The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning massive acquisitions of aircrafts, helicopters and other weapon systems over a period of seven to eight years at a staggering cost of ₹2.5 lakh crore to ₹3-lakh crore, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari said on Tuesday. The Air Chief’s announcement was in the run-up to Air Force Day which would be celebrated in Prayagraj on Sunday.

While orders for acquisitions of some of the platforms and systems have already been issued, others are in the pipeline. “Overall value of these contracts will well pass ₹2.5 to ₹3lakh crores...The cash inflow of course will depend on the allotted budget. These contracts will be fulfilled over a period of 7 to 8 years. So we will plan our budget accordingly,” the Air Force Chief stated on Tuesday while sharing the roadmap for addressing the capability deficiency, some of which has been existing for a long time.

Addressing the media, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari elaborated that the IAF is acquiring 87 more Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1As, which add to the existing order to the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 83 LCAs, and at a cost of Rs 1.15 lakh crore. The total strength of LCA Tejas would go up to 180 and they would replace the ageing Mig 21 squadrons that would be entirely number plated by 2025. The Mig 21s will be participating in the last flypast at the Air Force Day on October 8, stated the IAF officials.

According to the Air Chief, the contract for additional 97 LCA Mk-1As will be signed with the HAL which may decide to increase the production lines in partnership with any Indian defence industry or upgrade its own facility to meet the timelines. The LCAs that IAF would induct through the next contract is likely to have some additional features to accommodate technological advancements, Chaudhari told reporters.

Similar contracts

Similarly, the IAF inducted ten Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) last year. “We are looking at signing the contract in the coming year for a total of 166 and 56 out of that will be with the Indian Air Force, and the contract would be somewhere around ₹4,500 crore,” Chaudhari said.

Apart from this, the IAF has already inked a ₹6,000 crore worth deal with the HAL for 70 trainer aircrafts HTT-40, he said while adding that in the pipeline is also upgrade of 84 SU-30 MKIs multirole fighter jets. The value of SU-30 MKI deal is anticipated to be over Rs 60,000 crore, the Air Chief stressed.

The weapon systems such as new generation medium range mobile surface-to-air Akash missile systems, Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) Project Kusha, and ballestic missile systems Pralay are also awaiting to fill the IAF inventory which would be largely indigenous but for multi role fighter aircraft (MRFA)s. The government has been dragging its feet on buying 114 MRFAs and it’s not clear whether the aerial platforms have to be acquired through inter-government route by tendering.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently cleared five units of Project Kusha, the LRSAM having similar capabilities of the Russian-origin S-400 air defence missile systems. The Air Chief Marshal stated that the IAF has allotted budget for Kusha which would be designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

He also said that supplies of some spares and systems like S-400s have been delayed due to ongoing Russian-Ukraine war. Three S-400s have come while the remaining two are expected in a year’s time, he stated. To ensure smooth flow of spares and sub-systems, the government has encouraged defence companies of Russia and Ukraine to invest in Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme and a lot of these companies are coming up, some have already signed JVs and spares are being indigenised, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari stated.

The Chief of Air Staff also spoke on the IAF’s preparedness on the threats on Western and Eastern borders, Pakistan getting military assistance from China and Turkey.

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