Category: atmanirbharta

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AF Day Special: IAF Broader Issues & Personal Beliefs (Part 2&3/3)

 

It was interesting to interact with Gaurav

on his Talk Show SPEAKWITHGRV

on Air Force Day

 

We talked about:-

 

Section 2: IAF & Broader Issues

 

  • IAF evolution and capability enhancement over the years.

 

  • Importance of self reliance in defence production. 

 

  • Aspects related to Agniveer scheme.

 

  • Leadership aspects and styles.

 

  • Changes in higher defence organisation.

 

  • Pakistan, Pak Army and its attitude.

 

  • China military modernisation and behaviour.

 

  • Higher decision making and Balakot Strikes.

 

Section 3: Personal Beliefs

 

  • IAF Journey.

 

  • Philosophy of life.

 

  • Personal Role Model and influence.

 

  • Hobbies and Puzzle Solving.

 

  • Message to younger generation.

 

  • Autobiographical movie.

 

To view, please click on the link below :-

 

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References and credits

To all the online sites and channels.

 

Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.

 

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INPUTS: IAF DETERRENCE CAPABILITY

Pic Courtesy: Internet

 

IAF will be Celeberating its 91st anniversary on 08 Oct 2023.

 

It has been a nine decade old journey of touching the sky with glory.

 

It is also the time to reminisce its past, review its present and plan its future trajectory.

 

In the coming week defence journalists will be busy discussing these issues.

 

Views of veterans are also being sought on several aspects.

 

(Views are Personal)

 

  1. Possible reasons for the fighter squadron drawdown and delays in regaining the authorised strength.

 

    • The notion that there will be no war.

 

    • Expenditure on development rather than defence.

 

    • Lengthy and cumbersome procurement procedures.

 

    • Scam Phobia – looking for ghosts where there are none.

 

    • Politicisation of defence acquisitions.

 

  1. Practical time frames to fill the gaps.

 

    • I do not think in the next 5-7 years we will be able to fill this gap.

 

    • Maybe over 10 years or so, but it is not going to be easy.

 

    • To speed up the process, a multi-pronged approach would be required:-

 

      • Spend more money on Defence.

 

      • Speed up indigenous development of LCA MkII, and AMCA.

 

      • Enhance indigenous production capability.

 

      • Acquire and Infuse technology.

 

      • Procure from outside to fill urgent gaps.

 

    • Steps have already been initiated towards it – maybe we have gone into 3rd or 4th gear, and we need to step up to 5th.

 

  1. Recommended approach towards capability and capacity enhancement.

 

    • Maintain minimum deterrence value (especially in the face of what has happened in Ladakh due to China’s belligerence).

 

    • Boost self-reliance and indigenous capability.

 

    • Maintain a balance between quality and quantity of platforms.

 

    • Procure from abroad if the minimum deterrence value goes down.

 

    • Procure keeping in mind, maximum bang for the buck and boost to Atmanirbharata.

 

    • Procure in a phased manner.

 

    • Keep the inventory diversity in mind.

 

  1. Debate about the redundancy of manned aircraft in view of AI-empowered unmanned platforms.

 

    • This debate has been going on for decades.

 

    • Earlier it was limited to Fighter aircraft vis-à-vis LR Vectors, now it is manned fighter aircraft vis-à-vis no contact warfare with LR Vectors and unmanned platforms.

 

    • Both manned and unmanned platforms have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

    • Worldover (including India), work is going on in the development of 6th and 7th-generation platforms which will see the integration of manned and unmanned platforms, utilising the strengths of both. It is being called as “Loyal Wing Man concept”, I call it the “Mother Goose Concept”.

 

    • LR vectors and unmanned platforms are useful in two scenarios. Firstly during the initiation of war to create chaos by disruption and second during the long-drawn phase of retaliation and punitive action.

 

    • Relevance of manned fighter aircraft will remain for some time to come.

 

 

  1. While trying to reach the authorised strength, there is a need to review the minimum deterrence value required to meet current and future challenges and make long-term plans to achieve it.

 

 

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References and credits

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Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.

 

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Q & A SERIES: IAF – AI POWERED UNMANNED PLATFORMS, SPACE OPS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

 

? Response to Questionnaire ?

 

  1. In your opinion, how do advancements in AI Pilots have the potential to transform future aerial operations and impact Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)?

 

  • AI, Quantum Computing, and Miniaturisation are technologies with maximum impact on air warfare. The combination of these increases the computing power of the aerial systems while reducing their weight and size.

 

  • AI-powered UAVs are the future of the air warfare.

 

  • The combination of unmanned aerial platforms and long-range vectors is changing warfare into “No Contact Warfare”.

 

  • Future air warfare will see the next generation of aerial platforms wherein a combination of manned and unmanned platforms will work as a team. The concept is being called the “Loyal Wing Man Concept” (I call it the “Mother Goose Concept”). Work is going on toward it worldwide including India.

 

  • The second future trend is Swarm Technology, wherein, several small (Some as small as insects) drones would work in unison towards a defined task.

 

  • Anti-drone systems will also develop. These systems will contain multi-sensors and an assortment of weapons for hard or soft kill. They will be AI-powered to process the large amounts of information being generated.

 

  1. Regarding the critical aspect of securing Air Superiority, particularly in the context of the Sino-Indian Arena and the Indo-Pak scenario, do you believe the Indian Air Force (IAF) is adequately prepared for the challenges of the future? What, in your view, are the essential requirements for the IAF to meet these challenges effectively?

 

  • IAF always works on plans. The first one is to fight with whatever it has and the second is for capability development for future challenges.

 

  • Over the last nine decades (especially in the last four decades) air warfare capabilities (like strategic airlift, precision, Standoff, all-weather round-the-clock operation, high altitude ops, etc.) of the IAF have improved significantly.

 

  • At present IAF still can make the difference and provide the asymmetry while dealing with current challenges. However, its war-fighting endurance (numerical strength of fighter and combat support aircraft) needs to be boosted.

 

  • Capability and capacity development is a continuous process. The future trajectory should cater to future challenges. Some of the essential requirements to deal with future challenges would require:-

 

      • Enhancement of War Endurance.

 

      • Infusion of Technology (Quantum, AI, Hypersonic, Stealth, etc.)

 

      • Reorientation & reorganisation to deal with Grey Zone operations and warfare in domains of warfare like Cyber, Space, Information, and Electronics.

 

      • Integration with surface forces and government agencies for the whole of government response.

 

      • Self-reliant defence industry.

 

  1. Recognizing the strategic significance of Space in Future Air Warfare, how imperative do you believe it is for India to make the necessary considerations and investments in this domain?

 

  • Space has permeated into every aspect of life (communications, surveys, education, banking, traffic management, health care disaster management, etc.).

 

  • It has also become an essential domain in warfare (for communications, surveillance, navigation targeting, etc.).

 

  • The long-range vectors Including Hypersonic) and new-generation platforms are using the medium of space.

 

  • In such a scenario of high dependence on space-based systems, space warfare (i.e. denial of space operations to the enemy and freedom of own forces to use the medium of space) both offensive and defensive becomes very important.

 

  • India’s space program is progressing well, however, the space-based technologies and systems are developed first for civilian use and then for the military. This work needs to go on in parallel.

 

  • Private participation besides public R&D and industry is essential.

 

  • An appropriate organisation needs to be set up to harness space and deal with space warfare. Advanced Air Forces like The USAF have a space command. China has gone a step further by making a separate service (Joint Strategic Support Force) to deal with all four domains (Cyber, Space, Information, and Electronic).

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

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References and credits

To all the online sites and channels.

 

Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.