On Saturday, September 8, the Indian Air Force commemorated its 90th year of existence. IAF: Transforming for the Future will serve as the theme for this year’s jubilee events. Let’s look at the events and the key announcements that were made:
Ceremonial parade
To commemorate the IAF anniversary, a ceremonial parade was staged at the Chandigarh Air Force Base. A march-past followed it. When the IAF chief arrived, 3 Mi-17V5, under the command of Wing Commander Vishal Jain, flew in an ensign formation. Senior officers from the three services, the Ministry of Defence, Western Air Command, Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran, and veterans were among those in attendance.
Fly past
At a fly-past commemorating Air Force Day that will take place at the Sukhna Lake complex later in the day, President Droupadi Murmu and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will be present. The IAF’s traditional Air Force Day parade and fly-past will take place outside of the Delhi-NCR for the first time this year. The IAF chief declared, ‘In a departure from custom, we have chosen to host the AF Day parade in Chandigarh this year and in various sites throughout the country moving forward’.
The IAF’s diverse roles
The IAF, according to Chaudhari, has faced its fair share of difficulties in the past year and has overcome them ‘head on and with all guns blazing’. The IAF head claimed that they had carried out a wide range of tasks, from ongoing deployment along our borders to carrying out disaster relief operations and rescuing stranded Indians from conflict zones. According to him, space and cyberspace have joined the conventional domains of land, sea, and air to form a single continuity of hybrid warfare.
A fresh battle outfit
An updated combat uniform design for IAF soldiers was introduced at the time. The new camouflage combat suit of the Indian Air Force resembles the equipment used by the army. The computerised design of the new uniform makes it possible for soldiers to move freely across deserts, steep terrain, forests, etc. According to Times Now, the battle fatigues’ previous organic patterns have been replaced by pixelated ones. In addition to the new pattern, the IAF uniform will include a new lightweight fabric that is breathable, which will enhance comfort and efficiency.
New branch for weapon systems
According to Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, the formation of a weapon system branch for Indian Air Force officers has received approval from the national government, saving the service $410 million or INR 3,400 crore on flying training. Since Independence, a new operational branch has not been established, according to him. According to him, the new branch will primarily staff the specialised streams of operators for remotely piloted aircraft, surface-to-surface missiles, and surface-to-air missiles.
Women agniveers
Women agniveers Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari also disclosed that the IAF intends to begin hiring women as agnives beginning in 2019. According to Chaudhari, the Agnipath scheme’s induction of airmen into the IAF is both a challenge and a chance to utilise the youth of India’s ability for the sake of the country. He added that the IAF will induct 3,000 ‘Agniveer Vayu’ for their initial training in December. ‘We have revised our operational training approach to guarantee that each Agniveer is equipped with the proper skills and knowledge to start their career in the Air Force,’ he said.
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