The Hindu : IAF can face any challenge, says Air Chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 15, 2004

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IAF can face any challenge, says Air Chief

By Sandeep Joshi

POKHRAN (RAJASTHAN), MARCH 14. The Indian Air Force (IAF)has enough capabilities to face any challenge from the enemy, the Air Chief Marshal, S. Krishnaswamy, said here today. The Advanced Jet Trainer "Tejas" would soon be inducted into the IAF, while the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) project was going on steadily and it could be inducted by ready by 2007-08.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of "Vayu Shakti 2004" , he said the LCA project, suffered from some technical difficulties and they were being sorted out.

"We are upgrading our capabilities as well as out fighter planes step by step. We have already upgraded MiG-21 successfully by deploying indigenously developed avionics. This upgradation has already been done on Sukhoi-31 while Jaguar and MiG-27 are next on the pipeline. Our aim is to get more mileage from what we have. New projects will take time to get accomplished. Till then we have to improve on what we have," the Air Chief Marshal said.

The country was on the verge of joining a select group of nations that manufacture engines for the aviation industry as the indigenously-built Kaveri engine that was in the final stage of development, would be ready soon. The Kaveri engine would be used on the LCA.The IAF chief said for Phalcon, the Airborne Warning And Control Systems (AWACS) systems from Israel, they would have to wait for another three years as the system needed modifications before being delivered. The IAF was working on the technicalities and compatibility of Phalcon so that the systems were compatible to the IAF.

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