New Delhi (India), July 18 (ANI) Fully backing the indigenous fighter aircraft programmes, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Monday said the Indian Air Force has already given the commitment to buy six squadrons of the under development LCA Mark2 combat aircraft and would place more orders for these planes once their production begins.

New Delhi Mar 28 PTI The Indian Air Force on Monday unveiled a new initiative with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd under which its convoys will be to refuel at fuel stations of the state-run energy majorThe defence ministry said a Fleet Card - Fuel on Move has been rolled out to facilitate the refuelling of convoys belonging to the IAFUnder the existing system the IAF procures fuel from various agencies and distributes it within the Air Force establishments The IAF convoys have to go to Air Force stations for refuellingWith the advent of the Fleet Cards the IAF will be able to utilise the vast network of retail fuel distributors across the country to refuel its vehicles on the moveThe IAF in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation Limited IOCL has taken a leap forward in fuel supply chain management by introducing a Fleet Card - Fuel on Move for its varied fleet of vehicles the defence ministry said in a statementIt said this innovative initiative taken by the Indian Air Force provides a paradigm shift to the logistics management of fuel by the forceThe availability of Fleet Card will permit the convoy to refuel at any IOCL fuel station thus increasing the pace of movement and reducing the lead time for readiness at operational locations across the nation the ministry saidThe new initiative was launched by Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari PTI MPB DIV DIV

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari while addressing the Western Air Command Commanders' Conclave on Friday asked commanders to ensure operational readiness of all platforms, weapon systems and assets.

New Delhi Feb 25 PTI Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari on Friday asked commanders to ensure operational readiness of all platforms weapon systems and assetsHe stressed on the need for root cause analysis of all accidents and incidents improving maintenance practices to boost mission effectiveness besides maintaining impregnable physical and cyber security at all times the Defence Ministrys statement saidThe IAF Chief was addressing the Western Air Commands Commanders Conclave which ended on ThursdayHe praised Western Air Command for the quantum of flying carried out and urged all commanders to continue their efforts towards providing a safe operational flying environment the statement notedThe three-day-long Commanders Conclave took place in DelhiThe IAF Chief emphasised the necessity to enhance operational preparedness and directed the commanders to ensure operational readiness of all platforms weapon systems and assets PTI DSP TDS TDS TDS

New Delhi Feb 24 PTI Chinas latest demonstration of physically moving its disabled satellite to another orbit poses a new threat in the race to weaponise the space domain Indian Air Force Chief V R Chaudhari said on ThursdayMoreover he said no single service -- air force army or navy -- can win wars on its own and this holds good even for the futureLast month Chinas Shijian-21 satellite physically moved a disabled Chinese satellite altering its geostationary orbit This capability of physically altering the orbits of a satellite has earlier been demonstrated by the US onlyChinas latest demonstration of physically moving one of its disabled satellites into the graveyard orbit is bringing in newer threats in the race to weaponise the space domain a domain hitherto considered relatively safe Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari saidThe spectrum that we are looking at stretches from kinetic to non-kinetic lethal to non-lethal and from small drones to hypersonic ballistic missiles This vast and ever-changing continuum will pose significant challenges for the armed forces of the future he addedHe said the IAFs training philosophy needs to be modern flexible and adaptive with a heavy dose of jointness A well-trained air warrior -- who is technologically sound yet able to adapt to disruptions -- would serve as a force multiplier the IAF chief mentioned The next step would be to use our doctrines and well-trained manpower to evolve employment philosophies and CONOPS Concept of Operations he noted This would require joint planning and joint execution of plans Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari stressed No single service can win wars on its own and this holds good even for the future This brings me to the next challenge of command and control he saidThe primacy of who will do what cannot be determined by a pro-rata system of who has a larger mass of forces or equipment the IAF chief mentioned The thought process must change and it would be important to appreciate the capabilities of each service to make two plus two equal to five He stressed the need to develop joint command and control structures for integrated and synergised application of combat power The fundamental strengths of individual services must be brought together to deter potential enemies or decisively win the nations wars There is a need to wage tomorrows wars with pragmatism and not necessarily idealism Chaudhari noted PTI DSP NSD NSD

Before the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the senior-most among the three service chiefs used to be the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. New Delhi: Army Chief General MM Naravane will take charge as chairman of the chief’s of staff committee which is inclusive of three services chiefs, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday. After the death of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat in the IAF helicopter crash on December 8, the post was vacant.

New Delhi [India], November 23 (ANI): Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and Navy chief designate Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar were awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal from President Ram Nath Kovind in an investiture ceremony on Tuesday.

Bengaluru Oct 22 PTI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said efforts are on for ensuring further integration of Indias armed forces and related establishments at all levels aimed at readying the countrys military forces for any circumstances in the future As you are aware we are taking the initiatives for further integration of our armed forces and Defence Ministry towards a logical end In the days to come as the follow up process integration will be ensured in the theatre and in all the levels below it Singh said Speaking at a conclave here he said it will be implemented from procurement to indigenisation to prioritising capability development training and logistic support which will make the armed forces more capable efficient and self-reliant The Defence Minister said taking these initiatives forward the government is making efforts to improve efficiency in security and defence sector related other support establishments this includes- corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board efforts to encourage exports in the defence sector encouraging private sector in defence research development and manufacturing and efforts for self-reliance in the defence sector The governments intention is to ready our armed forces to any circumstances and is moving in this direction with speed he said The Defence Minister was speaking after inaugurating the three-day Indian Air Force Conclave at Yelahanka Air Force Station here to commemorate 50-years of victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war which is being celebrated this year as Swarnim Vijay Varsh Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat Chief of the Air Staff CAS Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka among others were present at the event The theme of the conclave Congruence of the politico-military thoughts and goals Birth of a Nation is apt as we celebrate the Swarnim Vijay Varsh Singh said It was the synergy and cooperation between the tri-services and the government that led to success in the 1971 war The 1971 war and Indias victory in it is specialas the main intention behind it was humanity and protection of democracy he said adding that the politico-military synergy led to our success The congruence of our politico-military thought and actions led to the birth of a new nation Bangladesh in Asia ending injustice and atrocities he said terming the 14-day war as the glorious chapter of Indias military history which saw the largest surrender in the world after the second world war with more than 93000 Pakistani soldiers surrendering Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said the global security environment and its impact on Indias defence and security comprises numerous and seamlessly interconnected issues Indias national security landscape is stressed on account of contours of emerging security scenarios ranging from sub-conventional threats to a possible conflict of a two-and-half front dimension The need to address consequences of instability and volatility in part of the immediate and extended neighbourhood remains our key priority he said These challenges and threats in turn demand distinct command structures for the Indian armed forces which involve tri-services cooperation and capabilities he added Noting that as a developing nation Indias priorities and security challenges make it essential that it pursue policies that best suit its long term interests the CDS said militarily this has translated into building capabilities over long term with a greater thrust on indigenisation to counter the future threats as well as address the requirements to meet future aspirations Though these augur unique challenges yet we stand as a confident articulate and rising nation willing to claim a rightful place in the comity of nations he added PTI KSU RS BN BN

New Delhi Oct 21 PTI The situation that developed in eastern Ladakh last year required acclimatisation of a large number of IAF personnel and stretching of equipment to limits but the force is much better prepared now in case there is a long haul Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said on Thursday In an interaction at a defence conclave here he also said that in the last one year due to the challenges faced in the harsh atmosphere of the region we have realised where we fell short whether it was in terms of adequate clothing shelters for people to live there The situation that developed in eastern Ladakh last year was something that we were not very familiar with particularly in the kind of environment that we needed to operate It required acclimatisation of a large number of personnel at short notice required stretching our equipment to limits which some of it were not cleared for he said The IAF chief said we have moved equipment to altitude well above the altitudes they were tried and tested for when we acquired those systems Following the escalation in tension in eastern Ladakh in mid-June last year the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft as well as its attack helicopters in the key air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the Line of Actual Control At the conclave held at the Constitution Club of India the IAF chief in response to a question also shared other challenges faced by the air force in the region There was also the challenge of continuously rotating the manpower to take care of their health he said As a result over the last one year we have realised where we fell short whether it was in terms of adequate clothing shelters for people to live there So we have overcome all those shortages now and I think we are better prepared in case there is a long haul we are prepared this winter much better than what we were last year he said During the 89th IAF Day speech at Hindon Airbase on October 8 Chaudhari had asserted that the IAFs prompt actions in response to developments in eastern Ladakh last year were a testament to its combat readiness The year gone by was quite challenging yet extremely rewarding he had said In response to another question on threats faced by India he said I can assure you that we are fully aware of the threats that we face and our acquisitions training and tactics developed to counter such a threat The IAF chief also said that the ability to seamlessly integrate new weapons new data into the network and train its personnel to operate them and keep them future-ready was the way forward I can say with some degree of confidence that the way we go about analysing the threat perception carrying out global scan of the political situation of the acquisitions and modernisation of the adversaries and to counter that we plan are our own acquisition for air force and linked to that is training and development of new tactics he said Every time you find there is an imbalance in technology and pure numbers we counter it with better tactics and better training the IAF chief added PTI KND ZMN ZMN

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 8 (ANI): On the occasion of 89th Indian Air Force Day, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Friday said that these are crucial times with regards to security scenario and external forces will not be allowed to violate our territory.