THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The responsibilities of the Southern Air Command (SAC), the youngest of the IAF Commands, is set to go up by quite a few notches.
From April 1 this year, all maritime assets of the Indian Air Force will be placed under the Southern Command, SAC chief Air Marshal S Radhakrishnan said on Friday.
At present, the Maritime Air Operations Headquarters at Mumbai handles maritime operations of the IAF. The Mumbai setup will remain, but the operational control of the maritime assets will be vested with the SAC, Radhakrishnan said.
“The role and responsibilities of the Command is going to increase.
In the past, we were looking after only the south and east seas,” Radhakrishnan said.
Aircraft modified to handle maritime assets such as a full squadron of Jaguars fitted with anti-ship missiles and Sukhoi- 30s with specialised weapons for maritime strikes will come under the SAC.
NEW ACQUISITIONS FOR SOUTH
Radhakrishnan said that more operational assets will be introduced to the South. The number of fighters and radars in the peninsula will be increased as part of enhancing air defence.
In the long-run, the IAF plans to install a radar in the Lakshadweep Islands. And in all likelihood, the SAC also stands to get an AWACS by next year.
“We should be able to take on any threat,” Radhakrishnan said.
Also in another two years, an Aerostat Radar with the capability of detection at lower heights and a greater range could be placed close to Tamil Nadu.
DAKSHIN PRAHAR
The ongoing Dakshin Prahar exercise is designed to test the air defence capabilities of the IAF, Radhakrishnan said. The entire operation is being co-ordinated from the SAC HQ at Thiruvananthapuram, he said. So far, the security situation in the south has been “benign,” but the increase in the reach of countries like China and Pakistan and the presence of sensitive targets in the peninsula has vested the SAC with more responsibilities, he said.
LAND FOR BRAHMOS
On a proposal by BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL) for exchange of land with the IAF for the formers’s second phase development, Air Marshal Radhakrishnan said that no decision has been taken on it so far. “They have approached us. We’ve agreed to exchange our land if they can provide us with suitable land.”