Indian Defence Review

C130J Super Hercules

Due to its long gestation period, infrastructure needs advance and integrated planning amongst the three services and civil agencies to ensure that the end result is cost-effective without duplication of effort and investment. Some of the measures suggested may be somewhat radical, but after over six decades since Independence, the nation expects results. A sound and secure infrastructure will enable the IAF to undertake its tasks in the most effective manner and thus become a force multiplier in the days to come.

What constitutes infrastructure for an Air Force? Is it only runways and buildings or more than that? As interpreted by the United States Air Force (USAF), defence infrastructure includes defence industrial base, financial services, logistics, a networked information grid, transportation, personnel, health affairs, space, public works, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Considering this vast canvas and its effect on warfare, one needs to analyse the present state of infrastructure in The Indian Air Force (IAF) and its impact as a game changer. Some examples should illustrate the impact of infrastructure on warfare.

During the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, of the total Arab losses of 450 aircraft, most were destroyed or damaged on the ground. This brought home the vulnerability of parking aircraft in the open, a lesson put to good effect by the IAF in the Indo-Pak conflict of 1971. Secure bases and hardened shelters for parking of aircraft preserve precious assets and in effect serve as force multipliers. Besides the fact that in a dynamic world, the situation is ever changing, the IAF has taken some comprehensive measures to enhance infrastructure over its area of responsibility, which will be described in the succeeding paragraphs.

Infrastructure in the IAF

The first consideration is to ascertain the IAF’s vision of itself in the future. The IAF strives to transform itself into a capability-based force, rather than an adversary-centric one. In future, the Service would have a critical role to play, especially in situations demanding rapid response. The IAF’s focus is also shifting from the tactical to the strategic. Its peace-time missions would include humanitarian assistance, disaster management, deployment of peace keeping forces in distant trouble spots or even pre-emptive military intervention in conflict zones. Such contingencies require the capability of power projection through rapid transportation and deployment of adequate force levels. The IAF is likely to be the primary means for the country to respond swiftly and decisively to a variety of crises situations that may develop across the globe thus necessitating its requirement to possess adequate strategic airlift and long-range strike capability.

Based on this capability and the need for the IAF to work along with the sister services as well as other internal security services, the analyses will commence with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Space, Logistics and Transportation, Airfield Infrastructure, Health Affairs and Financial Services, a Networked Information Grid, Public Works, Personnel and finally, the Defence Industrial base.

Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Space

The intention is to look at areas that need attention. These can be in preparation of a long range, say 15 to 20 year plan covering all the three services. These include space-based, aircraft based, UAV based systems, HUMINT, exchange of information between the services and civil agencies both external and internal and finally, a communication network that transfers Data, Video as well as Voice, to the user in as close to real-time as possible. The other area is for all stakeholders, including civil agencies to synergise their efforts with the services so that the final picture is as complete as possible. A fine example of this synergy is the US strategy to deal with Osama Bin Laden!

Logistics and Transportation

Logistics requires the IAF to record the consumption and make a forecast of its requirements. It also needs to arrange the transportation of aircraft and weapon systems spares, rations, petrol, oil and lubricants, clothing and even armament stores to the user. The project Integrated Material Management On Line System (IMMOLS), the software of which was developed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has allowed prompt action by Air HQ to order, to reduce inventories and to respond faster to users. What was needed was a networking of all logistics functions, so that the current consumption of spares is known in real-time, of practically over 500,000 items of spares and equipment.

The IMMOLS solution has not only obviated the concerns of the IAF on stock outs, delays, dependencies on individuals and inaccurate communications but has also brought in a host of benefits such as effective materials management, assets visibility for better utilisation of available resources, reduction in inventory levels and higher rates of serviceability of weapons and equipment. Transportation of these items is most cost-effective when it is undertaken by road. However, transportation by air is preferred in inhospitable terrain or where it is required urgently. There needs to be a synergised effort by all the three services to use the available air effort. This can be best done when their representatives sit together, draw out a plan for the year to use these air resources. Is it being done? That question needs to be asked of the logistics department of the three services.

Financial Services and Health Affairs

Amongst the three services, the IAF is the only service to that has its own Accounts branch to provide pay and accounts services for its personnel. The charter of the Accounts Branch needs to include cost and works accounting. There is a large organisation of Base Repair Depots whose responsibilities include the overhaul and repair of aircraft such as the An-32, HS-748, Dornier, Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, all SAM systems and even heavy vehicles like the crash and fire tenders and runway sweepers. If all the repair and overhaul functions are correctly costed, there would be two benefits. One is that the entire processes can be made more efficient and the other, wherever Defence PSUs are also doing the same job then a comparison can be done for the benefit of the IAF. For example, Dorniers and HS-748s are overhauled by both the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The charter of the Accounts branch needs to be expanded to include all aspects of financial management. Audit should be the charter of the Ministry of Defence (Finance) whereas the costing of all IAF projects can be handled by the Accounts branch. Health Affairs in the IAF are being managed by the Medical Branch, one that is rendering yeoman service. Both these functions will be immensely benefitted by the use of a network grid, which will enable a quick and effective response to any contingency.