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The pilots and ground forces of the Indian Air Force will soon have real-time data and will be inter-connected across the country. Using a countrywide optic fibre cable network of its own, the IAF will connect all airbases and forward formations to provide an operational data link between network sensors, command posts and airbases.
Within two years, the link will be in place, said Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major while addressing a press conference at the Aero India show here today. In the first project, 165 nodes have been set up and these will be linked by July hence activating the voice and data link between these nodes that will in turn service major IAF installations.
He said the IAF would launch its own satellite by the middle of next year. On the forthcoming expansion of the force, Major said: “We are looking to narrow down inventories and this includes the several variations of aircrafts that are presently used for choppers and fighters. The variations have to be within manageable limits. At present the varied inventory is a challenge to manage.”
When asked about the level of fighting squadrons of the IAF having gone down to 34 from the sanctioned 39.5 squadrons, the IAF chief said this was part of the any air force that the fleet strength depletes when fresh inductions take place. We will have the desired level by 2017 and even more by 2020, however, the present strength does not mean that the combat edge has been lost.
In the view of the IAF chief, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for spying and intelligence gathering will increase in future. The UAVs are getting better and improving. The payloads are increasing and correspondingly the deployment will also increase. On the phasing out of the MiG 25, a very high altitude aircraft used for reconnaissance, better and more effective means are available now.
On being asked what has been India’s move following huge infrastructure built by the Chinese on their side, Major said: “We have deployment according to the threat perception as per our likely adversaries.”
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