NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 6: Affirming today that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was under no pressure from the government to favour a particular aircraft for an upcoming multi-billion dollar tender for 126 fighters, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi simultaneously hinted that selecting American fighters would compel the IAF to ‘‘live with it and get used to it’’.
‘‘We are used to having a variety of aircraft in our arsenal. Frankly, we will learn to live with it. It is a consideration, but it is not the consideration,’’ he said this afternoon ahead of the IAF’s 73rd anniversary celebrations on Saturday.
Contending for the deal are the American F-16 Falcon and F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen, the French Mirage-2000-5 and the Russian MiG-29M2.
Already burdened with operating 26 different types of aircraft, the IAF’s silent submission is that it will much rather buy either from the French or the Russians, since it already operates variants of the Mirage-2000 and MiG-29.
‘‘Buying aircraft is an extremely complex issue. One of the issues here is possibly getting used to the aircraft. It is not something we cannot get used to. But it is difficult for an Air chief to deal with such a diverse fleet of aircraft,’’ he said. Requests for proposal (RFPs) will be sent out to the five manufacturers by the end of this year.
With what is to be a massive frontline fighter strength by 2012 — with the conceptual infusion of mid-air refuelling now virtually complete — the IAF will also be looking to acquire more Ilyushin-78M tankers to augment its existing Agra-based fleet of six.
Air HQ has also initiated a study to find out how feasible it will be to upgrade its large fleet of Antonov-32 light transporters — it is also in the market for medium-transporters and 80 multi-utility helicopters.
By 2020, the IAF will have one of the most advanced arsenals in the world with three Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft arriving in 2007-08, a full complement of over 100 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters by 2016 and a huge fleet of light quick reaction fighters — including the LCA Tejas — on border bases.
‘‘We are used to having a variety of aircraft in our arsenal. Frankly, we will learn to live with it. It is a consideration, but it is not the consideration,’’ he said this afternoon ahead of the IAF’s 73rd anniversary celebrations on Saturday.
Contending for the deal are the American F-16 Falcon and F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen, the French Mirage-2000-5 and the Russian MiG-29M2.
Already burdened with operating 26 different types of aircraft, the IAF’s silent submission is that it will much rather buy either from the French or the Russians, since it already operates variants of the Mirage-2000 and MiG-29.
‘‘Buying aircraft is an extremely complex issue. One of the issues here is possibly getting used to the aircraft. It is not something we cannot get used to. But it is difficult for an Air chief to deal with such a diverse fleet of aircraft,’’ he said. Requests for proposal (RFPs) will be sent out to the five manufacturers by the end of this year.
With what is to be a massive frontline fighter strength by 2012 — with the conceptual infusion of mid-air refuelling now virtually complete — the IAF will also be looking to acquire more Ilyushin-78M tankers to augment its existing Agra-based fleet of six.
Air HQ has also initiated a study to find out how feasible it will be to upgrade its large fleet of Antonov-32 light transporters — it is also in the market for medium-transporters and 80 multi-utility helicopters.
By 2020, the IAF will have one of the most advanced arsenals in the world with three Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft arriving in 2007-08, a full complement of over 100 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters by 2016 and a huge fleet of light quick reaction fighters — including the LCA Tejas — on border bases.
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