The Rafale deal with France is yet to materialise, but the Indian Air Force is set to lose 54 fighter jets within the next six months. The planes - MiG 21s and MiG 27s, bought from Russia in the 60s and 70s - will be de-commissioned, bringing down the strength of the Air Force from 35 to 32 squadrons.
The Air Force - which needs at least 42 squadrons of 18 aircraft each to provide proper air cover at the Western and Northern borders - is now considering an unprecedented step to fill the gap, said sources.
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The IAF has told the government that it could divert four to six planes from the existing squadrons - depending on requirement - to keep the total number of squadrons intact.
"We will have to pull out about 50 odd aircrafts from other squadrons and make up 3 squadrons," a senior Air Force officer told NDTV.
The flip side will be that it will reduce the operational strength and therefore the fire power of the squadrons.
24/06/15 Sudhi Ranjan Sen/NDTV.com
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The Air Force - which needs at least 42 squadrons of 18 aircraft each to provide proper air cover at the Western and Northern borders - is now considering an unprecedented step to fill the gap, said sources.
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The IAF has told the government that it could divert four to six planes from the existing squadrons - depending on requirement - to keep the total number of squadrons intact.
"We will have to pull out about 50 odd aircrafts from other squadrons and make up 3 squadrons," a senior Air Force officer told NDTV.
The flip side will be that it will reduce the operational strength and therefore the fire power of the squadrons.
24/06/15 Sudhi Ranjan Sen/NDTV.com
