Name: GP Capt Sameer Pradhan Syndicate: Arihant Words: 545 (75% of Total)

Name: Gp Capt Sameer Pradhan
Syndicate: Arihant
Words: 545 (75% of total)
UNIQUE USE OF AIRPOWER FOR EFFECTIVE AND CREDIBLE DETERNCE IN A

NO WAR NO PEACE SCENARO
Introduction. Even though air power is the youngest and least comprehended,
among the three conventional mediums of warfare, the unique distinction of the third
dimension ‘breaks the ice’ in the declaration of war. The reach, responsiveness,
surprise, offensive power, shock and even awe are some inherent characteristics that
make air power stand out as the defining edge. This potency brings along some
limitations like vulnerability, impermanency, ‘technological dependence’ and weather,
the critical consideration of which has facilitated effective plans and even governed the
outcome of wars. While aerial attack on the Governor’s house in Dhaka or the delivery
of ‘Fat boy’ over Nagasaki led to surrenders, the swift deployments like that of the
Indian troops into Kashmir saved vital territory. Due to the dynamic nature of mil conflict,
an evolving airpower is a must to maintain the ability of ‘asserting the nation’s will from
the medium of air’i. In peace, the same credibility will only be a measure of the ability to
deter ‘violent conflict’ while still possess the lethality of punitive action. With these
advantages intact, the air forces of today also need to confront the challenges of sub-
conventional warfare with sustained effort to modernize and, if the need be, even
modify.
No-War No-Peace. India is losing precious lives in spite of not being at war. Some of
the reasons for such a condition are:
(a) Unpredictable Nature of Hostility. Infiltration at the LOC is very difficult

to monitor and hence the consequences of unreliable Int.
(b) Lack of Clarity on Political Response. The hesitation to use aerial

platforms, for offensive action, stems more from lack of ‘political will’ than the fear
of collateral damage.
(c) Attrition at LOC. Use of aerial attack on terrorist ‘hide outs’ will assist in
reducing the preventable losses of security forces.
(d) Status Quo and the Stand Off. The ‘Deep state’ of Pakistan keeps
fueling the fire of ‘religious extremism’ and the contest for the Siachen heights
maintains the mil status-quo.
2
CREDIBLE DETERRENCE
(a) Integrated Air Land Ops. Even though Col Jeffery J Smith (USAF)
speaks of air power as a spectrum of warfare beyond land power, hybrid warfare
brings the two just as close. Op ‘Sarv Vinash’ at ‘Hill Kaka’ in J&K is one such
epitome of jointness where sixty terrorists will annihilated. Lessons from the
success of 1966 Mizoram aerial attack, ‘area domination’ in the ‘Nagaland Ops’
and armoured role by the Mi-17 in ‘Op Rhino,’ are still employed effectively in
the current LICO at the LOC. The mobility and response have compensated the
limitation of using offensive force in the ‘Red Corridor’, augmented further by use
of NVGs at night.
(b) ISR. Use of RPAs and satellites for accurate Int improves SA and also
prevents fratricide. Ident of ‘Friend’ or ‘Foe’, target acquisition and verification
ensure an effective OODA loop: a must for close proximity targets.
(c) Spl Ops Exercises for LICO. Use of slow moving platforms, in a
network centric environment, would facilitate Spl Ops Msns with the SF elements
and will be effective to deter the enemy from attempting any audacious
misadventure.
CONCLUSION
The significant characteristics of airpower have validated the potential of peace in

a no-war environment. Ground strikes to paralyse a ‘Launch pad’ to ‘Spl Ops’ for covert
insertion or even ‘counter air’ for air superiority enhance the potency of any Op plan with
a ‘punitive objective’. Integrated targeting between an infantry patrol and a helicopter
‘Gun ship’ not only creates mayhem for Insurgents but also gives a fillip to the faith
within a ‘tactical task force’. Enhanced technology in such battles gives teeth to a Msn
and also improves ‘perception’ through effective ‘media management’. Lessons from
Korea, Vietnam, Somalia and J&K are a foundation for these evolving tactics. Even
though airpower holds the tag of ‘sensation to escalate’, exploiting the versatility will
yield unmatchable dividends. Looking ahead at “Military Ops in a no-war scenario”
(MOOTA) the role of air power, as a lynch pin of joint Ops, will ensure the desired
‘offensive action’ for ‘surprise’ through ‘deception’ to achieve the ‘selected aim’. A
CONOPS for a ‘no-war no-peace’ scenario will embrace the environment of hybrid
warfare and play a significant role in breaking the will of this unethical enemy.
i
Indian Airforce Doctrine, 2012, Chapter 2.

Name: GP Capt Sameer Pradhan Syndicate: Arihant Words: 545 (75% of Total)

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Name: GP Capt Sameer Pradhan Syndicate: Arihant Words: 545 (75% of Total)

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Name: Gp Capt Sameer Pradhan

UNIQUE USE OF AIRPOWER FOR EFFECTIVE AND CREDIBLE DETERNCE IN A

(a) Unpredictable Nature of Hostility. Infiltration at the LOC is very difficult

(b) Lack of Clarity on Political Response. The hesitation to use aerial

The significant characteristics of airpower have validated the potential of peace in

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