IAF not a rag-tag air force: Air chief marshal PV Naik

The IAF today dismissed suggestions that its capabilities and strength were weaker than that of China and Pakistan, with Air Chief Marshal PV Naik saying "we are not a rag-tag air force".
    
Naik told reporters here that the IAF fighter squadron strength, though down to 32-33 at present, would increase beginning 2014 and attain maximum levels by 2022.

"Yeh chhota mota, chunnu munnu air force nahi hai. Jitna bhi strength hain abhi, kafi hai. Lekhin isse zyada badhni chaiye (This is not a rag-tag air force. The strength we have now is enough. But it should grow in the future)," the Air Force chief said on the sidelines of the Air Force Day parade at the airbase here.
    
He said the IAF's strength was going through the last downward curve and that it will only grow from here.
    
"Kyon ki, hamari capability plan hai. Uske mutabik, bahut cheezen aani chaiye. (Because, there is our capability plan. According to it, lots of platform and equipment will be coming)," he added.
    
He gave examples of Israeli 'Phalcon' Airborne Early Warning Systems, new radars, Aerostats and the 126 medium multirole combat aircraft for which test trials of six contending aircraft is in progress.

IAF has already got delivery of a Phalcon radar mounted on an IL-76 transport aircraft and has based it in Agra. It has also got a few Aerostats already and deployed them along the borders with Pakistan in the western sector.