View: Bumpy road to rebuilding air power; IAF likely to remain on tenterhooks

Representative Image 

Addressing a seminar on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India), organised by the Ministry of Defence recently, the PM exhorted the armed forces to embark on the self-reliance mission with full self-confidence. He also dwelt on the need to make India a defence manufacturing hub with the active involvement of the private sector not only in manufacturing but also in research and development. One of the key pathways to realising this vision could be opened if the Indian Air Force (IAF) unleashes a wave of domestic manufacturing to revamp its fleet.

The euphoria generated by the arrival of Rafale should not blind us to the long haul that the IAF needs to make in renewing and expanding its fleet to overcome obsolescence and attrition. The threat of a two-front war currently looms large with an intransigent China least hesitant to mobilise its forces to grab territory or collude with Pakistan. In the current context every effort has to be made to fill in the voids in air power by quickly phasing out the vintage fleet and inducting adequate numbers of new aircraft to reach the target of 42 squadrons. The country will pay a heavy price if these gaps are allowed to continue in the medium term.

The present underdeveloped state of Tejas, the
long time required to induct MKII and the HAL’s
low output will keep the IAF on tenterhooks
for many years to come

  There is definitely an urgency to replace the large ageing fleet of MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-27 by a high-tech single engine aircraft in the next 10-15 years . The MKII version of Tejas, acceptable to the IAF, could replace them and become the mainstay of the fleet, but it is nearly impossible to get the large numbers required to accomplish this. The present underdeveloped state of Tejas, the long time required to induct MKII and the HAL’s low output will keep the IAF on tenterhooks for many years to come.So the twin challenges of replacement and net addition to reach the fleet strength required by the IAF necessitate a parallel line of production in the private sector. It is against this background that the IAF, after considerable deliberations, had prepared a plan (2016) for manufacturing 112 single engine fighter aircraft (SEFA) in the private sector simultaneously with HAL’s accelerated development and production of the LCAMKII. The SEFA, besides being state-of-the-art in its category, will be cheaper than a twin engine aircraft by at least 30%.

However, the plan to initiate the domestic manufacture of the SEFA seems to have lost steam at a time when we can no longer afford to delay capability building. The IAF had taken some steps to float request for information (RFI) for the SEFA under the strategic partnership policy but the progress has not been satisfactory, leading to speculation that the entire idea is going to be shelved altogether. In the new security scenario, which has opened up opportunities for the US or the EU or Russia to push their products, there is every possibility that some influence will be exerted to get India to import another aircraft. This will be antithetical to the very spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Manufacturing of SEFA is absolutely essential for creating the ecosystem within the country for aerospace manufacturing and if we dither India’s aerospace capabilities will remain stunted forever.

It is therefore imperative that along with submarines and naval utility helicopters, the manufacture of SEFA under the strategic partnership policy be accelerated. The Indian private sector company selected to manufacture this also should be made responsible for its performance based logistics (life-cycle product support), subsequent upgradation and indigenisation of parts so that in a span of 10-15 years the full capability could be built in the private sector for aerospace manufacturing. This will also create the manufacturing capability for the new advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) that will hopefully be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Some are sceptical of India’s capability to manufacture a fifth generation aircraft like AMCA. They question India’s design capabilities, and point to the lack of a credible aerospace ecosystem. The AMCA’s development will depend on our success in attaining good design capabilities, setting up a high-tech aerospace ecosystem and developing a high thrust aircraft engine necessary for hypersonic cruise. The Kaveri aero-engine project of the DRDO, which had none of the characteristics of a mission mode project, had failed to take off. French collaboration for upgrading of this engine does not seem to be materialising.

Aero-engine technology is one of the most closely held technologies and to get it through a technical collaboration is next to impossible. It is only hard work utilising home-grown talent or Indian talent scouted from abroad that will lead to a breakthrough. Development of high performance alloys and materials will be key to the development of the “hot” technology that is so very critical for the success of this project. The entire project needs to be restructured to build a dedicated team for this. The DRDO will also have to involve the premier institutions and the private sector as development partners in this effort. Unless they are able to innovate, evolve a new work culture and induct exemplary leadership, success will continue to be elusive.

Source: THE ECONOMIC TIMES