FUTURE CONFLICT SCENARIO: IMPLICATIONS FOR IAF (PART 2)

Link to Part 1

In Continuation……

Implications For: IAF

• India has to be prepared for a possible two-front war.

• The threat spectrum spans from sub-convential conflict, conventional war to nuclear exchange.

• Capability and preparedness is required for:-

• Collusive challenge
• Internal security
• Multi front challenges
• Hybrid wars
• Grey zone ops
• Diverse operational scenarios
• Diverse operational areas

• Preparedness would include review of doctrines, strategy and tactics, organizational structures, human resource adaption and training, and maintenance & logistics concepts to meet the operational requirements.

• IAF will have to build deterrence and have ability to dominate the air. It will have to induct modern systems for situational awareness, intelligence and precision strike ability.

• Technological advancements and evolving changes would have to be factored. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has great potential for application in field of air power. India must take an early lead.

• IAF would need to think differently to be able to tackle various asymmetric and non-traditional security threats and would require more innovative, out of box solutions which would leverage the prevalent technology.

• Self-reliance and investment in future technologies is most important.

 

Harnessing Emergent Technologies

• Technology is impacting the nature of warfare (especially air warfare) like never before. Technology superiority needs to be a corner stone of India’s national military strategy.

 

• IAF needs to define a defence science and technology strategy with a vision to harness technology and convert it into decisive capability.

 

• Suggested Future technologies to be looked into are :

 

• Quantum computing. 
• Hypersonic weapon systems.
• Artificial Intelligence. 
• Robotics.
• Nano technology. 
• Unmanned platforms, Drones and swarm technology. 
• Network centric environment / Internet of things / system of systems.

 

• Most of them are dual use technologies with utility both in civil and military domain.

 

• Suitable Ecosystem. Model and ecosystem required to bring User (defence forrces in this case), Academia, R&D (DRDO) and Industry (DPSU and Private) to work in unison.

• Strategic focus is required in terms of a long term and medium term technology plan supported by adequate budget allocation.

• Impetus is also required for some of the existing aviation related programmes :-

 

• Hypersonic weapons
• Integrated Ballistic and Cruise Missile
• Fifth generation fighter
• Transport aircraft (for civil and military requirements).
• Development of gas turbines and engines.
• AI enabled autonomous
• Unmanned platforms and swarms.
• Sensors and seekers for multiple
• Metallurgy and composites.

Comments and value additions are most welcome