The IAF’s fighter planes have been steadily decreasing and by next year it is likely to have the lowest number of aircraft it has had in several decades.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force’s fighter planes have been steadily decreasing and by next year it is likely to have the lowest number of aircraft it has had in several decades.
Observers and sources in the IAF describe this as a worrying fact. Especially with the IAF admitting that it will take up to 15 years to return to normal required capacity.
Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Concepts and Doctrines) Air Vice Marshal S Mukherji said the number of would be “bottoming up at around 29 squadrons” by next year. Many experts and Air Force sources differ with the official line saying that the number could be much lower - about 26 - the lowest since 1965.
The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 39.5 fighter squadrons. At present it has about 32 to 35 fighter squadrons. The projected strength is about 45 squadrons. The slow climb up will begin in 2008. Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy had recently told DNA that the strength of fighter squadrons “has been depleting for quite some time. The 126 fighters (which IAF plans to buy) were projected in 2001 and approved by the government, but today the requirement is much more. When I retired the strength was already down by two or three squadrons. Now it would be more. The depletion is steady.”
Over a 100 MIG-21s of Type 77 will retire over the next year. Other planes leaving service include the MIG-25s and MIG-23s.
To meet the drastic fall in fighter strength, the IAF has asked the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to speed up licensed production of Russian fighters Sukhoi-30 MKI. From the present plan of supplying 140 Sukhois in 15 years, HAL has now been asked to complete the order in 11 years. Mukherji said HAL may possibly have to increase capacity by opening another assembly line or increasing man-hours.
But even the most optimistic projection sees the force regaining a reasonable strength of 35 squadrons only by 2017. That too only if HAL manages to speed up the production of the Sukhoi-30 MKI and the IAF’s future purchases goes as planned.
Meanwhile, there are clear indications that the proposal to buy 126 multi-role medium combat aircraft is going to be delayed because of a strategic decision to wait and see how the nuclear deal progresses through the US Congress. If the deal goes through, India may gift the contract to the US, sources say.
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