indian air force: Indian Air Force to have new branch for missile units, UAVs

Gearing as much as meet new challenges that require high-tech specialists, the Indian Air Pressure is creating a brand new weapon methods department that may man all missile items, Unmanned Aerial Car (UAV) squadrons and function in multi-crew plane.

Saying the brand new department, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari stated that the unification of all weapon methods operators underneath a single entity will end in financial savings of over Rs 3,400 crore.

The price financial savings would accrue as these specialised officers won’t bear flying coaching and in future, officers from the flying department – be it fighter, transport or helicopters – can focus on their major duties.

“The federal government has authorised the creation of a Weapon System Department for Officers within the IAF. That is the primary time since Independence {that a} new operational department is being created,” the officer stated, talking on the event of Air Pressure Day.

Sooner or later, personnel shall be straight inducted into the specialised streams and would have the ability to achieve experience on specific kinds of weapon methods.

One of many specialised streams shall be Floor to Floor Missiles through which personnel will function the Brahmos system that’s deployed close to the border to strike at enemy air bases, radars and communication hubs.

One other steam can be Floor to Air Missiles that may take care of all air defence methods in service, together with S-400 items, Akash squadrons in addition to Israeli origin Spyder missiles moreover a variety of older Russian origin squadrons.

Acknowledging the rising function of unmanned fight, the air power is making a stream for Remotely Piloted Plane as properly.

These specialised operators shall be educated to make use of the vary of UAVs that embody Heron surveillance drones, Harpy suicide drones and newer methods being inducted.

The fourth department shall be Weapon System Operators for twin- and multi-crew plane. Their function shall be to interact enemy air and floor targets in plane just like the Su-30MKI and twin-seat variants of the Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets.

“The creation of weapon methods department would entail unification of all weapon system operators underneath one entity devoted to the operational employment of all ground-based and specialist airborne weapon methods,” defence ministry officers stated.