India to acquire 126 combat aircraft soon: IAF chief

PANAJI: The Indian Airforce (IAF) has plans to acquire at least 126 state-of-the-art multi-role combat aircraft at the earliest and wants to open an exclusive aerospace command with net centric warfare features to meet future military  challenges.

Disclosing this to media persons after addressing the colourful 71st passing out parade of the Naval Academy at INS Mandovi in Goa today, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said the authorities had been in touch with different countries that supply combat aircraft and examining various aspects of defence purchases suited to our requirements.

At the sametime, he indicated that the light combat aircraft with all the advanced features was likely to be inducted into the airforce by the end of the current decade.

The acquisition of much awaited 'Admiral Gorshokov' aircraft carrier of Russia, now under retrofitting to suit Indian needs, was also on schedule.

Asked about acquiring stealth technology so as to prevent Kargil type of wars with enemy sneaking into the borders under the ice sheet cover, the Air Chief Marshal ruled out any similar war with neighbours in future.

''Kargil type of war cannot happen again with several measures including air reconnaissance operations using space technology strengthened.''

Favouring more joint commands like in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for more effective defence, he said what we require was results through timely co-ordination of all wings of defence to check terrorism.