Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, the chief of the Indian Air Force, announced on Saturday that the government has approved the establishment of a weapon system branch for IAF officers. The IAF chief announced on Air Force Day that this is the first time since independence that a new operational branch has been established. According to the IAF chief, this will essentially handle all types of latest weapon systems in the force and save $3,400 crore. He also stated that the IAF intends to induct female Agnives next year.
Induction of air warriors into the Indian Air Force via the Agnipath scheme is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity“harness the potential of India”.
“We have changed our operational training methodology to ensure that each Agniveer is equipped with the right skills and knowledge to start a career in IAF. In December this year, we would be inducting 3,000 Agniveer Vayu for initial training. This number will go up in the years to come to ensure adequate staffing,” the IAF chief said.
“We are also planning on induction of women Agniveers starting next year. Creation of infrastructure is in progress,” the IAF chief said.
The IAF has faced its fair share of challenges in the last year, and the force has met them all head on with all guns blazing, whether it’s continued deployment along borders or rescuing Indians from conflict zones, the IAF chief said in congratulating the force.
As the IAF chief outlined the challenges ahead, he stated that the traditional domains of land, sea, and air have expanded to include space and cyber, resulting in hybrid warfare. As a result, conventional systems and weapons must be updated with modern, adaptable technology. “We must accept that tomorrow’s conflicts can’t be fought with yesterday’s mindset,” he said.