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Tag: RKS Bhadauria

  • Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari to be new Chief of Indian Air Force

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari will take charge as the chief of the Indian Air Force after the incumbent, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, retires on September 30, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

    Air Marshal Chaudhari is presently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

    “The government has decided to appoint Air Marshal V R Chaudhari, presently Vice Chief of Air Staff, as the next Chief of the Air Staff after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on September 30,” the ministry said in a brief statement.

    He has held command, staff and instructional appointments at various levels and took over as Vice Chief of Air Staff on July 1.

    Before becoming Vice Chief of the IAF, he was serving as commander-in-chief of the Western Air Command (WAC) that looks after the security of Indian air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as various other parts of north India.

    An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 29, 1982.

    In a distinguished career spanning nearly 38 years, the officer has flown a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft in the inventory of IAF.

    He has a flying experience of more than 3,800 hours, including operational flying on MiG-21, MiG-23 MF, MiG 29 and Su-30 MKI fighter jets.

    He was the commanding officer of a frontline fighter squadron and has also commanded a frontline fighter base.

    Apart from various operational issues, Air Marshal Chaudhari will have to also address matters related to the ambitious theaterisation model of the armed forces.

    The theatre commands are being planned to integrate the capabilities of the three services and to ensure optimal utilisation of their resources.

    The theatre commands are being set up under a larger mandate of ensuring synergy among the three service chiefs to deal with future security challenges.

    Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat has been focusing on bringing convergence among the three services and restructuring military commands to effectively deal with future security challenges.

    There has been a growing perception that the Indian Air Force has some reservations about the theaterisation programme.

    Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari (Photo | PTI)

  • Looking at procuring 350 aircraft over next two decades: IAF chief

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft in the next two decades, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Wednesday.

    In an address at a conference on the Indian aerospace sector, the Chief of Air Staff also talked about the need for developing asymmetric capabilities to bolster the IAF’s overall strength in view of challenges from China.

    “Looking at the northern neighbour, we have to have niche technologies which must be built in-house by our own industry for reasons of security,” the IAF chief said.

    Emphasising that India becoming self-reliant in the defence sector is crucial for dealing with various challenge, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the IAF is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft from within the country in the next two decades.

    At the same time, he noted that it is a rough projection.

    The IAF chief also said the Tejas light combat aircraft project has instilled confidence in the aerospace industry in India and that it has huge potential to grow further.

  • Bengaluru: IAF Chief flies sortie in LCA Tejas fighter jet during HAL visit

    By PTI

    BENGALURU: Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria flew in an initial operational clearance (IOC) standard Light Combat Aircraft Tejas during his visit to the city, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

    The Chief of Air Staff (CAS) visited IAF units and flight test establishments and facilities of DRDO and HAL at Bengaluru on August 23 and 24, an official release said.

    “During his visit to Bengaluru, CAS flew in an IOC LCA Tejas,” it said.

    The IAF also tweeted the pictures and said Bhadauria flew a sortie in a Tejas MK1 aircraft.

    During his visit to Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), he was given an overview of ongoing projects and briefed on progress of operational trials.

    During his interaction with personnel, he spoke of the unique and challenging role of ASTE, noted its laudable achievements and re emphasised the need for staying ahead of the curve in order to leverage its expertise in delivering the requirements of IAF Operational units.

    The CAS also visited Software Development Institute (SDI), the unit tasked for undertaking development of avionics software.

    During the visit, he noted that the sustained focus on critical projects by the Institute had contributed significantly in increasing the operational and functional capability of IAF.

    He outlined his vision for SDI to move towards software indigenisation for integration of various weapons on IAF aircraft and achieving self-reliance in enhancing combat potential, it added.

    As part of the visit, CAS met and interacted with the test crew and engineers of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

    CAS underscored the crucial role of both the establishments in furthering the shared goal of building an indigenous aviation industry capability of meeting our future requirements, the release said.

  • Airpower will remain crucial to deal with any future security challenge: Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The dominance and control of the airspace will remain crucial to deal with future security challenges and any decision on boosting India’s military capabilities must be driven by its requirement and not on the basis of what has been done across the world, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Tuesday, in an oblique reference to the ambitious theaterisation plan.

    At the same time, the Chief of Air Staff exuded confidence of finding a “right solution” on ensuring synergy among the three services, noting that time has come to look at the future.

    “We must recognise that in the decades to come, the vertical remains the most important domain,” he said at a leading think tank, adding “dominance” and “control” of the air will continue to be critical.

    “Unless you can sustain your domain and dominate the air, you cannot have a successful campaign and that being the ground reality and that being the fundamental requirement of any successful campaign,” the IAF Chief said, without specifically referring to theaterisation plan.

    Chief of Defence Staff Gen MM Naravane has been working on the theaterisation model under which at least six new integrated commands are being envisaged.

    “It is time that we have to look at the future. We should not look at what has been done across the world in the past or is being done. We know our areas and we know which direction we are going through. We need to decide what we want to do,” Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said.

    He further added: “Our structures, organisational changes, our integration plans; that are in place, we need to look at all options which will give us the best synergy in terms of putting all these together.”

    Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also suggested that work has been underway for ensuring integration among the three services.

    “It is important that in our areas, how we organise ourselves and how we plan to integrate. This remains very clearly in the back of our mind and we come to structures that can not only synergise but we are able to shorten the decision routes and maintain the structures where you can most flexibly employ forces from each service and each kind of combat equipment,” he said.

    As per the plan, each of the theatre commands will have units of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and all of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander.

    At present, the Army, Navy and the Air Force have separate commands.

    Initially, a plan has been firmed up for the creation of Air Defence Command and Maritime Theatre Command.

    At a seminar last month, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, while referring to the proposed integrated theatre commands, described the Air Force as a “support arm” but Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria disagreed with him, saying airpower has a huge role to play.

    There has been a perception that the IAF is not very keen on the theaterisation plan.

    The theatre commands are being set up under a larger mandate of ensuring synergy among the three service chiefs to deal with future security challenges.

    Gen Rawat took over as India’s first CDS on January 1, 2020, with a mandate to bring in convergence among the three services and restructure military commands to effectively deal with future security challenges.

    In his address at the think-tank, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also said that India’s airpower capabilities in terms of hitting targets with precision, defending assets and use of new technologies have gone up significantly after the Balakot airstrikes and rapid developments in eastern Ladakh following the Galwan Valley clashes.

    The IAF Chief said India now has an “edge” in its ability on both the Western and Northern fronts to “react fast, respond fast and hit fast”, noting that induction of Rafale jets has helped in bringing the “next level” of operational transformation.

    About the drone strike on the Jammu airbase, he said the IAF is taking a series of initiatives including procuring next-generation jammers to deal with such challenges and added that the attack would not have been possible if it was attempted two-three months later.

    Referring to the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in May, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said that Israel’s use of airpower in carrying out operations with surgical precision to achieve its objectives in Gaza against the militant group while ensuring minimum collateral damage was a reflection of the ability of the air assets.

    Explaining the role of airpower, the IAF Chief also talked about the general perception to look at only its offensive role and the general tendency to say “no-no” for its use in certain situations, saying the paradigms and scenarios have shifted and there is a need to keep this in mind.

    “The ability of airpower which was largely seen as an offensive, as a no-no in some situations particularly in the subcontinent…the paradigms have shifted, the scenarios have shifted and we need to keep this in mind as we go ahead,” he said.

  • IAF chief meets his UAE counterpart, discusses measures to strengthen ties between two forces

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria met his UAE counterpart Ibrahim Nasser M Al Alawi and held wide-ranging talks to identify avenues and measures for further strengthening the robust relationship between the two forces, according to an official statement on Monday.

    Air Chief Marshal Bhadauri’s visit to the UAE comes nearly eight months after Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane travelled to that country.

    In December last year, Gen Naravane paid a six-day visit to the UAE and Saudi Arabia in a first-ever trip by a head of the Indian Army to the two important Gulf countries.

    “Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), called on Major General Ibrahim Nasser M Al Alawi, Commander, UAE Air Force and Air Defence (UAE AF & AD), on August 1, 2021,” the IAF tweeted.

    “They noted the rapid progress made in bilateral engagements and had wide-ranging talks to identify avenues and measures for further strengthening the robust relationship between the two Air Forces. CAS also visited major UAE AF&AD units during the two-day goodwill visit,” it added.

    CAS’ VISIT TO UAEAir Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff called on Major General Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi Cdr UAE Air Force and Air Defence (UAE AF & AD) on 01 Aug 21. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/B3BUbfAyuo
    — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 2, 2021

    The IAF had said on Saturday that it and the UAE’s Air Force have had significant professional interactions in the past few years and this visit by the IAF chief will further strengthen the defence cooperation and air force-level exchanges, as part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

    In the last few years, India’s ties with the UAE have witnessed a major upswing.

    The UAE Air Force had provided mid-air refuelling to a number of Rafale fighter jets on their journey from France to India.

    India is procuring 36 Rafale jets from France out of which 24 have already been delivered.

  • Military reform process demands cohesion

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Difference of opinion on the biggest military reform in the country turned into a public spat on Friday, when Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria were caught in a debate over the role of the Air Force. Experts this newspaper spoke to felt airing differences in public has created an unhealthy situation. They think it also means not enough consultation has taken place.

    Longtime advocate of higher defence management reforms, Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) said: “Other nations attempting national security reform faced similar situations opposition to change and infighting over air power issues. However, they were forced by their governments to sit down and resolve differences.” The world’s most powerful US military took four years before a bill in the parliament was forced upon the military commanders. Even the UK faced similar problems, with services on divergent paths having tussles, arguments and counter arguments.

    There had been two prominent instances when the Indian armed forces were seen lacking cohesiveness. When the Indian Peace Keeping Force was formed, a joint command was tried and it did not succeed, leading to confusion, said an expert who did not wish to be named. In Kargil also, a similar scenario appeared, added the source. Resolution of these matters took time. Without going into details of the CDS-Air Chief spat, Admiral Prakash said: “It is too important an issue to rush through with half-baked solutions. They have to find consensus even if it takes time.”

    Major Gen SB Asthana (Retd), Defence Expert, said in the US, lawmakers played an important role by initiating a highly educated debate to change the structure. “India may have to wait before such erudite debates take place on complex matters.” Sources said since the beginning, IAF has been flagging the issue of dilution of the powers of the Chief of Air Staff. Today, India is facing two threats it is in a standoff with the largest military in the world, while the other adversary is devising new ways to disturb peace through drones/terror attacks.

    Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd) says discussions are for solutions. “Air power, within a hundred years of the first manned heavier-than-air flight, has graduated to pole position in war execution. With it’s virtual presence far from where it is positioned, air power can coerce and dissuade adversaries. In India’s case, the situation is similar and the IAF would carry the war deep into adversary territory. It is imperative that the government ensures the IAF’s bite does not get blunted due lack of resources. The IAF would be a major player in the joint application of power in any future conflict.”

    Modern war is swift and will need a joint approach. The present system of the 17 commands of the Army, Air Force and Navy spread out geographically may not work. With the aim of restructuring, the present government went in for the biggest post-Independence military reform. General Rawat was made CDS in January, 2020. The brief for him was “Facilitation of restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands.”

    Theatre commands are to strengthen cohesion, pool in resources, cut duplication and redundancies. Seamless integration among the land, sea and air forces is expected to lead to better coordination and response. Also, this reform will clear the chain of command for better response in case of any exigency. Three services, under the new arrangement, will plan, train and practice joint warfare. The command of all the resources under one theatre will lie with one Commander, cutting time lag.

    India, as explained by the CDS, is planning to have five theatre Commands — Air Defence Theatre, Maritime Theatre, Eastern Theatre (China will be under it), Western Theatre (Pakistan) and Northern Theatre (Line of Control and Line of Actual Control together with counter-terror operations). Across the world, most militarily powerful nations have theaterised their armed forces. These include the US, UK, France, Russia and China. Even Pakistan is moving to reconfigure into this format. 

  • Public spat as CDS calls Air Force a support arm, Air Chief says it is not

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Differences over the proposed integrated command system of defence forces came out in public view on Friday when Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat termed the Air Force just a supporting arm, while Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria said “it is not”. 

    Speaking at a defence summit on Friday, Gen Rawat said the “Air force is required to provide support to the ground forces. Do not forget, Air Force continues to remain a supporting arm to the armed forces just as the Artillery or Engineers support the Combatant Arms in the Army…. They have an adequate charter of supporting the ground forces in times of war,” the CDS added.

    Later, speaking at the same event, the Air Chief said, “Air power has a huge role to play in any of the integrated battle areas and it is not an issue of support alone.”Calling the formation of the theatre commands much more complex the Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said, “Air force is for the formation of theatre commands. But the issues we have raised is about how we should do it. It is the most important reform that has an impact on warfighting.”

    When asked about the charter of the Indian Air Force, Bhadauria said, “Every service has its own doctrine, the best knowledge of how to employ the capabilities and capacities to get the best results.”The 1.4 million Indian Armed Forces, Army, Navy and Air Force function to secure and defend the nation under 17 functional commands.

    The  formation of the Chief of Defence Staff in December 2019 was to integrate and synergise the armed forces to prepare them to meet the requirements of modern warfare. Theaterisation is one of the charters of the CDS. There are plans are to integrate the forces into five theatre commands – Air Defence, Maritime Theatre, Eastern Theatre, Western Theatre and Northern Theatre. 

  • Air power has huge role to play in any integrated battle roles: IAF Chief 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Air power has a huge role to play in any of the integrated battle roles, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Friday, asserting the Indian Air Force was “fully committed” to the theaterisation of the armed forces.

    Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria’s comments on air power came soon after Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat talked about the IAF’s air defence charter as well as its role as a supporting arm to the ground forces just as the artillery or engineers support the combatants within the Army.

    Referring to the situation in eastern Ladakh, the Chief of Air Staff said China has bolstered its infrastructure in the past few months though the two sides have carried out a disengagement process in Pangong Tso areas.

    Gen Rawat’s comments about the supporting role of the Air Force came at a conference when asked about the growing perception that the Indian Air Force was not keen on setting up the proposed theatre commands integrating the capabilities of the three forces.

    Elaborating on the IAF’s role, the Chief of Defence Staff talked about its air defence role and said one of the theatre commands will look at the overall management of the air space in the country.

    “Do not forget that the Air Force continues to remain a supporting arm of the armed forces, just as the artillery or engineers support the combatants within the Army.

    They have an air defence charter and support the ground forces in time of operations,” Gen Rawat said, adding the force has to understand its basic charter.

    Both Gen Rawat and Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria were speaking at separate sessions of a conference organised by the Global Counter-Terrorism Council (GCTC) — a think-tank.

    When asked about Gen Rawat’s comments, the Air Chief Marshal said: “It is not a supporting role alone. The air power has a huge role to play in any of the integrated battle role.”

    Asked about the IAF’s views on the theaterisation of the armed forces, he said it was fully committed to the proposed setting up of the integrated theatre commands.

    At the same time, he added, “We must get it right.”

    To a question on argument that IAF could have reservations for the theaterisation process as it does not want to split its assets which are fewer, Gen Rawat referred to the five operational commands of the force that manage its resources.

    “In an overall assessment, it is a known fact that there is resistance to change. One needs to be conscious of that and fight that inherent resistance.

    The nature and character of conflicts will continue to change,” Gen Rawat said.

    According to the plan, theatre commands will have units of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and all of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander.

    At present, the Army, Navy and the Air Force have separate commands.

    The theatre commands are being set up under a larger mandate of ensuring synergy among the three service chiefs to deal with future security challenges.

    Gen Rawat took over as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on January 1, 2020, with a mandate to bring in convergence among the three services and restructure military commands to effectively deal with future security challenges.

    When asked about the situation in eastern Ladakh, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the Chinese side has enhanced its infrastructure in the region.

    “After the initial disengagement which has happened, there is virtual kind of status quo.

    Many of the infra that were developed particularly from the perspective of air assets except for some aircraft that they have taken back from forward deployments, rest of infrastructure has been strengthened,” he said.

    The Chief of Air Staff said the IAF has been carefully monitoring the situation in the region.

    “We are monitoring across very carefully and very closely. We are aware of what kind of assets are there and what needs to be done from our point of view; deployments and whatever action needed to be taken have been taken,” he said.

    India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

    However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

    The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

    India has been particularly pressing for disengagement of troops in Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang.

    India has been insisting on returning to the status quo of April 2020 in the region.

    According to military officials, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control in the sensitive sector.

    There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks.

  • Geopolitical uncertainty in neighbourhood has triggered major transformation in IAF: Air Chief

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The security challenges and geopolitical uncertainty in the neighbourhood have triggered monumental transformation through the infusion of technology into the Indian Air Force, said Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Saturday. The Air Chief was presiding over the Passing Out Parade at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

    Air Chief Bhadauria said, “Rapid infusion of niche technology and combat power in every facet of our operations has never been as intense as it is now. This is primarily because of the unprecedented and rapidly evolving security challenges that we face, coupled with a rising geopolitical uncertainty in our neighbourhood and beyond.”

    India and China are locked in a standoff for more than a year at multiple points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. It was in May 2020 that Chinese soldiers clashed with Indian Army soldiers at Finger 4, North Bank of the Pangong Tso and mobilised their troops at multiple points in a standoff mode. More than 50,000 soldiers along with tanks, artillery guns, missiles and equipment are currently deployed on both sides of the 826 kilometre long LAC in Ladakh.  

    The Air Force, since last year, has positioned its aircraft at bases which will require minimum time to react to any contingency along the borders.

    Speaking about the role of the Air Force, Bhadauria said, “The last few decades have clearly established the critical role of air power in achieving victory in any conflict. It is in this backdrop that the IAF’s on-going capability enhancement assumes tremendous significance.”

    The Air Chief termed the time fortunate for the officers to be joining now. “Pilots will get to fly fighters carrying an array of potent standoff precision weapons and connected in networks. 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 Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) situations,” he said.

    Also, engineers will need to use the e-MMS, which is one of the largest networked aircraft maintenance management systems in the world. Controllers will have to adapt to vectoring fighters in large formations using digitised and networked and logistics officers will be working in automated procurement and resupply on inventory management. “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,” the Air Chief told the officers.

    A total of 161 officers got commissioned into various branches and services on Saturday including six officers from the Indian Navy and five officers from the Indian Coast Guard into the flying branch.

    The Air Chief complimented the Air Force Academy for not just completing the training despite severe COVID constraints and within the stipulated period but also setting a record of clocking over 20,500 hrs of flying over the last one year – the highest ever in its history.

    Talking about the transition towards integration of the forces, the Air Chief told the officers, “It is also essential for all of you to bear in mind that as future leaders, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with your comrades in Olive Greens and Whites and prosecute integrated operations. You will be an integral part of this important transition in the years ahead.”

  • Induction of Rafale aircraft into Indian Air Force by 2022: IAF Chief 

    By PTI
    HYDERABAD: IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria on Saturday said the induction of 36 Rafale aircraft into the Indian Air Force would take place by 2022.

    The IAF is absolutely on target with respect to the Rafale induction plan, he said while responding to a reporters’ query on timeline for receiving the 36 fighter jets from France.

    “The target is 2022. It is absolutely on target. I mentioned earlier. Except for one or two aircraft, minor delays because of COVID related issues, but, in fact, some deliveries have been ahead of time. So, broadly, we are absolutely on target on the Rafale induction plan.

    “On the operationalisation plan, you are aware, we are fully operational..so, in terms of time, we will be absolutely on time,” he told reporters after reviewing the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal here.

    In 2016, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36-Rafale jets at a cost Rs 59,000 crore.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had in February said the country would have the entire fleet of the fighter aircraft by April 2022.

    Asked for his assessment on the situation in eastern Ladakh on the Indo-China border, the IAF Chief said talks are on between the two sides and the first attempt is to continue with the parleys and carry out the disengagement at the “balance friction points.”

    “The first attempt is to continue with the talks and do the disengagement at the balance friction points. And, of course, follow it up with de-escalation,” he said.

    “However, in parallel, the ground realities are being monitored closely.

    Whatever is the reality across, in terms of current leftover locations, deployments, any changes, that is being monitored closely and whatever actions are required on our part, we are taking, Bhadauria said.