eight planes per annum.

India is looking at single-engine jets such as Gripen, made by Saab of Sweden and F-16 by Lockheed Martin of the US. In the twin-engine variety, the Boeing today offered a ‘Make in India’ bid. Thomas Breckenridge, vice-president, Global Sales — India Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said: “Our F-A/18 is available for land and ship deck versions. We already have local suppliers.” The Eurofighter from Airbus, the MiG 35 from Russia and Rafale are the other twin-engine options. All these companies also have naval variants.

Showstoppers

New weapon system for Arjun tank

Bharat Electronics Ltd has unveiled a new weapon control system — remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) for the Arjun Mk II battle tank. It enables the soldier to aim and fire at aerial targets from the safe interiors of the tank. RCWS integrated on MBT Mk II has successfully completed tank integration and firing trials.

LCH production in 6-8 months

Serial production of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) produced by public sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will commence in six to eight months, Defence Minister Parrikar said on Tuesday. It has undergone weapon testing and can operate even at 24,000 feet. The Ministry of Defence has given its acceptance of necessity to the helicopter.

Armed ‘Hawk’ trainer unveiled

Harriett Baldwin Minister for Defence Procurement in United Kingdom met BAE Systems and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) teams and was given a demonstration of the partnership’s latest collaboration, the Hawk advanced jet trainer. It an armed version of the trainer aircraft Hawk Mk132 used by the IAF and the Navy to train its pilots.

MoU on missiles

Public sector Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Thales have signed a memorandum of understanding to assess if transfer of technology can be made to BDL for the ‘STARStreak’ missile capability with the support of the UK government. The missile claims to evade any known jammers or counter measure.

Adding to ‘eyes in the sky’

The DRDO-developed Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft ‘Netra’ was handed over to Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Tuesday. This will add to the “eyes in the sky” — planes that look at enemy territory and forewarn about incoming threats allowing commanders to retaliate. The Ministry of Defence has finalised to get six more high-potency flying radars to be mounted on Airbus 330 planes. The IAF already flies three such radars mounted on the Russian IL 76 planes. The radars on these are the Israeli ‘Phalcon’.