'Operational capability and aerospace safety complementary to each other'

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari pitched for focussing on a seamless blending of old and new technologies, while maintaining a good safety record for various IAF aircraft

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari on Tuesday pitched for focussing on a seamless blending of old and new technologies, while maintaining a good safety record for various aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

In an address at a conference, he also said operational capability and aerospace safety are complementary and symbiotic with each other.

"In the pursuit of operational goals, preservation of our resources remains an all-important objective. No operational goals can be achieved if aircrew and aircraft are lost," the Chief of Air Staff said.

This, he said, is not easy and the force will need to constantly give an impetus to safe and efficient operations.

"We have inducted modern-generation aircraft and equipment with high-end technology. We also continue to operate older equipment," he said.

"There is a need, therefore, to focus on seamlessly blending old and new technology whilst maintaining a good safety record," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

The IAF chief said the rapid infusion of technology in modern aviation has thrown up new challenges.

"The foremost challenge is to prepare the human mind to rapidly and comprehensively adapt to these technologies. This will call for a paradigm change in how we train and how we operate," he said.

The conference was on aerospace safety and how it is a force multiplier.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said the new millennium has seen the development of several new techniques for the management of aerospace safety in different spheres of aviation.

"While undergoing rapid modernisation, the IAF is continuously tackling and adapting these multifaceted techniques to enhance aerospace safety, maintenance safety, risk management and risk mitigation," he added.