IAF to seek support from satellite system

To guide fighter, transport aircraft

(October 31, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Indian Air force (IAF) will seek support from a satellite-based information system to guide its fighter and transport aircraft during war and peacetime deployments in the future.

Sources said the lack of aerospace technology to meet the needs of the IAF and the Arm Forces was more pronounced after the IAF pilots shared information and experiences after participating in two major exercises with Air Force teams from across the world. All countries under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have real-time network centric battlefield information that is provided to pilots and back-up staff.

The matter was discussed at the IAF commanders’ conference here today. The conference discussed that at present India had the bare minimum network ability and the need was to be totally network centric. This means conveying battlefield information in real time thorough satellites and air borne radars augmented by ground based radars.

India already has stated policy that it will not weaponise the space it will only use the same for communication navigation and surveillance.

Meanwhile in his inaugural address the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major put forward his vision of the shape of the IAF, in the years to come, and chartered out the future course of action.

In view of the enhanced capabilities being acquired through the induction of new assets, he said the IAF’s operational plans would now become much more effective. He emphasised the need to develop state-of-the-art maintenance practices and facilities.

During the conference, operational challenges before the IAF are discussed. Apart from this flight safety, maintenance, administrative and logistical issues, which impinge on the operational effectiveness of the Air Force, are also taken up for discussions.

Separately, the Army Commanders conference also got under way today. It will take stock of the national security environment with the view to appropriately align its own efforts and initiative, where required.

It will study the following: Scope of exploiting tunnelling technology for developing hardened shelters for storage of critical equipment and other war-fighting assets; audit and effective management of the Defence land; measures for maximising responsiveness of the Military Engineering Service (MES); optimising of human resource capital to enhance specialist service needs and capabilities and improvements in content and the Military training of jawans to meet the challenges of emerging battlefield environment.- Sri Lanka Guardian