NEW DELHI: Faster induction of indigenous Tejas fighters and force-multipliers like AEW&C aircraft and mid-air refuellers, while dealing with continuing military challenge from China, will be among major thrust areas of new IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh.
Singh, 59, a fighter pilot with over 5,000 hours of flying on a variety of aircraft and helicopters, took over from ACM V R Chaudhari Monday, at a time when IAF is making do with just 30 fighter squadrons when at least 42 are “authorised’ to tackle China and Pakistan.IAF plans to progressively induct almost 300 Tejas Mark-1A and Mark-2 fighters over the next 10-15 years to make up its depleting numbers, but the slow annual production rate of single-engine jets by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) is a major concern.
Though delay in delivery of 99 GE-F404 aero-engines by US firm General Electric is one of the main reasons dogging slow production rate of Tejas fighters, there are internal HAL production issues as well. Singh is well-versed with the nuts and bolts of Tejas fighter because he earlier served as the project director (flight test) for the home-grown jet at National Flight Test Centre in Bengaluru.
