IAF's Deesa project hits air pocket

[RPK]

IAF's Deesa project hits air pocket - The Times of India

GANDHINAGAR: The Indian Air Force (IAF) had conceptualized a Rs 3,000-crore project at Deesa in Banaskantha district over a year ago. The innocuous-looking plan for a flying academy spread over 60-acres at Deesa is actually key to IAF's building its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities in the South Western Air Command (SWAC), which was moved to Gandhinagar in 1998 from Jodhpur. A hostile neighbourhood has given SWAC, an important operational command with jurisdiction over Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, an onerous responsibility to discharge.

With this in view, the IAF planned to acquire more land next to its plot in Deesa once its proposal for the flying academy got the go ahead from the Cabinet Committee on Security. This is because the flying academy was a part of a bigger picture. Deesa would also have been a base for the IAF's fighters, unmanned combat air vehicles and unmanned air vehicles. When the IAF made public its plan a while ago, it was confident of getting the go ahead. However, the scheme seems to have hit an air pocket.

This delay can affect the IAF's air power in the region to launch counter air campaign (offensive counter air and air defence), counter surface force campaign and strategic air campaign in a future war with the enemy. In other words, it is holding back IAF from building its A2/AD capabilities. A2/AD means controlling the area of your operations be it air, sea and space and restricting the movement of the adversary in the domain of your influence. This without saying means joint operation with other wings of the armed forces too.

The IAF had zeroed in on Deesa for more than one reason. First the distance between Deesa and the target areas and the offensive bases is not much and the proposed base has easy access to supply sources, thanks to its good connectivity with the National Highway. Deesa would have filled the gap that the SWAC felt it needs to do soon. The fighter bases in Jamnagar, Bhuj and Naliya are tasked to perform offensive counter air and air defence roles. A full-fledged Deesa air force station would have helped the IAF make its counter air campaign, counter surface force campaign and strategic air campaign effective. This is because there is a huge distance between Barmer Air Force Station in Rajasthan and air force stations in Gujarat. This SWAC fears could have a bearing on its operational efficiency in a future war, sources said. Otherwise too, more air bases only gives you increased flexibility in operations, they said. The delay in giving approval to the IAF to set up a base in North Gujarat thus is affecting its strategy in an important sector. The fact that our neighbour is importing sophisticated weaponry and hi-tech fighters from a super power in Asia, which is also an A2/AD capable country cannot be ignored. Thus to say there is a need to speed up IAF's Deesa project would not be an overstatement.

 

[Sergi]

Good planning by IAF but rest is BS article.
Nothing is holding back IAF if need arises. We have more than enough airbases in said area.
Plus our mid air refuelling give our planes desired tine and range.

 

[Manindra]

Good planning by IAF but rest is BS article.
Nothing is holding back IAF if need arises. We have more than enough airbases in said area.
Plus our mid air refuelling give our planes desired tine and range.

Agree with you