The IAF has been hitting dead ends frequently in its efforts to find a basic trainer. Plans for the induction of sophisticated and expensive aerial platforms are meaningless without the basic wherewithal to train pilots.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is embarked on a major transformation exercise to not only arrest the rapid decline but also to bring about a decisive reversal in its operational potential in all segments of its capability spectrum. Assets of the IAF, 50 per cent of which as per former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik had been overtaken by obsolescence and ought to have been replaced long ago. These are now set to give way to modern fourth generation platforms such as the 126 Dassault Rafale, ten Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, six additional C-130J Super Hercules and 22 AH-64D Apache Longbow, not forgetting hundreds of Tejas Mk I & II, indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) to be followed by the indigenous medium combat aircraft yet on the drawing board. Apart from these, the IAF is scheduled to induct additional Phalcon radar equipped AWACS, Embraer 145-based AEW&C platforms and flight refuelling aircraft. The IAF is also seeking to leapfrog into the next generation through partnership with Sukhoi of Russia to induct by the end of this decade, large numbers of the fifth generation fighter aircraft. The number of combat squadrons is slated to increase from the current level of under 34 to 42 over the next ten years. It goes without saying that with over 23 per cent increase in the size of the combat fleet and induction of a variety of other sophisticated fixed and rotary wing aircraft, the IAF will need a substantial increase in the number of pilots to exploit the operational potential of these assets.

Unfortunately, pilot training is the area in which the IAF will be in difficulty as there is a serious dichotomy in the implementation of the scheme for transformation of the IAF. While the organisation is moving forward successfully inducting sophisticated hardware, it has been without a basic trainer since July 31, 2009, when following a series of accidents and in one in which two flying instructors lost their lives; the basic trainer fleet of HPT-32 aircraft was grounded.

After a laborious tendering and evaluation exercise in accordance with the rather complex Defence Procurement Procedure for the selection of a foreign vendor for direct purchase of 75 basic trainer aircraft, the IAF finally zeroed in on Pilatus of Switzerland to supply its turboprop basic trainer, the PC-7. Thereafter, it has taken nearly a year and a half since the field evaluation was completed by the IAF to finally obtain clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for the proposal valued at Rs. 1,800 crore. But the wait for the IAF is far from over as finalisation of contract and delivery of 75 aircraft may still be a few years away. It appears that basic training of pilots will continue to be adversely affected for some time to come. The very first roadblock in the tendering process was a protest filed by rival Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) pointing out that the leading contender Pilatus had “failed to submit a critical maintenance transfer of technology (MTOT) cost assessment”. KAI stated that as Pilatus was non-compliant with the terms of the tender, it ought to have been disqualified; but was not. Given the penchant for transparency, adherence to procedure and zero tolerance for corruption on the part of the Ministry of Defence, there was no way that the deal could move forward without comprehensive investigation and bona fides established. It is understood that after some hard bargaining with assistance from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the price quotation has been substantially reduced.