Indian Air Force New Command: Bringing in specialisation

The establishment of a Weapon System Branch for IAF officers has been approved by the government. This will primarily be for force-specialised streams of surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, remotely piloted aircraft, and weapon system operators in twin and multi-crew aircraft. Air Chief Marshall also stated that the force is planning to start inducting female Agniveers next year. Infrastructure development for the same is underway, and the trade structure is being finalised. This year's IAF Day theme was ‘Atmanirbharta’, or indigenisation. Several made-in-India arsenal were featured on IAF Day, including the recently inducted Prachand Light Combat Helicopters, which entered service earlier this month. At the event, the mechanical transport team demonstrated vehicle dismantling and reassembly in a short period, followed by a performance by the air warrior drill team.

INDIAN AIR FORCE ARSENAL

The Air Force Day, on 8^th of October commemorates the official induction of the Indian Air Force as a supporting force of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom in 1932. Every year, the day is commemorated in the presence of the chief of the Indian Air Force and senior officers.

With the introduction of light combat aircraft Tejas, Arudhra, and Aslesha radar, Astra air-to-air missiles, Akash surface-to-air missile system, advanced light helicopters, integrated air command and control system, and integrated material management online system, the Indian Air Force has been at the forefront of indigenisation. During the fly-past, the recently inducted indigenously-built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) "Prachand" demonstrated its aerial prowess in a three-aircraft formation. The 5.8-tonne twin-engine LCH that is developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), is armed with air-to-air missiles, 20 mm turret guns, and rocket systems. It can destroy enemy tanks, bunkers, drones, and other assets in high-altitude regions. Aside from the LCH 'Prachand,' several other aircraft took part in the fly-past, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Sukhoi, Mig-29, Jaguar, Rafale, IL-76, C-130J, and Hawk. An ALH Mk IV chopper flew by at the parade in Rudra formation. The aerial display also included helicopters such as the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, Chinook, Apache, and Mi-17. The fly-past began with an AN-32 aircraft carrying the 'Aakash Ganga' team of paratroopers. Mi 17 V5 helicopters used a 'Bambi bucket' to fight fires, while Mi17 IV helicopters did the helo casting. The Bhim formation was performed by US-made Chinook helicopters, which are used to transport troops, artillery, and other equipment. Rafale, Jaguar, Tejas, and Mirage 2000 flew in a formation known as 'Sekhon.' This formation was named after the late Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, an IAF officer and recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. The Globe formation was made up of a C-17 heavy-lift plane and nine Hawk-132 jets trained by the Surya Kiran display team. There was also the Eklavya formation, which included a Mi-35 in the lead, two Apache and ALH Mk IV helicopters, and the "Big Boy" formation, which included an IL-76 and two AN-32 aircraft. There was also a Vajraang formation of C-130 J and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, as well as a Netra formation of airborne early warning and control aircraft and Sukhoi-30 and Mig 29 fighter jets.

THE NEW WEAPONS SYSTEM BRANCH

To better synergise the Indian Air Force's operational requirements, the Indian government has approved the formation of a new Weapon Systems branch, which will be responsible for all IAF weapon system operators and bring them under one roof. This is the first time that a new operational branch has been established in India since its independence. This will primarily be for the manning of four specialised streams, including surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, remotely piloted aircraft, and weapon system operators in twin and multi-crew aircraft. The establishment of this branch will result in savings of over Rs 3,400 crore due to lower spending on flying training. Bringing all weapon system operators under one roof fills a long-felt need in the IAF by ensuring a dedicated cadre. A specialised branch will make it easier to introduce more complex weapon systems. This separate branch will also include officers who specialise as intelligence analysts and conduct intelligence-gathering missions using unmanned aerial vehicles and space-based assets. Given the increasing role of UAVs and space assets in information gathering and advance warning, the IAF has long recognised the need to develop core competencies in a separate branch. 

The new development coincides with a consistent emphasis on improving 'jointness' among the three services, as no single branch of the military can now win wars on its own. Today's warfare is mostly multi-domain, necessitating a more adaptable and streamlined command and control centre. Drones and swarm drones, hypersonic weapons, and space-based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems have given warfighting a whole new dimension. The WSB is expected to aid the forces in establishing dominance across multiple domains in this regard. The new branch will be a major departure from India's current military operations system. While the army has long used drones for surveillance, the IAF has relied on airborne and precision strike missiles. The WSB will consolidate the requirements of various branches of the forces under one umbrella. This will improve the efficiency of India's defence and strategic systems. As duplication instances decrease, forces can circulate information better, leading to better defence outcomes. The new system is expected to fill a significant gap in defence preparedness as warfare's nature changes as a result of the rise of unmanned armed systems such as drones and missiles.

THEATRE COMMAND PLANS

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the chief of the Indian Air Force, voiced his opinion about the theatre command plans, a few days before the IAF day this year. He said that the service has some reservations about the proposed tri-service structures but that it does support the overall theaterisation model.

Currently, the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy each have their own command structure with overlapping responsibilities and roles. According to the plan, each theatre command will have Army, Navy, and Air Force units that will work as a single entity to address security challenges in a specific geographical territory under the command of an operational commander. This would promote collaboration among the three services and eliminate resource redundancy. The goal is to consolidate all 17 separate commands into four or five unified or theatre commands. It may also include two additional functional commands for training and logistics. The rationale is that this will aid in better planning and military response while also lowering costs. While the initial cost may be higher because all theatres must be equipped with sufficient systems, it will be more cost-effective in the long run because all acquisitions will be unified. A strategy for establishing an Air Defence Command and a Maritime Theatre Command was developed. The appointment of General Anil Chauhan as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is expected to accelerate progress toward the theaterisation of the armed forces. Theaterisation was a primary focus area for the first CDS General Bipin Rawat, who died in a helicopter crash in December 2021.

There is a widespread belief that the IAF is opposed to the theaterisation plan. For over a year, the IAF has expressed these concerns. According to some of the officials, the Air Force is concerned about being treated as an afterthought rather than a partner in wartime. The Air Force is also concerned about the division of its air assets, command nomenclature, the leadership of theatre commands, and the dilution of chiefs' powers. However, the IAF also recognises the importance of joint planning and execution in future wars and is seemingly interested to integrate the efforts of the three services.

The chosen integration model must be future-ready, reduce levels of decision-making, and capitalise on the strengths of all three services. Historically, wars were fought on land, at sea, and in the air. Today, newer domains such as cyber and space are increasingly influencing operations, even in traditional domains. Overall, an organisational structure that is best suited to Indian conditions and our geopolitical imperatives will be required to face any kind of security concerns.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari stated in his address that the induction of Air Warriors into the IAF through the Agnipath scheme is a challenge. Still, more importantly, it is an opportunity to harness the potential of India's youth and channel it towards the nation's service. "We have changed our operational training methodology to ensure that each Agniveer has the necessary skills and knowledge to begin a career in the Air Force. We will induct 3,000 Agniveer Vayu for their initial training in December this year. This figure will only rise in the coming years to ensure adequate staffing," he said. He also stated that the IAF intends to induct Women Agniveers beginning next year and the infrastructure for the same is being built and the trade structure is being finalised.

According to the IAF chief, there is also a need to plan for integrated and joint application of combat power. He emphasized on having flexible, robust Command and Control Structures that would allow a joint force to dominate across domains is the key to success in multi-domain operations. This is very prudent as we witness the modern strategy and warfare in the current geopolitical scenario. A single service cannot win a war by itself and there has to be improvement in collaboration.

FUTURE

The theme for this year's anniversary celebrations, 'IAF: Transforming for the Future,' was very appropriate and emphasises the Indian Air Force's need to redefine, reimagine, and recalibrate in order to transform into a modern and future-ready force.

Space and cyberspace have joined the traditional land, sea, and air domains. In hybrid warfare, we increasingly see the convergence of all of these domains into a single continuum. The use of non-kinetic and non-lethal warfare to supplement kinetic means has altered how wars are fought. India is always under threat from its neighbours, China and Pakistan and due to its diversity in geographic locations, India has to start executing revamped strategies and warfare. India is also one of the most vulnerable countries when it comes to cyberattacks, and the concept of cyber warfare has to be implemented in the existing strategies of security plans.

As a result, conventional systems and weapons will need to be supplemented with modern, adaptable, and flexible technology. Technology has given us the ability to be creative. We must accept that tomorrow's conflicts cannot be fought with yesterday's mindset. The ability to execute all missions in a denial environment will increasingly form the foundation of our Air Force training.

REFERENCES-

1.         Air Force Day: All IAF systems under one roof, Govt clears dedicated branch. (2022, October 8). The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/new-weapon-systems-branch-approved-for-iaf-air-chief-marshal-v-r-chaudhari-8197068/

2.        IAF backs theaterisation, has reservations: Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari. (2022, October 5). Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/iaf-backs-theaterisation-has-reservations-air-chief-marshal-chaudhari-101664908647577.html

3.        IAF’s doctrinal aspects should not be compromised by new structures: Chief Air Staff on theaterisation model. (2022, October 4). The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/iafs-doctrinal-aspects-should-not-be-compromised-by-new-structures-chief-air-staff-on-theaterisation-model/articleshow/94645158.cms?from=mdr

4.       Indian Air Force Day 2022: Major announcements made during 90th anniversary celebrations. (n.d.). WION, from https://www.wionews.com/photos/indian-air-force-day-2022-major-announcements-made-during-90th-anniversary-celebrations-523532

5.        Indian Air Force Not Opposed To Theaterisation, Wants To Ensure Its Doctrine Isn’t Compromised: IAF Chief. (2022, October 4). Https://Www.Outlookindia.Com/. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/indian-air-force-not-opposed-to-theaterisation-wants-to-ensure-its-doctrine-is-not-compromised-iaf-chief-news-227632

6.       India’s new Weapons Systems Branch: Key facts & figures and what’s special about it. (2022, October 10). The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indias-new-weapons-systems-branch-key-facts-figures-and-whats-special-about-it/articleshow/94764450.cms?from=mdr

7.        On Air Force Day, A New Announcement With “Atmanirbharta” In Focus. (n.d.). NDTV.Com., from https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/air-force-day-2022-new-weapon-system-branch-of-iaf-announced-focus-on-atmanirbharta-3412954

8.       Philip, S. A. (2021, July 6). What are military theatre commands and why does India want to switch to them. ThePrint. https://theprint.in/defence/what-are-military-theatre-commands-and-why-does-india-want-to-switch-to-them/690487/

9.       Theatre Command structure should not in any way compromise the IAF’s doctrine: IAF Chief. (n.d.). The New Indian Express, from https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/oct/04/theatre-command-structure-should-not-in-any-way-compromise-the-iafs-doctrine-iaf-chief-2504936.html

Pic Courtsey-John Torcasio at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are thsoe fo teh author and do nto represent views of CESCUBE.)