Indian Air Force (IAF) wants to induct 120 Tejas

[Hindustani78]

Air Force Commanders' Conference begins | Zee News

New Delhi: Top commanders of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday met here to brainstorm on various matters including drafting of women as fighter pilots, serviceability issues plaguing the force, and induction of fighter aircraft like LCA Tejas and Rafale.

The three-day Air Force Commanders' Conference, inaugurated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, will see a number of crucial issues facing the Air Force being discussed in detail.

Representatives from state-run aircraft manufacturer HAL, Bharat Dynamics Limited and Ordnance Factory Board will also take part in the conference.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha had last week announced the force's plan to induct women as fighter pilots. This is the first time that any of the three services has agreed for combat role for women.

Also under discussion would be IAF's plan to induct 120 indigenously-developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Though the Air Force was initially unhappy with the aircraft, it later agreed to induct 120 Tejas with four main modifications including that to its missile carrying capability, better radar and mid-air refuelling facility.

The issue of Rafale fighter jet would also come up for discussion as the force awaits the formal contract for 36 French jets to be signed.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

The IAF is placing an order for 100 modified Tejas aircraft in addition to an older order for 20 planes, confident that it would beat the Pakistani competitor on four parameters — reach, weapons, ability to kill and survivability.

With the upgraded LCA line to be activated, the air force will rejig its fighter procurement plans to accommodate 120 of the indigenous planes within the next 11 years, defence ministry officials said.

Even if defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics manages to ramp up its production rate to 12 jets from the existing eight per year, all the 120 Tejas planned so far for IAF will be inducted only by 2026 or so.

The development of a Tejas Mark-II, with a more powerful engine, in turn, would be possible only by 2024-2025 at the earliest, with the production to follow thereafter. Consequently, the proposed Tejas Mark-II for the IAF now stands scrapped, though it will continue for the Navy, as was earlier reported by TOI.

In pic: Tejas Mk-1



The plan now is to jump directly onto the development of the indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the twin-engine AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft), from the single-engine Tejas Mark-I, as part of the overall rejig of fighter induction plans.

"DRDO-HAL will now fully focus on producing the improved Tejas as well as designing and developing the AMCA, which should start coming in by 2035 when the upgraded Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s begin retiring," said an official.

Tejas remains crucial to make up the depleting numbers in IAF, which is down to just 35 fighter squadrons and will reach its sanctioned figure of 42 squadrons only by 2027 or so. With a limited range of just over 400 km, the Tejas will basically be used for "air defence" to take on incoming enemy fighters or "close air-to-ground" operations to support the Army.

The "strike packages" deep into enemy territory will perforce have to be undertaken by fighters like the Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKIs and the Rafales being acquired from France. "But the Tejas, after the 43 improvements, will be more than able to outgun the similar JF-17, which Pakistan is inducting with China's help," said an official.

"Tejas will help in plugging the gaps that will further arise after all the existing 10 MiG-21 and four MiG-27 squadrons are retired by 2025. It was never meant to replace a MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) like Rafale or a heavyweight Sukhoi-30MKI," he added.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar addressing the Air Force Commanders at the commencement of the Air Force Commanders’ Conference, in New Delhi on October 13, 2015. The Minister of State for Planning (Independent Charge) and Defence, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, the Defence Secretary, Shri G. Mohan Kumar and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar, the Minister of State for Planning (Independent Charge) and Defence, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, the Defence Secretary, Shri G. Mohan Kumar and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha in a group photograph, at the commencement of the Air Force Commanders’ Conference, in New Delhi on October 13, 2015.