Focus on enhancing operational capabilities: IAF chief

IAF is passing through “challenging” times and its focus will be to enhance operational capabilities and security, its chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said on Tuesday.

“The IAF is going through a very busy and a challenging period and our focus now, at all times must be on three priority areas-operational capability, infrastructure and security, especially in view of new inductions in the force’s inventory,” he said while addressing the three-day Commanders’ Conference which began here this morning.

Air Force officials said the focus of the conference is on critical Electronic Warfare Systems required by the force.

The meeting will also do “a thorough review of the external and internal security situation, as also the ramifications in the next two years”, they said.

Browne had recently said that the security situation in country’s neighbourhood was a “matter of serious concern“.

“The present times are both interesting and challenging.

The deteriorating security situation in the neighbourhood and its frequent violent manifestations are a matter of serious concern to us,” he had said in his Air Force Day speech on October eight.

Issues related to cyber security and infrastructure development along with welfare measures for jawans would also come up for discussion during the conference which is being attended by all senior officers of the force.

The Combined Commanders’ Conference of all the three Services will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

A three day bi-annual Air Force Commanders’ Conference with a focus on – ‘Electronic Warfare and Support Systems’, commenced at the Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi, today. The Air Force level conference is being attended by the Commanders of all the Operational Commands, Training and Maintenance Commands, as well as by the Principal Staff Officers at the Air Headquarters.

Addressing the Commanders, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, said, “I am as proud as each one of you in leading the IAF and its Commands, in this defining phase of the IAF's history . The IAF is going through a very busy and a challenging period and our focus now, at all times must be, on three priority areas – Op Capability, Op Infrastructure and Op Security, especially in view of new inductions in the IAF's inventory.”

During the conference, a thorough review of the external and internal security situation would be carried out, as also its ramifications in the next two years.

Over the three days, the conference would also see the Commanders discuss key issues, relating to Operations, Maintenance, Infrastructure Development, Cyber Security and most importantly HR issues relating to the training of Air Warriors.