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
