MoD approves Army's demand for air assets
Undeterred by the stiff opposition from the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Army's plan to get combat air assets of its own is set to fructify. According to sources, ''the Army's demand for air assets has got the approval of the ministry of defence (MoD), which has asked the Army to bring about ''organisational'' changes to expedite acquisition and prioritise its requirements.''
Last week, during Army chief General Bikram Singh's first review meeting with defence minister AK Antony for the next two years' acquisition, the Army's demand to build a 'mini' air force by procuring Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and improving the airlift capability in the North-East was approved.
The IAF contends that 'air assets' are 'scarce resources' that should be handled by a force with operational expertise and requisite 'air-mindedness'. However, the Army is unconvinced and feels that the IAF can continue with its larger 'strategic role' and the 'tactical role' should be left to it.
As per plans, the Army is scheduled to get its first attack helicopter developed domestically Rudra soon. Rudra will be armed with 20mm turrent guns, 70 mm rockets, air-to-air missiles and anti-tank guided missiles. Along with this the Army has plans to have at least five fixed wings aircraft for each of its operational commands.
As per the Army's plans for its aviation wing—mooted in 2007 and to be implemented over a 15-year period ending 2022—the three strike corps would be beefed up with an aviation brigade comprising two squadrons of 12 attack helicopters each, apart from two squadrons with 15 helicopters each for tactical battle reconnaissance and casualty evacuation, top army sources said.
Apart from the 1, 2 and 21 strike Corps, the Army will also provide aviation brigades to each of its 10 pivot or defensive corps, but these would essentially be in the nature of tactical lift capabilities, with some offensive elements.
At present, the Army relies on two squadrons of Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters and Mi-17 medium-lift choppers of the IAF for testing its transformational concepts.
Defence ministry officials, when asked about the army's aviation plans, said the IAF would continue to play a ''strategic'' role while the army would acquire its air assets for a ''tactical'' role.
The Army, obviously, wants to have ''full command and control'' over the ''tactical'' operations of air assets so that it could meet its rapid deployment needs and for combat air support.
The Army is already looking at procuring 114 of the indigenously-developed light combat helicopter (LCH), which took to the skies for the first time in March 2010, and 64 of which IAF is buying.
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