NEW DELHI: The IAF, which has of late seen a greater role for itself in internal security operations, including the anti-Naxalite offensive launched by the government, has sought the defence ministry’s permission “to fire in self-defence.”
A proposal to this effect, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said here on Thursday afternoon, has been put up before the defence ministry. It comes in the wake of an attack on an IAF helicopter soon after it lifted off from Pedia in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on its way to Bijapur on November 15 last year, killing a flight engineer and injuring two others.
With the IAF choppers being commissioned more often for casualty-evacuation and ferrying para-military forces in Jammu and Kashmir and the Naxalite-ravaged regions, there are fears that, in the absence of adequate security shield, they may become sitting ducks at the hands of the well-armed Naxalites. “IAF helicopters getting shot at is a matter of a very serious concern. To pre-empt to such strikes, we’ve decided against pressing into service light helicopters. Only armoured helicopters will be used. Even the crew will be armed. We’re are also ensuring 100% sanitisation of the area being targeted,’’ the Chief of Air Staff told newspersons while addressing the customary Air Force Day’s eve press conference.
Air Chief Marshal Naik, in his interaction, pointed out that while the IAF was committed to playing its traditional role —that of fortifying the country against external threat— with an ever greater vigour, its role in homeland security operations was set to increase. “The IAF is already involved in Jammu and Kashmir in the insertion and extraction of troops, surveillance by the unmanned UAVs. It is now being called to evacuate casualties in the Naxal-hit areas such as Dantewada,’’ he said.
Undertaking offensive roles in internal territory, according to him, was a far more challenging task. “In such a terrain, unless you’ve 120% intelligence, you cannot distinguish between a bad guy and a good guy. A decision needs to be taken at the highest level before we go in for the attack mode,’’ the CAS remarked.
With China being the flavour of the day, the IAF Chief was confronted with a volley of questions on the threat from across the border. He, however, remained guarded in his responses in a clear attempt to underplay the issue. “We cannot be adversary-specific. We need to develop capabilities to meet the challenges facing the country --those capabilities which can meet the country’s aspirations,’’ he said.
The capability-building exercise, Air Chief Marshal Naik argued, was dependent on four pillar -- see, first and farthest; reach, farthest and first; hit, accurately and hard; and protect, our assets both in peace and war. The IAF, he said, was building its capabilities keeping these factors in mind.
On being asked about the building and reactivation of airstrips lying close to the border with China, the CAS said that plans were afoot to upgrade the advanced landing grounds in Arunachal Pradesh. “Such a plan was long overdue. Now that we’ve the go-ahead we’ll press ahead with full steam,’’ he said.
Since the terrain was very difficult in the region, it would, he revealed, take 3-5 years to make these fully operational.
The IAF had recently opened an airstrip at the Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground in eastern Ladakh, just 23 km from the LAC with China. Responding to another query, the IAF Chief ruled out the possibility of inducting women officers to pilot fighter aircraft “in the near future.” “We have some 790 lady officers at present in all branches of the IAF, except the fighter aircraft. In the near future, there are no plans to induct them for piloting fighter aircraft. There are certain issues involved, which have to be addressed first,’’ he said.
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