Air to sea defence – India has many gaps to plug

It is not just the Indian Army that has chinks in its armour, but the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy are also grappling with acute shortage of weapons and platforms to defend the aerospace and maritime borders of the country respectively.

The IAF is the fourth largest air force in the world but for the last decade or so it is also struggling to complete its required strength of 42 fighter squadrons, projected in 1980’s. Presently its squadron strength is down to 33.5 and to maintain its conventional edge over the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), IAF cannot phase out its obsolete Soviet vintage MiG-21 fighter jets. 

Overcoming the delay in indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme and in the acquisition of 126 medium multi-role fighter jets, the IAF is hoping to get desired 42 squadrons by 2022.

LCA

According to senior officials, the other issue concerning the force is the lack of basic pilot trainers to train its pilots. Since 2009, its fleet of HPT-32 initial trainer aircraft remains grounded following a series of crashes and engine failures. This comes at a time when the force is already short of about 400 pilots.

The shortage of quality pilots will impact the air force adversely as it sets on an ambitious modernization plan. The Basic Trainer Aircraft are the first step in the training of a pilot in the air force. Now that the force does not have them, the rookie pilots directly move to their second step of training that is the Suryakirans and then MiG-21s or Hawks.

IAF has received flak from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for their flawed training schedule for pilots. But the force, which has an urgent requirement for these aircraft, is awaiting approval of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The deal for 75 Swedish Pilatus-7 trainer aircraft was expected to be through in 2011 and the delay is only adding to the woes of the force.

The third problem is the upgradation of its existing fleet of fighter jets. The fleet of ground attack fighter jets Jaguar, which will cross into the enemy territory during a war situation, is underpowered – meaning they “cannot take off with the full weapon complement and fuel tank”. But the proposal to procure new engines for the fighter jets is still gathering dust.

“With the induction of mid-air refuellers, the problem has been sorted to the extent that the aircraft take off with all weapons and get refueled while in the air. But being underpowered can be a limitation should the aircraft gets engaged in combat or need to escape,” sources said.

An IL-76 carrying out mid-air refuelling of Sukhoi fighter jet during Indo-French exercise Garuda

IAF is mandated for the air defence of vital installations in the country like the Bhakra Nangal Dam and nuclear power plants. However, it is presently equipped with three kinds of Russian-made air defence missile systems – S-125M Pechora, OSA-AK and Igla 1-M – reaching obsolescence and in need of replacement and upgradation. Of these Pechora - the most vital link in the air defence of the country as it will defend against the incoming enemy fighters – was inducted in 1974-1990 - and most of the systems have become defunct by now.

The IAF currently has 1,100 Igla shoulder-fired missiles, as against a sanctioned 1,200. Of the existing Igla missiles about 880 are on life extension. In comparison to this, Pakistan is about to start manufacturing third-generation shoulder-fired Anza MKIII missiles with technology from China.

Despite, the 26/11 attack, the maritime security of the country remains to be Achilles’ heel as the Indian Navy is facing acute shortage of submarines and helicopters.

The present strength of submarines in the Indian Navy is down to 15 and by 2015 it will have only 10 underwater platforms in the flotilla. On the contrary the biggest navy in Asia China is known to have 8-10 nuclear powered submarines and 50-60 diesel submarines. Now Beijing is actively helping Islamabad in augmenting its fleet and signed a contract for constructing six conventional submarines for Pakistan Navy in 2011.

Even as the Indian Navy has an advantage over Chinese navy in terms of experience in conducting operations as a true blue water navy, its next cause of concern is shortage of helicopters. The helicopter fleet of the navy comprises of Sea Kings and 1970s vintage Chetak-Cheetahs – all these helicopters have already crossed their life cycle of 20 years. The situation has been accentuated by the delay in the production of the naval variant of the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv. 

ALH Dhruv

The navy is planning to float world’s biggest tender for 75 multi-role helicopters, but seeing the pace of the acquisition in the country, the materializing of the contract might take a decade.

The Indian Navy is aspiring to become a three aircraft carrier force. But the existing Sea Harriers (only 11 are remaining after a spate of accident) operating from aircraft carrier INS Viraat have become old. The newly acquired MiG-29 Ks for Admiral Gorshkov are forced to do shore-based flying due to the delay in the delivery of Admiral Gorshkov. Also the delay in development of the naval variant of LCA is giving nightmares to the force, which will have its indigenous aircraft carrier launched by the end of this year.

 Sea Harrier taking off from INS Viraat

“We do not want to end up in a situation with an aircraft carrier sans the fighter jets,” officials said.