The head of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshall PV Naik, said this week that modernization plans include dominating the entire spectrum of information, cyberspace, and air space, according to an official release. India’s DNA reports that Paik said, “The modernization process would include preserving, maintaining, upgrading, and improving the current assets, as well as the cases for acquisition and replacements on a fast track.” The news service said the IAF is acquiring 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, new airborne early warning and control systems, heavy-lift transports, attack helicopters, and upgrading its MiG-29 and Mirage fighters. China View reports that Paik also recently said, “As the spectrum of capability gets wider we need to modernize to have capability edge over most of the air forces in the world.” (Readers may remember that India bested USAF fighters during an exercise a few years ago.)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
