Rising geo-political uncertainty has led to Indian Air Force’s transformation: IAF Chief Bhadauria

India News Network | June 20
New Delhi:
Owing to the unprecedented and rapidly evolving security challenges and rising geo-political uncertainty in our neighborhood, the Indian Air Force is undergoing a monumental transformation, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has said.
“IAF is undergoing a monumental transformation. Rapid infusion of niche technology and combat power in every facet of our operations has never been as intense as it is now,” Bhadauria said while addressing the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy in Hyderabad on Saturday.
“This is primarily because of the unprecedented and rapidly evolving security challenges that we face, coupled with a rising geo-political uncertainty in our neighborhood and beyond,” he reasoned.
Stating that the last few decades have clearly established the critical role of Air Power in achieving victory in any conflict, the Chief of Air Staff stated that it is in this backdrop that IAF’s on-going capability enhancement assumes tremendous significance.
Addressing the Graduating officers, he called all of them as very fortunate to be joining the Air Force at this juncture.
“The pilots will get to fly fighters carrying an array of potent standoff precision weapons and connected in networks,” Bhadauria said.
“The transport and helicopter fleets are equipped with C-17, C-130, ALH, Chinook and Apache aircraft which are state of the art and capable of contributing equally effectively in war or HADR situations,” he added.
“Engineers will need to master e-MMS, which is one of the largest networked aircraft maintenance management systems in the world that we have established across diverse type of aircraft,” the Chief of Air Staff said.
Controllers will have to adapt to vectoring fighters in large formations using digitised and networked IACCS systems in the MAFI environment, he maintained.
Logisticians will use automation to drive procurement and resupply through totally automated and computerised networks on inventory management, Bhadauria said.
“All of you will be tied together with a completely paperless e-governance suite to enhance the efficiency of basic administration across the entire Air Force,” he mentioned.
The Chief of Air Staff also recounted the IAF’s contribution in helping the country fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“While maintaining operational readiness, IAF has also been proactively assisting in the national fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Proactive vaccination and strict COVID discipline within IAF enabled us to undertake all COVID tasks on a war-footing,” he said.
“IAF’s heavy lift capability was put into action for airlift of crucial COVID related equipment,” Bhadauria said.
He recalled that IAF’s transport fleet flew more than 3800 hours within two months in a huge effort across the globe and domestically to transport critical oxygen Tankers, and all related medical equipment and supplies.

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