Air Power Can Be Used Effectively Under 'Nuclear Overhang': IAF Chief On Balakot Strikes

"Operations like Balakot have also demonstrated that given the political will, aerospace power can be effectively used in a no war, no peace scenario," Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari. ( Image Source :PTI )

Reflecting on the nature of India's opponents, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari emphasised the essential role of air power on Tuesday. He said that the Balakot operations in 2019 shown how effective air power could be even in a "no war, no peace" situation and under a "nuclear overhang." Due to its "inherent flexibility" and "unmatched" precision strike capacity, according to the Chief of Air Staff, air power has emerged as a viable alternative. "Operations like Balakot have also demonstrated that given the political will, aerospace power can be effectively used in a no war, no peace scenario, under a nuclear overhang without escalating into a full blown conflict," he was quoted by PTI in its report. 

Speaking at a seminar on 'Aerospace Power: Pivot to Future Battlespace Operations', IAF Chief stated: "This is very important given the nature of our adversaries. The response options available to the leadership have suddenly increased and increasingly, air power has become an option of choice due to inherent flexibility and unmatched precision strike capability."

In retaliation for the terror assault in Pulwama that left 40 members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) dead, Indian warplanes bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training centre in Balakot, Pakistan, in February 2019.

"India's security concerns necessitate that it puts in place adequate military power that has the ability to achieve deterrence, ensure information dominance, coerce when needed and provide multiple response options," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

"Attributes of aerospace power enable the leadership to formulate an appropriate strategy with due cognizance given to the desired end state, conflict termination criteria and escalation matrix," he said.

According to the IAF head, given the benefits that aerospace power provides, it will play a significant role in next battlespace operations.

In order to do that, he continued, it will be essential to be able to govern the airspace between domains.

Technology has to be used, according to Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari, including manned-unmanned teaming, CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductors) sensors, and AI-enabled decision support systems.

He said that the development of next-generation fighter aircraft will be crucial in winning "tomorrow's wars".

"One aspect that deserves a special mention is the humans in the chain. Any amount of automation will not be effective unless we have well-trained, situationally-aware and technologically sound professionals handling our systems," the IAF Chief said. "To see first and see clearly, to reach first and reach farthest and to strike first and strike with precision will be the mantra for fighting modern wars," he added.

(With PTI Inputs)