Newly appointed Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has prioritized indigenous defense programmes such as the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the AMCA to bolster the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities.

Newly appointed Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has prioritized indigenous defense programmes such as the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the AMCA to bolster the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities.

Newly appointed Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has prioritized indigenous defense programmes such as the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the AMCA to bolster the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities.

India's new Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, accorded the highest priority to Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A and LCA Mk2, as well as the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programmes, highlighting his focus on self-reliance and strengthening the combat capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

An accomplished fighter pilot with over 3,500 flying hours, Dixit also said that restoring the IAF's combat strength towards the sanctioned level will be his "foremost task".

"The Tejas Mk1A and 2, the AMCA, Indian sensors and Indian weapons are our highest priority. We will fight with Indian solutions, and we will hold them in numbers that meet our operational demands. Our responsibility is to fight and win, but most importantly it is to deter conflict through credible air power," Dixit told reporters after a ceremonial guard of honour at the Race Course Air Force Station's parade ground, on Sunday.

The defence ministry has struck two separate deals with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to procure 180 LCA Mk1A jets for the IAF at a cost of over Rs 1.10 lakh crore. While the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL are working on the LCA Mk2 variant, the framework for developing AMCA is being finalised.

The force has been reeling under a shortage of combat jets as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 30 from the officially sanctioned strength of 42.

Outlining his priorities, Air Chief Marshal Dixit said they could be summed up in one word: VAYU — Vigilance, Aatmanirbharta, Yukti and Unity of Effort.

Under Vigilance, Victory and Readiness, he said every squadron, every radar, every air defence unit, along with each and every air warrior, must be ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Highlighting Aatmanirbharta, Dixit reiterated that the Tejas Mk1A and Mk2, AMCA, Indian sensors and Indian weapons would receive the highest priority.

On Yukti, he emphasised ingenuity and innovation in doctrine, procedures and technology, including networked, AI-enabled command and control, layered counter-drone defence, responsive maintenance, force protection, resilience and the use of near-space as an operational domain.

On Unity of Effort, Dixit said that in step with the vision of JAI — Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation — the IAF would plan and fight as one along with the Army, Navy and national agencies.

Referring to the changing security environment, Dixit said the character of war was being reshaped by new technologies and systems like drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber, AI and the electromagnetic spectrum.

"The Air Force, while transforming into the force that India will need in the next decade, must always be ready to fight and win," he said.

TAGS