The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, has said there is a need to redefine, reimagine and recalibrate to transform the IAF into a contemporary and future-ready force

He said this at the Air Force Day parade in Chandigarh on Saturday. Incidentally, the theme for this year’s IAF anniversary celebrations is “IAF: Transforming for the Future”. The IAF plans to plug the gaps by phasing out outdated planes and helicopters and adding new equipment and technology.

The future of fighter jets after 2028 will be TEJAS MK-2 and the advanced medium combat aircraft.

The new set of tactical lift planes, the C-295, will be produced by a joint venture between Airbus and Tata.

The airborne early-warning aircraft, vital in war to pick up enemy signals and locations, will be attached to the body of a commercial airline. This is how leading countries are doing it.

Indigenous early-warning systems will be installed on six planes that are expected to join the fleet at the end of this decade. At present, the IAF uses a mix of Russian and Israeli technology.

The IAF is looking at more mid-air flight refuellers. Its existing fleet of Russian IL-78 mid-air refuellers are also used to meet the needs of Indian Navy planes. “The focus will be on cyber and space domain,” the Chief of the Indian Air Force had told the media in New Delhi on October 4. “Tomorrow’s conflicts cannot be fought with yesterday’s mindset,” he had said in Chandigarh.

Force To Reckon With

The future of fighter jets — post 2028 — will be TEJAS MK-2 and the advanced medium combat aircraft

The new set of tactical lift planes, the C 295, will be produced by a joint venture of Airbus and TATA