We Need 36 To 40 Aircraft Every Year: IAF Chief On Depleting Number Of Fighter Squadrons

New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, on Saturday said that India needs 36 to 40 aircraft every year while emphasising that Air power remains crucial in the context of overall military strength.

Addressing an annual press conference on 94th Air Force Day here, Singh said that the multirole fighter jet deal may be finalised this financial year, provided things go as per plan.

In its largest-ever defence acquisition push, India in February cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework with France, nearly two decades after the plan was originally rolled out to boost the Indian Air Force's combat prowess.

The price negotiations and other critical issues relating to the project are currently underway. The Air Chief Marshal also said that the force may have to look at the procurement of another platform if the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme faces delays.

"If there are delays in the AMCA fifth-generation fighter programme, we may have to look at other options. Russia has offered the Su-57, but no decision has been taken yet. We would like to increase the number of aircraft in our inventory."

On modernisation of the IAF, he said the force has to be augmented through artificial intelligence. “We have to have an AI-augmented force,” he said.

He said that self-reliance was crucial for overall combat readiness. "We need to take a decision on at least one India-made fighter jet engine," the IAF chief said. Singh also praised Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery during a critical mid-air emergency involving Flight FZ1073. "What he has done is exceptionally brave. He showed great physical and mental resolve. It is a lesson for us," he said.

The air chief also announced that they haven't decided to create a separate drone force. "Drones are not revolutionary to the Indian Air Force, but evolutionary. We are growing the number of drones and loitering munitions. Whether we need a separate drone force, I don't think so. They should be a part of the same setup, and we have to be operating together," Singh said.

These have to be together along with other weapons so that they bring in that effect. We cannot be operating one type of weapon separately somewhere and another type of weapon separately. So we have not thought of having a separate drone force," he added.

The IAF chief's comments come as unmanned aerial systems and loitering munitions are increasingly being incorporated into modern military operations. He said the force's approach was to integrate these systems with other weapons rather than operate them as an independent arm.

On being asked about the IAF's responsibility to deliver the question papers for the re-examination of NEET-UG, Singh said, "If we can assist in any process, then we should provide help. It doesn't matter what that task is." The Indian Air Force (IAF) handled the logistics and transport for the NEET-UG re-examination, which was held on June 21.