The country's prestigious Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme as well as induction of air defence missiles Akash and Trishul are facing more slippages triggering a threat of technological obsolescence in the combat capabilities of Air Force. The defence ministry has conveyed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on defence that the LCA could be operational only after 2012 and that there would be considerable delay in the planned induction time frame of the Akash and Trishul missiles to which the committee has expressed its unhappiness.
Pulling up the Government for being remiss in strengthening the Air Force, the committee in its ninth report tabled in Parliament on Monday said that it had been informed that the technological obsolescence was not only affecting the fighter aircrafts, but also the air defence radars and missiles. Almost Rs 3,000 crores have been invested in the LCA and the Committee tend to agree with the assessment of the IAF that it may not be inducted before 2015 meaning it would have taken 32 years before the LCA would be inducted. The committee observed asking the Government to view the situation seriously and conduct a performance audit of the project. On induction of force multipliers like Awacs and Flight Refuelling Aircraft (FRA), the committee has been informed that these acquisitions were taking time as IAF was faced with a situation of no single vendor in the absence of US firms not bidding. Bureau Report