IAF needs force multipliers to gain an edge

IN the event of an armed conflict, India would be forced to fend for itself. In this context, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had flagged the IAF’s critical deficiencies, including the lack of fighter squadrons and force multipliers, in December last year.

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In March 2003, the 78th Squadron of the IAF received six Uzbekistan-made Ilyushin IL-78MKI flight refuelling aircraft (FRA) with a Russian airframe based on the IL-76 and an Israeli fuel transfer system. The current FRA in use can refuel three jets at a time. A total of six to eight Su-30MKIs may be refuelled in a single mission. The IL-78 was purchased with a predicted 70 per cent serviceability rate. In practice, however, serviceability has been significantly lower than 50 per cent.

Spares and maintenance have been an issue, particularly with the refuelling pods, due to frequent breakdowns, inadequate repair facilities and poor maintenance support from the original equipment manufacturers. Within three years of inducting the IL-78, the IAF started a search for new procurement due to the IL-78’s low reliability and serviceability and the necessity for more than six FRAs to meet its needs in a two-front conflict.

The IAF took a giant leap forward in 2009 when it decided that all of its aircraft and helicopters designed for combat and combat support would henceforth have midair refuelling capability.

Aerial refuelling, also known as air refuelling, in-flight refuelling, air-to-air refuelling (AAR) or tanking, is the transfer of aviation fuel from one military aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft are in flight. While the flying boom refuelling technology allows for faster fuel transfer but necessitates a separate boom operator station, the probe-and-drogue refuelling technique is simpler to apply to existing aircraft.

Aerial refuelling is primarily used in military operations as an airborne station that can extend the flying time of fighter jets and surveillance aircraft, allowing them to stay on the job for longer. According to NATO’s Allied Tactical Publication, AAR is air power’s most vital force multiplier. It gives the recipient aircraft an essential feature that boosts its range, endurance, payload and flexibility. This capability is crucial, mainly when forward basing is restricted or impossible or when airbase operation restrictions apply.

The AAR crew training is a process of preparing pilots and aircrew to perform the complex and precise manoeuvre of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another midair. The AAR planners, tanker & receiver crews and controllers have certain roles and responsibilities to play in order to ensure the smooth running of operations. All stakeholders are required to be adequately skilled to carry out refuelling successfully. When working at an airport, aircraft refuellers are expected to have the skills necessary to operate and maintain the refuelling equipment.

Aerial refuelling has, thus, become a cornerstone of military operations worldwide. The initial impetus for the development of strategic air tankers came from the requirement to keep strategic air bombers in the air all the time to defend against a nuclear threat. After that, tactical tankers arose in response to a demand for greater flexibility in aerial operations. The ability to invest in more tactical tankers as opposed to fewer strategic aircraft spreads the risk and increases the resilience of the network with more tankers in the air.

Non-availability of FRA has adversely affected numerous Indian air operations. The FRAs are a necessity, particularly when fighters from the IAF are required to travel to other countries for international exercises. When five Rafale fighters flew non-stop to India from France on

July 29, 2020, the aircraft were refuelled four times by a French Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).

It’s widely known that the IAF has a severe shortage of combat and combat support aircraft. Acquiring combat assets requires sufficient time to place the demand, produce them, and induct them into service. This period may extend up to a decade. Until we manage these resources by procuring or manufacturing them in India, the existing threat perception cannot be overlooked. Maintaining a state of military readiness is essential in the face of potential aggression on either the eastern or western front or from both. Procuring AAR is the way to fill the gaps or deficiencies in India’s operational resources.

With the employment of in-flight refuelling, it is anticipated that the radius of action (RoA) of every IAF aircraft will increase by approximately 60 per cent. As a consequence, the RoA will likely not be a limiting factor in the IAF’s ability to engage all targets within the area of operations.

Compared to carrying additional fuel tanks or making multiple stopovers, refuelling midair can reduce fuel consumption on long-distance flights by 35 per cent to 40 per cent. That is equivalent to being able to refuel four aeroplanes in the air while using only the amount of gasoline that would be needed to refuel three aircraft. Hence, AAR is an operation that is efficient with regard to costs.

It is necessary to have a multi-mission FRA that uses the most up-to-date technology to deliver safety. Thus, FRA must be fast, perform well, be operationally efficient, have low lifecycle costs and be readily available. Although the IAF twice put out tenders for a new aerial refuelling tanker, cost concerns ultimately shelved the project.

In January 2018, the IAF launched its third effort to expand its aerial tanker fleet by issuing a request for information for six FRAs. India and France were also negotiating a government-to-government deal, whereby India would lease one A330 MRTT from the French Air Force for use in the country’s air force training programmes. But the quest still continues.

There is an urgent requirement for aerial refuelling aircraft to enable deep penetration missions due to the rapidly evolving security dynamics and the threats posed by India’s neighbours. Aerial refuelling enhances the outreach to the optimum limit of air operations. Therefore, it is one of the most demanding and high-stakes aerial operations. Moreover, it enables the ability to operate even further afield. In addition, AAR enables scarce combat aircraft to be moved rapidly from one theatre to another.

Midair refuelling is worthwhile for a number of military operations that require long-range, high payload or time-sensitive capabilities. It is possible for the IAF to have improved survivability and responsiveness after undergoing midair refuelling, which, in turn, makes it possible for the aircraft to take off with a greater payload, such as more personnel, cargo or weapons.