Air Power Asia

IAF Growth and Indigenization Challenges

The serious show down with the Chinese in Ladakh has forced significant mobilisation of forces from
both sides. Defence analyst are closely comparing the defence preparedness of the armies and air
forces of the two sides across the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Under these circumstances there is a
need to look at the state and growth plan of Indian Air Force (IAF), and also look at the
indigenization challenges. As India awaits the induction of Rafale, it needs to be remembered that
IAF is today at an all time low in the number of fighter squadrons. Already down to 30 vis-a-vis the
authorized 42, the numbers would go down further if some more squadrons are allowed to retire
because of low availability of serviceable aircraft. As far back as 2001 IAF had apprised the
government for need to acquire additional fighters. IAF at that stage was very happy to have the
upgraded version of the Mirage 2000, an option that finally got foreclosed in 2006, when Dassault
closed the Mirage 2000 production line after repeatedly checking with India. The process to acquire
126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) was finally initiated in 2007. French Dassault
Rafale was the eventual winner after a fierce competition among the world’s top available fighters.
36 Rafale were contracted in 2016 and physically will now arrive on 29 July 2020. All the remaining
aircraft will induct into IAF by 2022. Meanwhile the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’
has had a very delayed Design and Development (D&D) program and after nearly 20 years since
aircraft’s first flight only around 20 aircraft have been delivered to the IAF. The second LCA squadron
has just formed. Delayed acquisition of sufficient number of 4th plus generation fighters and slow
induction of the LCA are the main cause of the depleted state that IAF fight fleet is in today. By 2022,
IAF will at best have third LCA squadron, and two of Rafale will come in. Waiting to phase out are at
least five squadrons. So the numbers could deplete further. 
IAF’s Dassault Miarge 2000 Picture Source: strifeblog.org
Air Threat Appreciation 
            Primacy of Aerospace as an instrument of waging war has now been well
established. Chinese are investing heavily into aerospace research and development and aircraft
manufacture. They have two home-grown stealth fighters (J-20 and J-31), and one large transport
aircraft (Y-20) already flying. They are also developing the H-20 stealth bomber and a host of attack
helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Pakistan has not only stepped up insurgency into
Jammu and Kashmir, it openly boasts of collusive support from China in case of a war with India.
India has thus to prepare for a possible two-front war. IAF had, in 2018, tested its operational plan in
the mother-of-all-exercises ‘Gagan Shakti‘. While IAF has a plan ‘B’ to fight with what it has, if forced
into conflict, but numbers are clearly not adequate to fully execute an air campaign even in a single-
front. It is incumbent upon the nation to provide IAF assets for the task it has been entrusted. It is
imperative that IAF quickly rebuilt the squadron strength.

Chinese J-20 Fighter. Picture Source: asiatimes.com

Current Fighter Aircraft State
          Delay in Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has forced IAF to postpone retirement of a few older
MiG-21 variants. The MiG 21 Bison-fleet will continue till 2024 with depleting numbers and lower
availability of spares. IAF has ordered 40 LCA Mk1 and committed for 83 LCA Mk 1A. With most
approvals for LCA Mk 1A, the contract should be signed by Governmentof India (GoI) very soon. IAF’s
dedicated strike aircraft fleet now has only the Jaguars, and these are being modernized further
to DARIN III standard. Mikoyan MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 fleets are also being upgraded. All these
fleets should upgrade by 2021. 21 additional upgraded MiG 29s are being procured. However these
will take nearly three years to induct. 272 Su-30 MKI air-superiority fighters are on order and 260
have been delivered till date. 12 additional SU-30 MKI are being acquired, primarily to replace those
that had crashed over the years or as War Wastage Reserve (WWR). Initially 40 SU 30 MKI aircraft
will be upgraded. This would include the ability to carry the BrahMos cruise missiles and nuclear-
capable Nirbhay missiles, get an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, more powerful on-
board computers and a new electronic warfare (EW) suite. The process has still to start.  All 36 Rafale
aircraft will induct by by 2022. Responses for IAF’s Request for Information (RFI) for 114 4th-
Generation-plus fighters were received in July 2018. The seven in contention are Dassault Rafale,
Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 Block 70 (now named F-21), F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, JAS 39 E/F Gripen
NG, MiG-35 and SU-35. The Request For Proposal (RFP) is likely to be issued now only bt end 2020.
Even if the process is hastened, the earliest these aircraft can induct is 2025. The Americans are
reportedly independently pushing the case of Boeing F-15 EX. Meanwhile DRDO and HAL have
begun work on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The progess is much slower than
the very ambitious timelines they have been announcing. time to time, in the lasst one decade.

MiG 29 UPG. Picture Source: theweek.in

Rafale – the Weapon Platform
          Rafale is a very potent weapons platform capable of simultaneously packaging air superiority,
interdiction, reconnaissance, and airborne nuclear deterrent missions. The actively coupled canard
wing allows high manoeuvrability. The aircraft is designed for reduced radar cross-section (RCS) and
infra-red signature. The glass cockpit is designed around the principle of data fusion. A central
computer prioritizes information to display to pilots for simpler command and control. Rafale
features an advanced avionics suite. The aircraft’s RBE2 AA active electronically scanned array
(AESA) radar has been fully tested operationally. It has a field of regard of 70° on either side of the
aircraft axis, and extended range capabilities supporting low-observable target detection. Rafale
makes extensive use of radar-absorbent materials (RAM). The SPECTRA integrated electronic
warfare suite provides long-range detection, identification and accurate localization of infrared
homing, radio-frequency and laser threats. The system incorporates radar warning receiver, laser-
warning, Missile Approach Warning (MAW) for threat detection plus a phased array radar jammer
and a decoy dispenser for threat countering. The Thales/SAGEM Optronique Secteur Frontal infra-
red search and track (IRST) system uses a narrow field for tracking air targets at ranges up to 100
kilometers. A TV/IR sensor for target identification (40 km range) including laser rangefinder.   
Aircraft has a 30 mm cannon with 125 rounds. The 14 hard-points can carry 9,500 kg external loads.
The air-to-air missiles include Magic II, MBDA MICA IR or EM, and MBDA Meteor. Meteor is an active
radar guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM). Meteor offers multi-shot capability
against long range manoeuvring targets, jets, UAVs and cruise missiles in a heavy electronic
countermeasures (ECM) environment with range well in excess of 150 kilometers. A fresh proposal
has been mooted for also acquiring the HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended
Range) as part of the Rafale weapons package. This modular AASM (Armement Air-Sol
Modulaireweapon) system has a length of 3m and a weight of 330kg and has a range of over 60km
at high altitudes and 15km at low altitudes. It has fire and forget capability and an extended stand-
off capacity.
IAF’s Dassault Rafale Picture Source: livefistdefence.com
LCA Program
          Of the 40 LCA Mk I aircraft ordered by IAF, 20 are to be supplied in Initial Operational
Clearance (IOC) and 20 in Final Operational Clearance (FOC) status. FOC aircraft deliveries are about
to begin. The LCA Mk II which is more likely to meet IAF’s ASQRs is still far away. Therefore it was
decided to have an interim, operationally better version, Mk1A with an advanced AESA Radar, an EW
suite, a mid-air refueling probe, incorporate weight reduction along with easier service
maintainability. IAF had given a go ahead for 83 LCA Mk 1A in October 2015 itself. The contract
negotiations and price fixation stages and all clearance at MoD stage are over. The Cabinet
Committee on Security (CCS) clearance is awaited before signing the contract. It is reported that the
contract may physically be awarded by end of 2020. HAL can earlist deliver the aircraft three years
after contract being awarded. LCA Mk1A can earliest be delivered by end 2023. The LCA Mk II, now
also being called the Medium weight Fighter (MWF) with a canard controls, that is more likely to
meeting all the IAF’s original Air Staff Requirements may be ready earliest by 2025. It will have the
more powerful General Electric F-414-GE-INS6 engine. To accommodate the same major airframe
modifications including larger aircraft dimensions will be required. It will also mean extensive flight
testing. IAF plans to induct 200 aircraft. The aircraft may induct around 2028-30. In any case HAL will
require around ten years to deliver 123 Mk1 variants. HAL currently has a single production line with
a maximum capacity of 8 aircraft a year. Unfortunately HAL is unable to fully use even this line. MoD
had set a target of 16 aircraft per year by 2020. This target is difficult to meet. HAL has indicated that
they will be able to deliver 12-14 aircrfat this year. The rate at which IAF squadrons are depleting,
the desired rate is closer to 20-24 per year. The indigenous content of the Tejas is 59.7% by value
and 75.5% by number of line replaceable units. 

ADA-HAL LCA ‘Tejas”. Picture Source: Wikiprdia

AMCA
            The AMCA is a fifth generation aircraft being designed by Aeronautical Development Agency
(ADA) and will be manufactured by HAL. It will be a twin-engine, stealth, all weather multirole fighter
with super-cruise and advanced AESA radar. AMCA feasibility study and the preliminary design stage
have been completed. The project awaits approval to begin D&D stage.  It is meant to complement
the SU-30 MKI, Rafale and Tejas in the IAF and MiG 29K in the Navy, and replace the Jaguar, MiG-27
and Mirage 2000 aircraft of the IAF. In October 2008, IAF had asked ADA to prepare a detailed
project and in April 2010, issued the ASQR for the AMCA. ADA unveiled a 1: 8 scale model at Aero
India 2013. The AMCA design will have shoulder-mounted diamond-shaped trapezoidal wings, and
an all-moving Canard-Vertical V-tail with large fuselage mounted tail-wing. ADA is working on major
technological issues like thrust vectoring, super-cruising engine, AESA radar and stealth. AMCA will
initially fly with two GE-414 engines. Eventually it is planned to be powered by two GTRE, 90 kN
thrust, K 9 or K10 engines which are successor to the troubled Kaveri engine. The first flight is likely
around 2030 and aircraft induct after 2035.
AMCA Scale Model. Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Transport and Rotary Wing Fleets
The nearly 100 Antonov An-32 medium transport aircraft have undergone an avionics
upgrade. EADS CASA C-295 twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft was shortlisted for 56
HS-748 Avro replacement. No contract has been signed yet. 16 are to be bought in fly-away
condition. Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space are to make 40 of these
in India. IAF has 17 Ilyushin Il-76 (50-ton load), and 11 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (70 ton-
load) aircraft. IAF has 12 Lockheed C-130J -30. there are sizeable number of Dornier 228 aircraft.

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. Picture Source: deccanherald.com

HAL built light utility helicopters Chetak, Cheetal and Cheetah are used for training, rescue, and light
transport duties including in Siachen and other high-altitude areas. Part of their role is currently
being taken over by HAL Dhruv Helicopter. Dhruv also has a weaponised version ‘Rudra’, but the
weaponisation work is still proceeding slowly. Based on the Dhruv platform, HAL is developing
the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and a Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). Ultimately over 400
helicopters will be required. Russian Ka-226T LUH has been selected to be made in India by a HAL-
Kamov Joint-Venture. Contract has still to be signed. Mil Mi-17, Mi-17 1V, and Mi-17 V5 are the
mainstay of medium utility helicopter fleet with nearly 240. IAF also operates three heavy lift Mil Mi-
26 helicopters. All the ordered 15 Boeing Chinook helicopters have already joined IAF starting mid
2019. Two squadrons of Mil Mi-25/35 attack helicopters operate in support of the Indian Army are
being replaced by 22 AH-64E Apache. All 22 Apache are inducted. IAF is fairly well off in transport
aircraft and helicopter assets.

Boeing AH-64E Apache. Picture source: business-standard.com

Force Multipliers
          Three AEW&C (IL-76 based platform) with EL/W-2090 Phalcon radar are in service. Two
more are expected to be ordered shortly. IAF meanwhile inducted two DRDO Embraer ERJ-
145 aircraft based AEW&C ‘Netra’. Initially, three aircraft have been developed. It has been decided
to purchase up to six Airbus A330s for DRDO AWACS. This project could take 6-8 years or more. IAF
finally requires around 10 AEW&C aircraft. IAF has six Ilyushin-78 aerial refueling aircraft.
Meanwhile IAF has been in a search for six additional modern air-refuelers since 2006. First two
attempts got aborted due to issues related to Life Cycle Costs and processes. The contest appears to
be between Airbus A-330 MRTT, IL-78 and Boeing KC-46A. The last word though has still to be said.
IAF has proposed that the DRDO AWACS should also double as a refueler. Such a variant of the
Airbus A330 already exists.

IAF’s EL/W-2090 Phalcon AEW&C. Picture Source: Pinterest

UAVs
          IAF’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet comprises of Israeli Aerospace
Industries (IAI) Searcher II and Heron and they are used for reconnaissance and surveillance. IAI
Harpy is the anti-radar combat UAV, and DRDO Lakshya is used for aerial targeting practice. The IAI
Harop (Harpy 2) is a loitering munition which is essentially an anti-radiation drone that can either
operate fully autonomously, using its anti-radar homing system, or have a human-in-the-loop mode.
The Harop was publicly unveiled to the world for the first time in India, in the lead-up to the Aero
India 2009 show. In February 2019, the IAF decided to add another 54 Harop drones to its earlier
fleet of around 110, and has renamed them as  P-4.DRDO’s Rustom II made its maiden flight
recently. It is a  medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) (UAV). Rustom-I is a tactical UAV with
endurance of 12 hours. Rustom-H is a larger UAV with flight endurance of over 24 hours, higher
range and service ceiling than Rustom-1. Rustom-II is a UCAV based on Rustom-H model. Induction
and operationalisation of these could still take some years. DRDO’s AURA is planned to be a “self-
defending high-speed reconnaissance UAV with weapon firing capability”. The AURA will cruise at
medium altitude and will be capable of carrying two or more guided strike weapons with on-board
sensors for targeting and weapon guidance. This is expected around 2028. India is looking at more
sophisticated large foot-print systems like RQ-4 Global hawks. IAF had sent out RFI to international
suppliers for UCAV with low radar cross-section, long range, high service ceiling, and capability to
carry precision-guided weapons in an internal weapons bay. Meanwhile Pentagon has cleared the
sale of 22 Guardian naval surveillance drones to India, but India is in favor of acquiring an armed
drone which operates over both land and sea. Manufactured by General Atomics, Predator-B has
both land and naval versions and can be armed with air-to-land missiles, anti-ship missiles and laser
guided bombs. The Pentagon and India’s ministry of defence are working to “tailor” the Predator B
armed unmanned aerial vehicle for export to New Delhi for all three services. Meanwhile MoD had
issued a global request for proposal (RFP) for procuring 95 mini-UAVs for IAF and Indian Navy.
IAI Harop. Picture Source: defenceupdate.in
Defence Budget 2020-21 – Funds for IAF
          The 2020-21 MoD’s total allocations in defence budget is Rs 4,71,378 Crore (US$ 66.9 billion) of
which, Rs. 3,23,053 crore ($45.8 billion) has been provided under the Defence Services Estimates
(DSE), which deals with operating expenses and capital needs of the defence services. The Capital
budget for new acquisitions is Rs 113734 Crore, (US$ 16.0 billion) is 29 percent shortfall from the
requirement.  IAF gets Rs 43,282 Crore (US$ 6.0 billion) in capital budget. Bulk of this will be used
for committed liabilities of earlier purchases such as Apache and Chinook helicopters, Rafale, LCA
and S-400. IAF will need out of budget funds for some acquisitions. This year’s defence budget (less
pensions) is mere 1.4 percent of the GDP. This needs to go up to 2.5 percent.

Defence Budget. Image

Source: idsa.in
Slow Indigenization and ToT  
          A hand full of countries dominate the world aerospace manufacturing domain. All aerospace
technologies are very high-end involving high manufacturing accuracies and big investments.
Notwithstanding the optimism created by Make-in-India push, and India’s success in space
programs, and huge military aviation demands, the defence production in aviation sector continues
to be ‘work-in-very-slow-progress’. Early after independence, HAL, Aeronautical development
Establishment (ADE), the National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL) and many others were set up. The
Defence Research & development Organization (DRDO) with 52 laboratories covering every facet of
defence research came up. Yet we could not harness these strengths. Transfer of Technology (ToT)
clauses are the most difficult to negotiate in any contract and even more difficult to
implement. Most countries see India as a great defence market and would never part with
technologies that could allow emerging India to become independent or a competitor. Technology
can be acquired best by investing heavily in R&D, or through Joint Ventures. India must use its
emerging economic muscle, coupled with falling defence markets elsewhere, to leverage technology
transfer. Defence R&D spend has to increase manifold. The Rafale deal has created some openings
for SMEs, and should reduce import content. Government has already indicated that it was willing
to open 100% FDI in cases of full technology transfer. There are offset clauses in all new contracts,
which need to be used for acquiring technologies.
HAL Dynamics
          Notwithstanding the fact that HAL keeps hitting the slip-stream, and gets questioned by senior
veterans, HAL remains India’s only significant aircraft manufacturer. Before LCA, HF-24 ‘Marut’ was
a great design but was only a partial success as it could never get a matching engine. The LCA
program was for long a DRDO project, and HAL was brought in at a late stage. Other than the heart
burns, it was a bad decision to lose considerable expertise of HAL at initial D&D stages. HAL is a great
‘license-production’ house. They have license produced and overhauled fixed and rotary wing
aircraft of all classes, and license-produced aero engines. However investments in-house design and
end products have been far and few. ALH has been a relatively successful project. Though for many
critical systems including engine ALH remains dependent on foreign firms. HAL is one Defence Public
Sector Undertaking (DPSU) which awaits early divestment. Only after that will the private sector
corporate culture and accountability come in. Company must have the ability to hire the best
talent and fire the laggards. It must also get released from the bureaucratic control of the Babus in
Ministry of Defence (MoD). HAL has entered into many international collaborations. Serious
technology transfer results are still to be visible. An unnecessary controversy has started about low
cash reserves of HAL. HAL is a profit-making DPSU with 90 per cent government holding. The cost
and pricing formulae is such that HAL will make profit every year.   

HAL ALH Rudra. Picture Source: Pinterest

Defence Procurement Policy 2016
The “Draft DPP-2018” is already under discussion. Existing DPP-2016 clearly spells the operational
context, acquisition categories and plans under various ‘Buy’ or ‘Make’ categories, including the
Fast-Track acquisition procedures. Concept of strategic-partnerships has been put in place. A
balance has been set between expeditious procurement, quality and cost-effectiveness. Self-
reliance in defence manufacturing is a cornerstone. The need to leverage indigenous manpower and
engineering capability, and utilize and consolidate design and manufacturing infrastructure within
the country is clear. DPP will ensure level-playing field while keeping self-reliance as the key aim.
Yet on the ground there is still considerable foot-dragging. According to media reports, MoD has
realized internally that the Make-in-India defence  initiatives have still to succeed sufficiently; the
weapons acquisitions process continued to be beset with delays; average time taken for clearing
most schemes continues to be nearly twice the laid-down time-frame. Armed Forces often look at
MoD’s Acquisition Wing “as an obstacle rather than a facilitator”. India still lacks some core
technologies for aircraft, such as engine, radar, EW systems, advanced avionics, and armaments.
Private Aerospace Industry
          India’s target is to reduce defence imports to initially 40 percent from current 70 percent. Big
private industrial houses, like Tata, L&T, Mahindras, Adani, Bharat Forge, Reliance and others have
come into defence manufacturing in a serious way. Private industry can raise funds, take quick
decisions and ensure transparency. Among the more successful private sector large firms, Tata
Advanced Systems (TASL) has a joint-venture with Sikorsky aircraft Corporation to manufacture S-92
helicopter in India for the domestic civil and military markets. The JV has since been expanded to
other products. Another TASL joint-venture, with Lockheed Martin is producing aero-structures for
the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules in India and currently assembles Hercules centre wing boxes
and empennages. TASL also produces structures for the Pilatus PC-12NG. TASL is bidding to develop
and build unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Indian Armed Forces along with Israel Aircraft
Industries (IAI) and “Urban Aeronautics”. Lockheed Martin plans to make F-16 wings in India with
TASL. Reliance Aerostructures Ltd has set up a facility in Mihan SEZ near Nagpur. It is already
manufacturing parts of Falcon 2000. Many smaller companies have significant orders for sub-
systems. Capability exist, they need to be harnessed.

Tatas-Boeing facility at Hyderabad to make Apache Fuselage. Picture Source: livefistdefence.com

The Uphill Task Ahead
          Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has 20 combat squadrons and are targeted to grow to 28. PAF is
talking to Russians for Su-35 air-superiority fighters and China for J-31 stealth fighters. The
Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has around 1700 fighters, of which  800 are
modern fighters and the figure will soon go up to 1,000. PLAAF plans to stabilize at 80 fighter
squadrons. IAF is deficient of authorized 42 squadrons by 12. From the Rafale deal it can be seen
that typically two squadrons cost around US$ 9.12 billion. By 2035 IAF will need to make good the
deficient 12 squadrons and buy additional 10 for new phase-outs, thus acquisition of 22 squadrons.
That would cost close to US$ 110 billion (Rs 770,000 crore). Where is that money? Is IAF’s target to
make good the 42 fighter squadrons by 2035, a pipe dream? If India were to succeed, IAF should
have 2 squadrons of Mirage-2000, 2 Jaguars, 14 Su -30 MKI, 2 Rafale, 14 of LCA Mk I & II, 2 AMCA
and 6 of the newly selected fighter, making a total of 42. That would mean building average of 18
LCA a year. There will be need for replacements among other fleets also. To achieve all this, defence
budget has to be at least 2.5 percent of GDP for next two decades. Realistic requirement for IAF’s
Capital budget is over Rs 60,000 crore a year.
This article was earlier published in Geopolitics, and has since been updated and considerably
reworked
Picture Credit: bangaloreaviation.com