Air Marshal Ramesh Rai (retd)

‘If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking’ — General George S. Patton, US Army

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) announced setting up of a Joint Air Defence Command (JADC), soon after assuming office, as an apparent first step towards establishing joint/ theatre commands. Purportedly, the JADC would be a tri-service functional command, headed by the Indian Air Force (IAF), with Air Defence (AD) infrastructure of the army and the Indian Navy also as part of the scheme.

Even as VCAS heads a committee to work out the roadmap for its implementation, many senior retired officers, of all three services, are troubled with this idea. Lt Gen. (Dr) Prakash Menon in his discussion document titled ‘India’s Theatre Command System’ cites that a controversy has already arisen, since the CDS, supposedly without proper consultation and study, has decided that there shall be a functional Air Defence Command. This must be avoided. Air Marshal S.S. Soman, in an article, titled ‘Air Defence Command—Need for a Rethink’ opines that the Air Defence Command would have no operational role during war and hence, the need to rethink on the decision for its establishment.

Illustrating further, Air Marshal Anil Chopra cites in an article titled ‘Air Defence Command—Need to Hasten Slowly’, that the Aerospace Defence Command created for continental air defence of the United States in 1968 was deactivated in 1980, primarily, due to large number of aircraft having multiple roles, and limited specialised assets. Another commentary titled ‘Centrality of Indian Air Power via a Central Command’ authored by Rear Admiral Sudarshan Y Shrikhande, describes how the Russian Air Defence Forces, created as an independent service at par with the others, were absorbed into the Soviet Air Force in 1977. Left to operate with just surface-to-air missiles and Ballistic Missile Defence assets, it was finally merged with the Russian Air Force on 1 January 1999. Ironically, when most militaries around the world have either de-activated or merged Air Defence Commands (ADC) with their air forces, we are contemplating dividing our air force to forge one.

S-400 ADMS

Counter-Air Operations

An analysis of armed conflicts from the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century unequivocally indicate the strategic significance of air power in achieving military aims. Gaining command/ control of the air has emphatically emerged as a pre-requisite for victory. Without this control, one’s portion is defeat and willy-nilly acceptance of whatever circumstances the enemy may impose.

Counter-air campaign is the bedrock of operations fo