India currently has two attack helicopter units, both under the command and control of the Army, but flown and maintained by IAF pilots and personnel. Seems pretty clear that the government’s approval today means (a) that the two Mi-25/35 flights under two helicopter units will soon be flown by Army Aviation pilots (the choppers are in IAF livery) and the IAF will raise new units to house the 22 new attack helicopters (prospectively, the Boeing AH-64D Apache Block III) and, later, the Light Combat Helicopter. (b) The Mi-25/35s will be transferred to IAF command and control, while the Army raises new units and floats fresh requirements (it already stands to receive the Dhruv-WSI), or (c) a status quo on command and control of the current units, until new platforms enter service.
This is really really a good news. One massive lacuna in our army is being filled. Some outsiders may think what is the big deal as everthing was with India only but it indeed is a major deal as now the reaction time will be dramatically reduced and further choppers will be required to aid army.
not understood shiv
that is to say which of the options (a, b,c) has the govt enforced (if at all) or have they created greater confusion where enough exists!
Please add few billion more to our import list. Without resounding economical growth, no amount of military equipment is useful: USSR is a pre example. Reading about a negative outlook on Indian economy with way too many imports, falling rupee and stagnant investment in critical areas takes away any perceived comfort from expensive weapons purchases.
That's a good move. Anyone who understands logistics of today's warfare will not oppose such a move. My concern- Are 22 Apaches sufficient for such a big country. LCH is a different class of helo, so cannot replace completely Apache's kill power!
this is a confusing article.. can someone explain wtf the author is saying…
Hip hip hoorah! This is great news. In today's and future battlefields the old-fashioned Tank is being replaced by attack helos and UAVs. The army has full right to choose its resources and platforms to accomplish its objectives. As for IAF, the Sky is NOT the limit, there is still near Space and then Deep Space to look at! What is the IAF waiting for? Get into Space/Deep Space mission and control! Understand the space environs more intimately, explore the inter-planatery solar-system and envision futuristic inter-stellar space missions. God damn it, I am already nearing 40, I wish to see India a space power with colony at Mars in the next 20 years. Make it happen, by any and all means.
Finally!! Long overdue.. but better late than never..
Let the Army have their own units. Lack of co-ordination between Army and Airforce has been suffered country a lot. Army understands need of usuage of its attack units batter than Airforce. So why can't Army have their own little "Airforce" which can proved invaluable at the time actual offencive and defencive situations.
can i have one unit pls????????
ohh, today morning i received message which said that i had won 850,000 pounds………damn those scmasters
First to comment…YAY!
Shiv Sir,
is there any news for CH47 chinook deal?
Now hopefully the Air Force will concentrate on its main mission of Air superiority and Air Dominance instead of going around crying – everything that flies is mine! INtegrated CLose Support for the Army is better off with the Army and now the Air Force can now focus on long range interdiction
IAF is going for apache, and let army go for Mi-28 or Ka-52.
Rafale crash again! This is the fifth in as many years.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_07_03/80043326/
India choose poorly for the MMRCA.
IAF objection is very bad and fales USA and other strong country r idot ther land force operate own attack heli good job INDIAN ARMY
Welcome decision. Now the Air Force can focus on Air Dominance instead of Close Support and real strategic targeting. I only hope the AIr Force doesnt cry wolf and resort to the ancient "Anything that flies is ours" argument !
Will 22 Apaches and few mi 25,35 would be adequate to support the armored divisions?
Will LCH have 6 hard points or just 4?
If all the Mi 25/35 are deployed in the north east what would be left for the north west,east and the western sector?we won't be having any attack helicopters there.
Israeli air force has 60 + attack helicopters which is huge as compared to Indian air force.
Thank God General VK Singh's letter to the PM got leaked else Mr. Antony would have been sleeping.
Someone must be with a higher IQ.
This is a very good move. Army must have it's close ground troop support aerial assets under it's own control.
I question the very rationale that the IAF needs attack choppers!
Why does IAF HQ want to be mucking around in the intense confusion of the FEBA in attack choppers? I understand the rationale behind the 1980s agreement behind the IAF-IA agreement. Budgets were scare then and there was a fear that taking anything flying with teeth away from the IAF would be a budget nightmare. Also command and control was an issue with no AWACS and only ground control. We are beyond all that now, the IAF gets what it wishes for and for all practical purposes if the IA choppers squawk the right IFF and keep the AWACS in loop of their activities, they should be fine.
There needs to be a serious rationalisation of the rotary assets the IAF needs. Yes, it needs light, medium and heavy lift but the numbers could be sized down. It makes more sense of the IA at the theatre command level to be in ownership of more transport assets and at corps and div level attack assets. If the IA can manage some amount of FEBA duties with its attack fleet, it frees up fleets of ground attack bombers of the IAF for much bigger tasks.
Warthog should be bought cheaply from USA and handed over to Indian Army (not IAF). This would be a huge huge force multiplier in real terms for the Indian army. Much cheaper than artillery even, as one plane can cover much more area in packs, where the actual fighting is taking place. This one plane did more damage during various wars that USA has fought than any other plane or military equipment. And it is cheap also. Very very effective. Indian army must have it ASAP
What IA needs is solution to man portable anti-aircraft missiles such as stingers. Pakistan has plenty of such missiles available with its forward deployed troops as well as the irregular mujahideen corps (aka terrorists). What use are the Attack helos or the Warthogs against such missiles, especially since these are low-flying targets. All air-war during Kargil operations were done from a very high ceiling, beyond the reach of stinger like missiles.
India undoubtedly needs more stealth UCAVs, which are becoming the standard delivery systems in developed world. IA and IAF need to ramp up research, development and fabrication of such UCAVs. Let there be competition between private companies and HAL for such designs. May the best design win.
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