IAF and Army Adopt Unified Maintenance Approach to Improve Shared Platforms' Performance

New Delhi, India – Indian military forces are preparing to take a significant leap towards integrated operations. In a strategic move designed to boost efficiency and coordination, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Army will synchronize their maintenance crews for several shared aerial platforms.

This news was revealed by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhuri in a discussion with Nitin A. Gokhale, Editor-in-Chief of Bharat Shakti.

Streamlining Operations: The ALH-Dhruv and Beyond​

The initial focus of this collaborative effort will be on the ALH-Dhruv, an advanced utility helicopter operated by both the Army and the IAF.

Currently, each force maintains its own crews to service the helicopter. By consolidating maintenance, the Indian armed forces stand to gain several benefits:

• Improved efficiency: Synchronizing maintenance teams will reduce redundancies and create more streamlined procedures. This could significantly shorten turnaround times for maintenance operations and make better use of available resources.
• Enhanced expertise: Combining the experience and knowledge bases of IAF and Army maintenance personnel will lead to a deeper understanding of these platforms and their maintenance requirements, potentially uncovering new best practices.
• Optimized costs: Through shared resources and reduced duplication of efforts, this initiative has the potential to reduce overall maintenance costs.

This exciting collaboration won't be limited to the ALH-Dhruv. The strategy is expected to encompass other shared platforms like the Apache attack helicopter, the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), and could extend to the future Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) project.

The Future of Interoperability​

The decision to synchronize maintenance crews indicates a major move towards greater collaboration and joint efforts between the Indian Air Force and Army.

This has positive implications for operational efficiency, resource optimization, and ultimately, a stronger and more coordinated national defense strategy.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

this should have been done long time ago. When theaterisation is completed, every theater should work together like a machine.

 

[Kira]

Yet needlessly fighting for same aviation assets like Apaches.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Yet needlessly fighting for same aviation assets like Apaches.

Resources are limited, so obviously they will compete.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

Wow! We have so bright minds as heads of the forces. It took them so long to realize that pooling of resources is beneficial rather than squabbling over ownership of platforms!!

 

[Enforcer]

Great move, this should have been done long time back AND ALSO PILOT TRAINING TOO!!!

Another HUGE THING, I love the Air Force but they are the big problem!!! All attack helicopters NEEDS to be under the army. Attack helicopters are first level air support for the army. It’s very inefficient and time wasting for the army to always call the Air Force and make requests for air support when people are dying on the battlefield. ALL MODERN ARMIES UNDERSTAND THAT AND ATTACK HELICOPTERS ARE ARMY ASSETS. Air Force needs to stop being greedy and unreasonable, it is not 1960’s.

 

[Enforcer]

Resources are limited, so obviously they will compete.

You are not understanding the point. All Attack helicopters are under the army for all major militaries around the world. Air Force needs to give up the attack helicopters to army and they should really focus on ground attack tactics with their fighter jets.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

You are not understanding the point. All Attack helicopters are under the army for all major militaries around the world. Air Force needs to give up the attack helicopters to army and they should really focus on ground attack tactics with their fighter jets.

Where is the rule that says that air force cant use attack helicopters?

Army uses attack helicopters forbits own purposes, whether to complement their ground forces during assault, or take out enemy ground positions during assault.

Similarly air force can use attack helicopters to carry out its own offensive actions. There are missions where helicopters are btter suited than ground attack aircraft.

USAF may not use attack helicopters, because air force has special assets like A-10. IAF does not have similar systems. IAF relies heavily on multirole fighters, which are not designed solely for ground attack role

 

[Enforcer]

Where is the rule that says that air force cant use attack helicopters?

Army uses attack helicopters forbits own purposes, whether to complement their ground forces during assault, or take out enemy ground positions during assault.

Similarly air force can use attack helicopters to carry out its own offensive actions. There are missions where helicopters are btter suited than ground attack aircraft.

USAF may not use attack helicopters, because air force has special assets like A-10. IAF does not have similar systems. IAF relies heavily on multirole fighters, which are not designed solely for ground attack role

Then tell me what role or job would the Air Force’ attack helicopters serve that is different than army’s? Please answer me that.

Also btw, US Air Force is retiring the A 10s soon.

 

[NSR]

Guys, if you watch movies like Blackhawk Down, Lone Survivor, etc, then you will understand that all of Apache attack helicopters and Chinook transport helicopters are under the command of local Army commanders conducting war for instant deployments of attack helicopters and immediate deployments of troops to fights along HOT sections of warzones.

IAF must divest of itself of all of its Apaches to Army Aviation and make do with Indian LCH/Rudra attack helicopters for its base securities.
IAF fighting for Apaches is sheer power grab motive only.

Defense Minister should put his foot down hard on IAF sooner than later to make India more defendable.

 

[Pink Panther]

this should have been done long time ago. When theaterisation is completed, every theater should work together like a machine.

we are already doing this with MIG-29 and MIG-29K’s, Navy and Airforce are sharing, the decision to purchase 26 Rafale-M’s is to do the same-thing, so that we don’t need to purchase anymore expensive platform’s like Rafale, if there is a need they might go for 36 more Rafale’s, if not they will use the savings to buy 114 cheaper comparable Aircraft’s for MRFA.

 

[desigandu]

Theater Commands should be started soon.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Then tell me what role or job would the Air Force’ attack helicopters serve that is different than army’s? Please answer me that.

Also btw, US Air Force is retiring the A 10s soon.

Dude, you should listen to an interview given by the air force chief. He was asked question regarding role of air force.

He said that IAF had played major roles in 65 and 71 wars. Rather than just running air defence sorties or ground support sorties, many offensive operations were also taken. These include attacking enemy air strips and other important targets ddeep behind enemy lines. Indian Mig21s had attacked the east pakistan governors house, while he was still there. He almost surrendered then and there.

This offensive role IAF has not played since then. During kargil war, IAF played support role only. That is why most Indians ask questions like you, we have forgotten importance of IAF and think army air wing can handle it.

IAF is needs to be capable of taking offensive actions independent of army. All air forces around the world demand that.

 

[Prashu Sam]

Guys, if you watch movies like Blackhawk Down, Lone Survivor, etc, then you will understand that all of Apache attack helicopters and Chinook transport helicopters are under the command of local Army commanders conducting war for instant deployments of attack helicopters and immediate deployments of troops to fights along HOT sections of warzones.

IAF must divest of itself of all of its Apaches to Army Aviation and make do with Indian LCH/Rudra attack helicopters for its base securities.
IAF fighting for Apaches is sheer power grab motive only.

Defense Minister should put his foot down hard on IAF sooner than later to make India more defendable.

Although unified theater command is the answer. It is very true that helo fleet should be under Armys control and IAF is simply trying to retain the power. There argument is pilots are coming out of IAF academy.

Air defense, Helicopters and Transportation need to first unified as it is always Army, air force combined operations. Synergy between these two forces was concerned for very long time as they both need to follow chain of command. It must be together

 

[NSR]

Although unified theater command is the answer. It is very true that helo fleet should be under Armys control and IAF is simply trying to retain the power. There argument is pilots are coming out of IAF academy.

Air defense, Helicopters and Transportation need to first unified as it is always Army, air force combined operations. Synergy between these two forces was concerned for very long time as they both need to follow chain of command. It must be together

Remember all helicopter and fighter pilots for Indian Navy or Indian Army comes from IAF academy but later branches out to other forces during assignments after graduation.
That is how it works in the USA.

Just because the pilots comes out of IAF should not give it control on assets of Army or Navy.

IAF must cede the assets immediately and concentrate on strategic air war against two bitter enemies.
Keeping Apaches and Chinooks in their hangars and polishing them is not their primary duty.

 

[Sandeep]

This will not make any meaningful impact until they develop theatre commands as even if they are trained together then each person will just go back to their unit command. Each command has engineers on active role but there will always be some who are either on leave, sick or absent and this will be the same for the air force or army. With a theatre command it doesn't require so many people to be on active or off duty.