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| India-Pakistan |
| IAF gets edgy over fighter crunch |
| 2006-10-01 |
| New Delhi, Sept. 30: The Indian Air Force has told the government that it needs to buy combat aircraft urgently to maintain its edge over the Pakistan Air Force. So desperate is the IAF’s need that a letter written by its head, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, to the defence minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has been leaked to the media. In the letter written in July, Tyagi has detailed the squadron strength of the IAF and the Pakistan Air Force and said unless diplomatic pressures work to stop or retard the supply of American and Chinese fighter jets to Pakistan, the IAF will be hard put to retain its traditional edge. The letter has been leaked — despite the high security that is supposed to guard correspondence between the air chief and the defence minister — less than a fortnight ahead of October 8, when the air force will flag off its Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Both, the contents of the letter and the fact that it was leaked, point to the desperation of air headquarters. For Tyagi, who has often said he needs 126 multi-role combat aircraft “today”, writing a letter to the government and detailing his service’s needs is like a last resort. The Centre officially maintains that expenses for security purposes are never held back. The air chief has also said it was important to plan for the long-term to ensure a favourable balance of power with Pakistan. In the letter, Tyagi has said: The IAF is down to 34 fighter aircraft squadrons. This is at least six squadrons (120 aircraft) short of the level that is said to be necessary But unlike India, where the government has done nothing to buy the 126 planes that the air force has urgently requested, Tyagi says Pakistan’s air force is getting plenty of new hi-tech aircraft. The air chief marshal has warned that Pakistan is set to strengthen its air force by acquiring two squadrons of F-16s from the US and also Chinese J-10 fighter aircraft and by co-developing the J-17 Thunder with the Chinese. Accounting for all the acquisitions by Pakistan, the IAF will take about a decade at the very least to stumble back to its desired number of squadrons. In the interim, Tyagi has suggested, the government should take a serious look at a fast-track procurement of 40 Sukhoi 30 Mki multi-role aircraft. He has also said the global tender for the 126 multi-role combat aircraft that has been put on hold should be immediately issued. Though this is never admitted publicly, the IAF is worried that the government is yet to decide on the global tender for these aircraft even though responses to Requests for Information were received more than 10 months back. |
| Posted by:john |
| #3 Another governement with leaks a plenty. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2006-10-01 22:14 |
| #2 If they need 'em, Lend-Lease program could be resurrected. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2006-10-01 12:43 |
| #1 The Indian Finance Minister is not at all fond of military spending.. they're gonna have to wait a long time for new aircraft |
| Posted by: john 2006-10-01 11:17 |