The naval chief, Admiral Hari Kumar, in an interview in January this year, said: “The ongoing flux in the geopolitical situation and its security implications require India to adopt an integrated approach towards development of combat capability and its application, to protect its national interests. Developing multi-domain capabilities, launching joint operations, but without an integrated theatre operational plan supported by joint capability development, may be just wishful thinking. Hence, proponents of airpower insist that air resources must be centrally controlled.Īddressing the passing out parade at the National Defence Academy in May this year, Chaudhari stated, “It (future threats) require us to build multi-domain capabilities and execute operations simultaneously and in shortened time frames.” Earlier, in December 2021, addressing the Air Force Combined Graduation Parade, he had made a similar statement. There is no doubt that an aircraft launched from an airbase in the east, for operations in the west, could land in southern India, post completing its tasks, employing air-to-air refuellers. The Air Force had earlier questioned dividing its meagre resources between theatre commands claiming that current air assets are multi-role and can be effective over vast regions. Air defence of the country, less the battle zone, is the responsibility of the air force.ĪCM Chaudhari raised his latest objection to theaterisation which was being pursued by the late CDS, General Bipin Rawat.
Their effectiveness is determined by them being integrated into a larger system for early warning and target selection and engagement. Current air defence systems need to be capable of countering a variety of aerial threats ranging from drones, aircraft and missiles. What he implied was that the air force would integrate all air defence elements employing its Integrated Air Command and Control Systems while simultaneously being unwilling to establish an air defence command. On air defence, Chaudhari emphasised “independent air defence systems in the field will have very little relevance in tomorrow’s wars unless they are a part of a larger integrated air defence system”. He justified his comments by saying that “air defence and offensive air missions are interdependent and if executed in isolation, these would not only be disjointed but also ineffective in design or execution of the joint strategy”. Addressing a seminar in Delhi, the current Air Chief, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) VR Chaudhari, mentioned that creation of an air defence theatre command “may prove counterproductive”.