LiveWire completion spells out success story of IAF
16 April 2013 1:16 AM GMT
Concluding two Indian Air Force (IAF) exercises, Iron Fist and Live Wire, the top brass of the forces have come to the conclusion that ‘perhaps the IAF is a little ahead (of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy) in terms of the network-centric warfare.’
The integration of various platforms like Ilyushin (IL)-76-based, Phalcon radar system enriched Airborne Warning and Advanced Control Systems (AWACS) aircrafts, the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS) and the AfNet secure voice, data and video communication system, have been completed. And they have now started performing in a seamless manner, connecting the dots of a battlefield awareness.
During Livewire, 27 varieties of aircrafts were flown – virtually the whole inventory of the IAF – including fighter-bombers, air transport, air to air refuellers, helicopters and also Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The exercise was designed for a two-front war, with the Western and Eastern Air Commands.
In the first phase of the operation, beginning on 18 March, 2000 tonnes of war materiel were transferred from the Western Command to the Eastern Command. All air bases in both the commands were activated, and in the north-eastern part of the country all advanced landing grounds (ALGs) were activated.
The total number of aircrafts involved was 400. But as the IAF proudly pointed out, none of these movements for the exercise was at the cost of the commercial aviation.
Despite the successful completion of the exercise, the IAF still maintains that for undertaking a two-front operation, it needs squadron strength of 42. Currently they have 35. For example, their air defence goals are ambitious. The IAF doctrine claims a dual role air defence system by which (1) it protects its assets; and, (2) also taking on offensive sorties.
This clearly requires a strong squadron strength and attendant assets. One statistic, however, is heartening, despite all this talk of resource crunch, high fiscal deficits; the IAF has notched up a total flying hours of over two lakh hours in the financial year ended 31 March.
Even more important is the decline in accident rate. In the last financial year, there have only been five accidents; three of which is due to technical errors and two due to human errors.
POWER BOOSTER
The integration of various platforms like Ilyushin (IL)-76-based, Phalcon radar system enriched Airborne Warning and Advanced Control Systems (AWACS) aircrafts, the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS) and the AfNet secure voice, data and video communication system, have been completed. And they have now started performing in a seamless manner, connecting the dots of a battlefield awareness.
During Livewire, 27 varieties of aircrafts were flown – virtually the whole inventory of the IAF – including fighter-bombers, air transport, air to air refuellers, helicopters and also Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The exercise was designed for a two-front war, with the Western and Eastern Air Commands.
In the first phase of the operation, beginning on 18 March, 2000 tonnes of war materiel were transferred from the Western Command to the Eastern Command. All air bases in both the commands were activated, and in the north-eastern part of the country all advanced landing grounds (ALGs) were activated.
The total number of aircrafts involved was 400. But as the IAF proudly pointed out, none of these movements for the exercise was at the cost of the commercial aviation.
Despite the successful completion of the exercise, the IAF still maintains that for undertaking a two-front operation, it needs squadron strength of 42. Currently they have 35. For example, their air defence goals are ambitious. The IAF doctrine claims a dual role air defence system by which (1) it protects its assets; and, (2) also taking on offensive sorties.
This clearly requires a strong squadron strength and attendant assets. One statistic, however, is heartening, despite all this talk of resource crunch, high fiscal deficits; the IAF has notched up a total flying hours of over two lakh hours in the financial year ended 31 March.
Even more important is the decline in accident rate. In the last financial year, there have only been five accidents; three of which is due to technical errors and two due to human errors.
POWER BOOSTER
- The integration of various platforms like Ilyushin (IL)-76-based, Phalcon radar system enriched Airborne Warning and Advanced Control Systemsair crafts, the Integrated Air Command and Control Systems and the AfNet secure voice, data and video communication system, have been completed. And they have now started performing in a seamless manner, connecting the dots of a battlefield awareness
- During Livewire, 27 varieties of aircrafts were flown – virtually the whole inventory of the IAF – including fighter-bombers, air transport, air to air refuellers, helicopters and also Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The exercise was designed for a two-front war, with the Western and Eastern Air Commands. In the first phase of the operation, beginning on 18 March, 2000 tonnes of war materiel were transferred from the Western Command to the Eastern Command
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