Category: Airpower

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156: IAF AEROSPACE CAPABILITY BUILDING: Article Published in USI Strategic Year Book 2021

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A nation’s military aspirations have to be in consort with its socio economic condition and likely threats. Due to unique geographical location and geo-political environment India faces a collusive threat with significant chances of military conflict. Therefore her national interest dictate that the country be able to deter both her inimical neighbors from any military misadventure either singly or collusively.

Air power possesses significant offensive potential besides being the most responsive arm of military action.  Indian Air Force must remain an adaptive and agile force to fight and win wars in a network centric battlefield with conflicts varying across the complete threat spectrum. Air Force is a technology intensive service and requires continuous infusion of modern cutting edge equipment and technology.

A straightjacket approach to military accretions with a purely force on force numeric calculus would not provide comprehensive answers to any military force buildup plan. It is imperative that focus areas be identified and assets, platforms, facilitators and infrastructure developed accordingly.

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153: Theatre Command : Bird’s eye view

My views on the issue of jointness and HDO reforms.

(For selective viewing, please click on the links below)

  1. Upto 03:30 – Introduction.
  2. 03:30 – 09:00 – Perspective on the issue of jointness and theaterisation.
  3. 09:00 – 16:40 – Peculiarities of each service with areas of convergence.
  4. 16:40 – 19:15 – Issue of meagre resources.
  5. 19:15 – 26:30 – Are we blindly following others?
  6. 26:30 – 32:45 – Is the timing right?
  7. 32:45 -39:45 – Are we addressing the issue in an ad hoc way?
  8. 39:45 – 45:55 – Views about AD Command.
  9. 45:55 – 51:25 – Way forward and recommendations.
  10. 51:25 – 59:05 – Issue of discussion in open media.
  11.  59:05 onwards – Concluding thoughts.

Comments and value additions are most welcome

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152: My Tryst with HT-2 Aircraft: The Day God Flew With Me

 My previous story titled “The day I flew my dad’s Car” started with the sentence “It was the year of the lord……..” Well this one is also form the same year of the lord. It seems that 1979 was a very eventful year. It was eventful indeed, as this was the year when I started flying (or rather started learning how to fly), this was the year I earned my Wings and also got commissioned in the Indian Air Force. These events changed my life, making the next forty years most enjoyable ones.

 

 

This story is about my tryst with the HT-2 aircraft (I always lovingly called it Dalda Tin aircraft). Well that was the first impression one got on seeing it. But looks can be deceptive and in this case it was true. HT – 2 (Hindustan Trainer – 2) was one lean mean flying machine. This machine had deflated the ego of many an ace pilots by rubbing their nose into the dirt or by giving them a swinging  time (literally). HT-2 was a very simple machine with mechanical controls but a complex one to control. The machine seemed to have a mind of its own and reminded one of bronc riding rodeo. It is said that if one can drive on Indian roads, he or she can drive anywhere in the world. Similar thing can be said about HT-2, if you can fly the HT-2, you can fly any aircraft in the world.

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