IAF Ready For Two-Front War Says Air Chief But Cabinet must provide more Combat aircrafts
IAF chief RK Bhadauria like any Chief worth his salt says India is ready for any possible conflict including two-front war
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria said that the Indian Air Force was ready for any possible conflict including a two-front war. In public he will surely say this and IAF warriors will uphold his saying to their last breath. His comments come at a time when situation on the LAC in Ladhak between India and China have been tense since May due to the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control.
“The emerging threat scenario in our neighbourhood and beyond mandates need to have a robust capability to fight across the entire spectrum of warfare,” Bhadauria said during a press briefing ahead of the National Air Force Day on October 8. “I can share with you with confidence that operationally, we are amongst the best.”
He said the force was “very well positioned” when asked whether they were ready to deal with any challenge from China in Ladakh. “Be rest assured that we are deployed strongly to deal with any contingency,” Bhadauria said. “Our position as a credible combat-ready force is vital, given the role Air Force will play towards ensuring victory in any future conflict. We have made deployment in all relevant areas; Ladakh is a small part.”
The IAF chief said the integration of Rafale fighter jets has given India an edge over others. “Integration of Rafales brings in a platform which is way ahead and would give us an edge and capability to strike first and deep,” he added. The IAF currently has a fleet of five Rafale fighters. India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016.
Military commanders at Corps level of both India and China have engaged in several rounds of talks over the last three months after 20 Indian and around 40 Chinese soldiers were killed in violent clashes in Galwan Valley in June. But these talks have so far failed to break the impasse.
On September 22, both the countries had issued a joint statement about the sixth round of Corps Commander-level talks and said they resolved to stop sending more troops to the frontline. The statement added that both sides will refrain from unilaterally changing situation on the Line of Actual Control. The seventh round of Corps Commander talks to work out measures for disengagement and de-escalation is scheduled for October 12.
So the IAF will fight. However the Cabinet Committee Security needs to ensure that Air Chief gets the right tools and in sufficient numbers to be able to fight the two front WAR without resorting to the famous Indian JUGAD system and without worries.
Presently we have just 38 combat squadrons( 15x SU30 MKI, 3x Mirage 2000, 3x Mig 29, 6x Jaguar, 6x Mig21 Bisons, 1x Tejas, 4x Mig21 ) with another two forming up ( 1x Tejas and 1x Rafale ). By 2025, 4x squadrons of Mig 21 Bisons will have retired.
Therefore all steps must be taken to ensure timely induction of the following by 2025 :
1x MiG29 Sqn……already in pipeline from Russia
6x Rafale Squadron ( one in pipeline but orders for four more must be placed now)
4x Tejas Mk1A …..already in pipeline But needs full steam production
Our venerable Bisons perforce may have to pull weight for some more time till by 2030 the following get added :
3x Tejas Mk1A
6x Tejas MK2 …..it can be done if Modi ji, Shri Rajnath Singh, CDS, CAS and HAL act in a coordinated manner
1x AMCA sqn
3x SU 57 MKI
So when 2031 starts, IAF has 54 squadrons, the minimum required to fight a 2 front WAR without JUGAD.
