‘Lesson for us’: IAF Chief AP Singh on Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, Russian Su-57s, fifth generation AMCA, honey trap | Today’s news
Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Marshal AP Singh has praised Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for his “extraordinary” bravery during the deadly attack on board a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight earlier this week. Singh said Machchhar had shown “great physical and mental determination”.
Air Force Chief AP Singh was speaking at his annual press conference in New Delhi on Saturday.
During the event, he shed light on a number of issues surrounding delays in AMCA’s fifth-generation fighter jet program. He also said that Russia has offered its Su-57 jets to India.
Here are the best quotes of IAF Chief AP Singh:
1. Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar: “What he did is exceptionally brave. He showed great physical and mental determination. It is a lesson for us,” Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said at an annual press conference in New Delhi on Saturday.
2. He said the IAF could consider an alternative fifth-generation fighter if the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program faces further delays. “We may have to look at other combat platforms in case of delays in AMCA’s fifth generation programmes,” the IAF chief said.
3. On whether HAL will be penalized for the delay in LCA Mark 1A, IAF Air Chief AP Singh said, “It happens that you plan something but things get delayed. But this time the delay was big. We are also looking at Mark 2. All these will be able to fill the gaps that exist…”
4. On the IAF being given the responsibility of transporting the NEET-UG examination papers, IAF Air Chief AP Singh said, “If we have the capability to help any process, we should be able to help it. It doesn’t matter what it is.”
5. Russia has offered Su-57 jets but no decision has been made, IAF chief AP Singh said, adding that the multi-role fighter deal may be finalized this financial year but it will depend on many other factors.
“Russia has offered the Su-57, but no decision has been taken yet. We would like to increase the number of aircraft in our inventory,” he said. “We need 36 to 40 aircraft every year,” he said, referring to the reduction in the number of fighter squadrons.
6. On the formation of the drone unit, IAF chief AP Singh says, “Drones are not revolutionary for the Indian Air Force but evolutionary. The number of drones and roaming munitions are increasing. Whether we need a separate drone unit, I don’t think so. They should be part of the same set-up and we have to work together, so we cannot work together with other weapons.” somewhere a type of weapon separately and another type of weapon separately, so we did not consider a separate drone.”
7. IAF chief AP Singh also warned air force personnel against “trapping the honey”. He said: “Wherever people are involved, mistakes can happen but these are cases that are subservient…we have alerted our people…wherever I go, I personally speak to people and tell them how they can be caught in a honey trap,” he said.
8. “We need to have an AI-enhanced force,” IAF chief AP Singh said
