The Indian Air Force needs to induct 36 to 40 fighter aircraft annually to prevent its squadron strength from falling below 30 and gradually move towards the sanctioned strength of 42, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said on Saturday.
Addressing the media ahead of the 94th Air Force Day on October 8, Singh said the IAF could begin inducting 30 to 35 fighter jets a year if planned acquisitions and production schedules progress as expected.
He said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is targeting annual production of up to 24 LCA Mk1A aircraft. Even if the company produces 20 jets annually and the proposed Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) contract is finalised by the end of this year, the IAF could receive around 32 aircraft a year.
The MRFA programme envisages the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets, with around 12 aircraft expected to be delivered annually.
Singh said the proposed acquisition of 12 additional Su-30 aircraft could add another six jets a year to the induction rate, taking the annual figure to between 30 and 35, and potentially 40 aircraft if all the planned programmes progress.
“We are hoping that these things will happen and that we will be able to achieve the pace of growth we have set for ourselves,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Singh said the IAF would benefit from maintaining an inventory comprising three to four types of fighter aircraft, allowing different platforms to perform different roles.
The force is expected to have a mix of LCA Tejas Mk1A, the upcoming LCA Mk2, French Rafale fighters and the indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) in the coming years.
IAF working to boost BVR capability
Singh also highlighted efforts to strengthen the IAF's beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat capability through the indigenous Astra missile family and additional long-range missiles from foreign sources.
The Astra Mk1 is already in production, while the Mk2 is undergoing development and the Mk3 is at an early research and development stage. The IAF is also looking at acquiring additional batches of longer-range foreign missiles.
India has reportedly been considering Russian R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles and additional French Meteor missiles.
Singh said the Astra variants and foreign missiles would meet the IAF's immediate requirements, while development of the Mk2 and Mk3 was progressing.
The Astra Mk1 has a reported range of around 80-110 km, while the Mk2 is being developed for a range of about 200 km. The Astra Mk3, based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology, could eventually have a range of more than 350 km.
IAF chief says Pakistan's reported J-35 plans are a concern
Asked about reports that Pakistan was looking to acquire China's J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter, Singh said the development was a “cause for worry” but did not amount to an insurmountable challenge.
He said the effectiveness of a fighter aircraft depended not only on the platform itself but also on how it was integrated into a wider military system.
“Is it a no-go situation? I wouldn’t agree with that. We possess the necessary capabilities,” he said.
Singh also stressed the need to accelerate India's AMCA programme and said alternative options would need to be considered if there were delays. He confirmed that Russia had offered its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter to India, but said no decision had been taken on the proposal.
He said the IAF needed to consider acquiring a fifth-generation aircraft if its adversaries were moving in that direction.
The Air Chief also said the IAF was expanding its use of drones and loitering munitions but did not see a need to create a separate drone force.
Separately, Singh praised Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during an incident involving an Israel-bound flight, describing his response as an example of “great physical and mental resolve”.
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