The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has approved the creation of a new branch, called the Weapon Systems (WS) Branch, in a historic move for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in honour of the 90th anniversary of the IAF on October 8, 2022.
- This is the first time since India’s independence that a new operational branch has been established.
During the occasion, a new combat uniform pattern for IAF personnel was also unveiled.
The Weapon Systems (WS) Branch:
i.The establishment of a WS branch would imply the consolidation of all weapon system operators into a single entity committed to the operational use of all ground-based and specialized airborne weapon systems.
ii.Four specialized streams included in the branch: Surface-To-Surface Missiles; Surface-To-Air Missiles; Remotely Piloted Aircraft & Weapon System Operators in Twin or Multi-Crew Aircraft.
iii.The establishment of this branch would result in savings of around Rs. 3,400 crore due to lower cost on flying training.
90th Anniversary of The Indian Air Force (IAF)
i.The IAF Day fly-past 2022 took place at the Sukhna Lake complex in Chandigarh.
- The annual IAF Day parade and fly-past celebrations were hosted outside of the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) for the first time, and it has been decided that they will be conducted in other locations across India in the future.
ii.The theme of the IAF’s 90th anniversary is “Transforming for the Future.”
iii.On January 15, 2023, the Indian Army Day Parade will be held for the first time ever outside of the NCR in the Southern Command Area.
Key Commitments of IAF:
i.The IAF intends to begin inducting female ‘Agniveers’ in 2023.
ii.It will begin training 3,000 “Agniveer Vayu” in December 2022.
iii.The IAF is actively pursuing the acquisition of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (ISTAR), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) technologies & securing its networks.
iv.Six Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) Mark-II (Mk-II) have been sanctioned for indigenous development.
v.IAF’s commitment to achieving self-reliance is proven by the development of the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), the Air Force Network (AFNet) [communication network setup], and Electronic Maintenance Management System (e-MMS) [its initiative to go paperless].
vi.Indigenous equipment that has already been introduced & deployed in IAF: Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Akash surface-to-air missile, Astra beyond-visual-range (BVR), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), and BrahMos.
vii.The IAF has secured a deal for 83 LCA Mk 1A and is committed to the development of LCA Mk-II and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Recent Related News:
In September 2022, the Kharga Corps of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted the joint exercise “Gagan Strike” in Punjab, to demonstrate the strength and prowess of the armed forces.
About Indian Air Force (IAF):
Chief of the Air Staff – Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari
Established – 1932
Motto – Touch The Sky with Glory
