NEW DELHI: The IAF will work to incorporate new technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and 5G into its systems, while enhancing the utilization of the cyber and space domains to bolster its combat effectiveness for the battles of the future.
Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria, addressing the IAF commanders’ conference on Friday, said the force also has to continuously update its war-fighting doctrines, tactics and procedures while “reorienting for future challenges across all threat domains”. He also talked about the roadmap for effective utilization of assets and future inductions in the years ahead.
Chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Army chief General M M Naravane, in turn, dwelt upon future war-fighting through joint planning and integration of service capabilities, said officials.
The conference also discussed the contours of the operational philosophy and organizational aspects of air defence and joint command structures. This comes head of the impending creation of the tri-Service “functional” Air Defence Command (ADC) and the “geographical” Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) this year.
They will then be followed by theatre commands along the land borders with China and Pakistan for a greater integrated military punch, as part of the biggest-ever restructuring underway in the armed forces, as was earlier reported by TOI.
The ADC, which will be steered by the IAF, will be responsible for guarding the country’s airspace against hostile aircraft, missiles, helicopters and drones in an integrated manner. It will bring together all the air defence weapon systems of the Army, Navy and IAF under its operational command.