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The Indian Air Force [IAF] chief is warning that the nation needs to
expand and upgrade its aging warplane fleet. Soviet-era jetfighters,
which were built decades ago, comprise at least 41 percent of the planes
in the IAF’s fleets and they are long overdue for retirement, according
to Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha.
“We have quite a few fleets which are on their last legs,” Raha told a
news conference in New Delhi on October 4.
He was answering questions about whether he worried about the IAF’s
fighting capability in light of the slow pace of new aircraft
procurement programs and amid growing military competition from regional
rivals China and Pakistan.
“There is a delay in each and every project. … We have lost timelines.
Overruns are much more than they should have been. It is definitely a
matter of concern,” he said.
The IAF jetfighter fleet has 640 planes, of which 260 are Russian-made
MiG-21s and MiG-27s, which were built during the Cold War.
These relics belong to a tier of planes slated to be phased out
progressively by the year 2022. The next tier up includes a fleet of
MiG-27s, along with European-made Mirage 2000s and Jaguars. The topmost
tier consists of the Russian-made Sukhoi-30 MKI.
The Air Force has 34 fighter jet squadrons, which consist of 16 to 18
planes each. But the IAF needs to add at least 11 more squadrons to wage
potential wars on two fronts.
“IAF is obviously worried about its fast-depleting air combat power when
both China and Pakistan continue to flex their muscles along the
borders,” The Times of India reported.
Procurement programs for replacing aging jets with new ones are running
years behind schedule. As a result, the old MiG-21s and MiG-27s have yet
to be replaced.
Meanwhile, the IAF’s other programs for refurbishing and extending the
lifespans of 210 of its middle-aged jetfighters are under way but lagging.
These include a $964 million [USD] program to refurbish 62 MiG-29s. They
each are being outfitted with the Zhuk-M2E radar system made by
Phazotron-NIIR, an infrared search-and-track system [IRST],
multi-functional full-color LCDs in the cockpit, enhanced fuel capacity
and an in-flight refueling system.
The Air Force also is upgrading its fleet of 120 Jaguar jetfighters to
display attack ranging inertial navigation III [DARIN-III] standards.
These planes will feature advanced missile systems, new engines and
head-up displays in all-glass cockpits.
Three-part acquisition plan faces delays
There are three prongs to the IAF’s programs for acquiring new planes: a
joint Indo-Russian production plan for fifth-generation fighter aircraft
[FGFA]; a long-awaited deal to purchase 126 medium multi-role combat
aircraft [MMRCA] from Dassault Aviation, the French aerospace firm; and
India’s home-designed Light Combat Aircraft [LCA], which has yet to
receive operational clearance after 30 years under development.
The three components are part of a 15-year [2012-2027] Indian Ministry
of Defense equipment acquisition strategy known as the Long-Term
Integrated Perspective Plan [LTIPP].
It is crucial that India adds new planes to the IAF fleets through the
MMRCA and LCA programs to prevent a reduction in its Air Force as old
jets fall out of service, Raha said, noting that the FGFA would take
some time before taking off.
This joint Indo-Russian venture is expected to define the IAF’s future.
The program’s first prototype, modeled on the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA, is
scheduled for delivery to the IAF for flight tests in 2017.
The Indian government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited [HAL] will
design and develop the prototype jet along with Sukhoi Design Bureau,
the Russian aircraft manufacturer.
However, New Delhi and Moscow are ironing out wrinkles before they can
sign a joint “full design” research and development deal valued at $11
billion [USD].
A core part of the FGFA is 140 new jetfighters, a package that will cost
about $35 billion [USD]. The IAF hopes to put them into service from
2022 on. These planes will function as a “swing fleet,” which can deploy
rapidly between the two potential Chinese and Pakistani warfronts.
“The FGFA will fructify but may not be in a time line determined
earlier,” Raha said, adding that the Indians and Russians were trying to
solve issues dealing with sharing labor and technology.
The MMRCA, the second prong in the 15-year plan, also is being held up
because the Ministry of Defense has yet to accept Dassault’s proposal
for the Rafale jet. Under the contract, the first 18 Rafales are to be
imported while the remainder will be manufactured under license by HAL.
But more than 32 months later, the deal has yet to be approved.
“The MMRCA is part of the LTIPP to prevent the drawdown of fleet due to
phasing of legacy planes like MiG-21. Sooner or later, this contract
will be wrapped up. It will take three to four years for the first
squadron of MMRCA to arrive and another seven to eight years for the
balance of the aircraft,” Raha said.
As for the LCA – the third and final prong – it is in its final stages
for operational clearance. However, its December 2014 deadline may be
pushed back by a few months.
HAL has built the jet, which is powered by engines made by General
Electric [GE]. A mark-II version, equipped with GE 414 engines, is under
development.
More squadrons needed
While waiting for delivery of the MMRCA and the LCA, the Indian Air
Force will have to keep flying its MiG fleets for longer periods.
Some analysts are suggesting that the planned 45-squadron fleet is
insufficient.
The currently planned 45 squadron force should be expanded to 53-63
fighter squadrons, the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses, a
government-backed think-tank, wrote in an issue brief titled “IAF
Equipment and Force Structure Requirements to Meet External Threats, 2032.”
“If the numbers of FGFA are increased, then 53 squadrons may suffice,”
says Vivek Kapoor, the brief’s author.
Source : Indian Air Force chief: Many jet fighters on last legs | idrw.org
