IAF Chief arrives in Bangalore on his farewell visit. Photo: MoD
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to induct more pilots. Chief of Air Staff PV Naik said in Bangalore on Wednesday said that the IAF is left with no option but to increase the intake of pilots with the induction of new assets.
He said the IAF is speeding up the process to induct the basic trainer aircraft to train rookie pilots. “Commercial negotiations are on and once the deal is finalized, the aircraft should arrive in one-and-half years,” Naik said.
On LCA: Naik said the LCA programme is shaping up well in the run up to the Final Operational Clearance. “We are happy that now we are finally progressing and that there could be light at the end of the tunnel. The LCA will enter into squadron service by the end of the year and then will become operational in a couple of years. Similarly, we will have six or seven operational squadrons of the LCA Mark-II,”
On IJT: On HAL’s ill-fated Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), Naik said that the probe team inquiring into the latest incident would submit its report in three weeks.
ON MMRCA: Naik said that the medium multi role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal would be finalised by September. “The technical oversight committee would submit its report to the Cabinet Committee on Security in a week, we are hopeful that the deal will be through by September,” he said.
On Operation Geronimo: The Indian armed forces are studying Operation Geronimo carried out by the US Seals to kill Osama Bin Laden recently. “Many studies are being carried on the Osama raid. Information is coming out in bits and pieces but there is nothing concrete yet. As far as our acquisitions are concerned, they are supposed to meet a particular role,” he said.
(Posted by Abraham V. Kuruvilla, Tarmak007 intern from Madras University.
Limited updates on the blog till July.)
