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New Delhi: The plan to purchase 126 fighter planes by spending Rs. 80,000 crore seems to be in jeopardy. Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne raised apprehensions that further delay in action may create problems for the Indian Air Force, which is already reeling under acute shortage of planes. He said that the IAF needs atleast 300 aircrafts in the coming three years. He said the proceedings of purchase and procurement was hit by the death of a joint secretary who was handling deals with arms manufacturers.
He said the appointment of the new secretary would take at least three to four months. The force should have 42 squadrons of fighter planes. As of now, it has only 34. Each squadron has atleast 18-20 planes. By 2017, Mig 21 would be demitted from services, which would create an acute shortage of planes in the force.
He said that the shortage would be met by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited which has a taken licence from French company Dassault Rafale for manufacturing the fighter planes. They would also have take the services of indigenous airplane Tejas.
The IAF chief said it plans to develop a fighter aircraft base at Nyoma in Ladakh and is upgrading seven airfields for carrying out 24X7 operations in the northeast.
"Nyoma is an important location for both the Army and the IAF in the south east of Ladakh where we have good weather all round the year. The cost of developing the air base would be around Rs. 2,173 crore and it will take 4-5 years to develop it," he said
Browne said the proposal for developing the Nyoma air field was mooted in 2010 with the landing of an An-32 transport aircraft there. It is right now with the Finance Ministry and is expected to be taken up by the Cabinet next month, he said.
"All types of aircraft including fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft would be able capable of being deployed and operated from there," he said.
Browne said the airbase, located at an altitude of around 13,000 feet, is lower in height than the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Daulat Beg Oldie but was higher than the air bases in Leh and Thoise.
IAF needs atleast 300 planes to counter China, Pakistan: Browne - daily.bhaskar.com
He said the appointment of the new secretary would take at least three to four months. The force should have 42 squadrons of fighter planes. As of now, it has only 34. Each squadron has atleast 18-20 planes. By 2017, Mig 21 would be demitted from services, which would create an acute shortage of planes in the force.
He said that the shortage would be met by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited which has a taken licence from French company Dassault Rafale for manufacturing the fighter planes. They would also have take the services of indigenous airplane Tejas.
The IAF chief said it plans to develop a fighter aircraft base at Nyoma in Ladakh and is upgrading seven airfields for carrying out 24X7 operations in the northeast.
"Nyoma is an important location for both the Army and the IAF in the south east of Ladakh where we have good weather all round the year. The cost of developing the air base would be around Rs. 2,173 crore and it will take 4-5 years to develop it," he said
Browne said the proposal for developing the Nyoma air field was mooted in 2010 with the landing of an An-32 transport aircraft there. It is right now with the Finance Ministry and is expected to be taken up by the Cabinet next month, he said.
"All types of aircraft including fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft would be able capable of being deployed and operated from there," he said.
Browne said the airbase, located at an altitude of around 13,000 feet, is lower in height than the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Daulat Beg Oldie but was higher than the air bases in Leh and Thoise.
IAF needs atleast 300 planes to counter China, Pakistan: Browne - daily.bhaskar.com
