IAF’s ’47 roadmap transformative, needs major R&D push

The Indian Air Force’s roadmap for 2047, made public last week, is ambitious, transformative and comprehensive. However, an assured long-term financial backing from the government is needed to stay ahead of the technology curve by investing in R&D on engines, radars, avionics and missiles.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh gave details of the roadmap, just days ahead of IAF’s 93rd birthday – called the Air Force Day - which is observed on October 8. “Self-reliance is must in case India wants to be a superpower,” he said about the focus of roadmap.

Centred on expansion of combat fleet, backed by indigenous manufacturing, cutting-edge technology and seamless integration of assets, including space-based capabilities, the 2047 roadmap is flexible enough to incorporate technologies as they evolve rapidly. The plan is not cast in stone, it represents the current assessment of how technologies and capabilities are expected to evolve.

Challenge is R&D

The research and development (R&D) ecosystem has critical gaps in terms of making aero engines, absorbing technology and producing the latest AESA radars needed by fighter jets for faster computation and analysis. The same goes for designing and making transport planes. The government has allocated Rs 14,900 crore for R&D to DRDO. However, in the private sector, funding is in its nascent stage.

Indigenous air-launched missiles need a R&D push to make them target longer distances. The Russian made S-400 air defence system performed well during the Operation Sindoor and the IAF, along with the Navy and the Army, is looking a matching indigenous system in a decade from now.

Modernisation, expansion

The IAF has assessed it needs 30-40 new jets annually to be relevant. The roadmap intends to expand the IAF’s fighter squadron strength to approximately 57-60 — each having 16-18 planes, which translates to a formidable fleet of almost 1,000-1,200 combat aircraft. This expansion is crucial to counter a two-front collusive threat from Pakistan and China.

This would include various versions of the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas — some 300-340 in number, inductions are set to commence anytime now. The second option would be the addition of more Rafale jets with a Make in India clause. These would initially be 114 in number, but could go up depending upon the success of Make in India. Another 180-200 planes will be the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth multirole combat aircraft.

The immediate plan is to upgrades to the existing fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI jets. The IAF has some 270 of these Russian-origin jets which would be upgraded.

On unmanned fleet

Unmanned systems like armed UAVs are not expected to fully replace manned fighter jets in the foreseeable future. The IAF has clarity that manned fighter jets will continue to operate. Countries like the UK, China, US and Japan are already working on sixth-generation combat aircraft programmes, and that means manned jets would continue to be used in the next few decades.

However, the IAF is fully supporting the Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

New transport planes

Besides the ongoing induction of the C-295 transport aircraft, being manufactured in India by a Tata-Airbus consortium, the future plan involves the development and acquisition of a medium transport aircraft (MTA). The helicopter fleets would expand with indigenous light combat helicopter (LCH) “Prachand” and advanced light helicopter (ALH) “Dhruv” being inducted in large numbers. Future plans include the development of an Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH) to replace the Mi-17 fleet.

Space and AI

The IAF’s 2047 roadmap looks to transform the Air Force to an ‘Indian Air and Space Force’. This will look to integrated command and control seamlessly using space for operations. Space-based surveillance, intelligence gathering and navigation capabilities will expand. Counter-space capabilities will aim to protect India’s space assets. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a critical enabler for faster decision-making. The IAF is actively working on developing an AI roadmap to integrate these capabilities across its various domains.