New Delhi, 26 July 2011: The outgoing Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P.V.Naik announced that the L1 (lowest bid) for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will be declared in five to six weeks time. The Indian Air Force (IAF) had completed the benchmarking and now it would be put up before the Cost Negotiation Committee (CNC).

Addressing his last press conference as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Naik said ‘it will happen anytime’ and Ministry of Defence would be calling the vendors to open the commercial bids. The CAS-designate N.A.K.Browne was also present at the press conference.

Reiterating the IAF’s approach, Naik said air defence, acquisitions and training of manpower would continue on massive scales to enhance IAF’s capabilities. Speaking later to SP Guide Publications, Naik said ‘from 2014, the capacities will expand considerably and it will take about five years with huge investments’ making the force one of the best in the world. The squadron levels are expected to go up in the next couple of years which at present is fluctuating between 30 and 34.

Asked about the highpoint in his career, Naik said ‘there have been many highpoints and many low points. The highpoint in my career came when I was the Vice Chief and we participated in the Red Flag exercise and came in for considerable praise and acclaim from the US Air Force and other air forces which participated.” The next Red Flag exercise is slated for 2013.

As to the highpoint during his tenure as the Air Chief, he said “it happened recently when three lady officers conquered Mount Everest.” Asked whether women would be enlisted in combat stream, now that a woman’s team had climbed Mount Everest, he remarked that the three Service chiefs were looking at it.

On the issue of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Naik replied with a categorical ‘no’. “In the present form it is not acceptable. We don’t have the technology to have CDS and that includes visibility, communication etc for a single-point contact with the Raksha Mantri. There has to be a national debate, but I don’t see it happen till another 10 years.”

Nuclearisation of Pakistan

To a question on nuclearisation of Pakistan, he replied ‘we are not worried’. The stated policy is to give a retaliatory and harsh response. The armed forces, he added, were being modernized and that the range of options for deployment would expand. “We have the capability to conduct a similar operation like Abbottabad,” he said to another query.

On the recent successful test of Prahar surface-to-surface missile, the Air Chief said “it is a good development” and its ownership could be with any of the three services. “For every target, we have multiple options, missiles, remotely piloted aircraft, and of course manned aircraft among them. What needs to be used at what point would be a tactical decision.” As for the medium combat aircraft, he said it was on the drawing board and it would be twin-engine aircraft, an improvement on LCA (Light Combat Aircraft).

Evaluations for heavy-lift and also attack helicopters were going on. On the purchase of basic trainers worth $1billion, he confirmed that Pilatus PC-7 had been shortlisted and there was no controversy in the bidding process.

The Air Chief also clarified that ‘gaps in intelligence will exist in any country, but the moves made by the Ministry of Home Affairs had been paying dividends. The intelligence levels will keep improving.”