A large scale conference on clothing management has commenced today at HQs Maintenance Command, IAF at Nagpur. The two-day long conference was inaugurated by AOC-in-C, Maintenance Command, Air Marshal Jagdish Chandra. The conference is being held under the auspices of the Logistics Management Branch of HQ MC to improve the clothing and uniform of all the Air Warriors of IAF.
The Indian Air Force has, for the coming years identified, ‘clothing management’ as a key result area. Uniforms are a matter of pride for all the Air Warriors and play a major role in operational, day-to-day and ceremonial functioning of the force.
The focus of the conference is to improve the quality of the uniforms (in terms of fabric, suitability to weather conditions etc.), timely availability and mass production. Assistance of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) on design of various uniforms and quality of fabric has already been sought.
The uniforms are manufactured by various ordnance factories(OFs), namely the OFs at Kanpur, Shahjahanpur, Avadi (near Chennai) whose representatives are also attending the conference. Efforts would be put towards synergising the functioning of the ordnance factories production and the IAF’s supply chain management system.
Representatives of Army’s ordnance corps and Naval HQs logistics branch are also attending the conference to make suggestions on production of the uniforms and supply chain system.
Addressing the inaugural session of the conference Air Mshl Jagdish Chandra said “The IAF personnel operate in varied conditions of weather and terrain. Their uniforms are not only a matter of great pride but also protects them from extremities of weather and enhances their operational efficiency. Our efforts should be to improve on the quality, quantity and biometrics of production of various uniforms that we wear. New technology on fabric production and tailoring is available and is improving consistently. You should make full use of it to provide the best to our Air Warriors. Make full use the just-in-time aspect of production and prevent stock outs at all costs.”
The conference would synergize all agencies that provide clothing to IAF and would conclude on 19 Jun 2012.
(Hosted by M A Athul)