The technology was procured from a domestic start-up over a year ago as part of the self-reliance objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat

HYDERABAD: Utilising immersive technologies to enhance operational efficiency, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into its machine planning systems and adopted virtual reality (VR) simulations for training cadets at air force stations (AFS) such as Hakimpet and other locations.

During the 27th media orientation capsule course at AFS Hakimpet on Monday, senior Indian Air Force officers provided valuable insights into the functioning of various air force academies, including Air Force Academy Dundigal, AFS Hakimpet, AFS Bidar, and AFS Begumpet.

The officers elaborated on how fighter pilots undergoing stage-2 training at Hakimpet are benefiting from hands-on training while wearing VR headsets, allowing them to virtually experience flying in a simulated environment on the ground. This indigenous technology-based virtual simulation training has proven to be cost-effective, saving expenses that would have otherwise been incurred on flying hours using actual aircraft, Kalyan Chakravarthy, one of the officers, said.

He said the VR headsets provide the trainee cadets with a 360-degree view of the flying experience, and this technology was procured from a domestic start-up over a year ago as part of the self-reliance objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Air Officer Commanding Pankaj Jain highlighted that various modules of the machine planning systems, along with weapons and radar systems, are being developed by defence startups using indigenous technology.

He shared significant accomplishments of the Indian Air Force in various humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) missions, including the rescue and evacuation operations during natural calamities such as the Uttarakhand floods in 2013, Jammu & Kashmir floods in 2014, Chennai floods in 2015, Nepal earthquake in 2015, evacuation of Indian international students from Ukraine in 2022, and the recent floods in Telangana.

Group Captain SS Rana from AFS Bidar revealed that presently 17 per cent of the officer cadre consists of women officers, and all branches are open for the induction of women, including Agniveervayu women through recruitment. He also mentioned the remarkable increase in the number of women fighter pilots, with the first three being trained in 2017.

Group Captain Jaswant Singh from AFS Hakimpet addressed the challenges faced by the AFS, such as the inability to extend its runway due to the Siddipet-Karimnagar Highway traversing its land, and illegal constructions near its borders, including an approach path for the highway close to the boundary wall of AFS. He also highlighted the issue of waste dumping in the vicinity.