Article Posted on : - Nov 25, 2008

Commanders of the Western Air Command pose for photograph prior to the commencement of the Commanders' conference in New Delhi on Monday. PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) has asked its officers to increase vigil keeping in mind the instability in the neighbourhood due to the global economic turmoil.

"The world economy is in a turmoil posing new challenges to our country. Instability already exists in our neighbourhood. Hence, we need to be more vigilant than ever before," Western Air Command (WAC) chief Air Marshal P K Barbora said while addressing the two-day WAC commanders' conference which started here on Monday.

"The need of the hour is to make optimal use of all our assets, be it equipment or our skilled manpower so as to expand on our capability spectrum," he said.

Air Marshal Barbora also asked his commanders to avoid wastage and increase their operational efficiency by making the best use of the hi-tech equipment being inducted under the modernisation of the force.

"Our men should be trained to handle the hi-tech equipment with caution so that no wastage takes place. The endeavour is to make ourselves ever ready to accept any challenge and improve operational efficiency to a very high order but without compromising flight safety," he said.

The WAC chief called for a greater synergy between the three Services to cope with the present challenges faced by the country. "The synergy among us and the other Services needs to be strengthened to cope with the challenges of the time."

About the IAF staff, he said, “The force is working to improve the quality of life for its men and their families. The welfare of our men and families should be a major thrust area and efforts should be directed to improve the quality of life at our bases".

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major will address the conference on Tuesday.

In the recent past, the WAC has been very active in increasing its operational preparedness with the activation of old Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) like Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) and Fukche in eastern Ladakh for transport aircraft operations, carrying out first set of sorties of Su-30 MKI from the Leh air base and commencement of night operations by fighter aircraft from forward airfields in Jammu and Kashmir.

WAC is one of the unique air force formations in the world as its area of operation extends from the world's highest airfields in the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan. Being the most operational command of the IAF, WAC is said to be equivalent to the eighth largest air force in the world and provides aerial protection to the national capital also.