History always has answers to contemporary questions. 100 years on, the use of Air Power was beautifully explained in a note from Air Ministry on the distribution & employment of Air Force in India in 1921. "Indivisibility","technicality", "Moral effect", "Cost" #IAFHistory (1/5)
So beautifully has this one paragraph brought the dichotomy of a "small detachment" - its efficiency for the Army and its inefficiency for the Air Force. 2/
That the technical nature of the Air Force makes it "viable" or "efficient" when it is grouped in the "largest" possible unit rather than disperse them. 3/
Advantages and limitations of the utilization of an "aircraft". Another aspect that is not well understood by other Military establishments leads to unreasonable demands on the end use of aircraft. 4/
Not to be forgotten - the impact on the "Moral of the enemy" of using Airpower. And how inefficient use of Air power can actually be detrimental to the use of this very potent weapon. 5/
Lastly, the economic cost of using Air Power, which is a magnitude of an order different from other forces and therefore begs the question of optimum use. 6/
The foresight of this note leaves one in awe of the planners, especially given the context that the Air Force itself was barely a few years old and only the "use case" of the Air Forces at that time was one of "Support to the Army" or "Army cooperation". 7/7
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On 20 Nov 1957, Air Cmde PC Lal, then AOC Training Command, hung up his blues and moved to Indian Airlines as GM on a 5 year deputation, to steady a struggling carrier. Few knew this would almost cost India one of its finest Chiefs. (1/12)
#IAFHistory @IAF_MCC
As GM, Lal sat on the committee to choose a replacement for the Dakotas. Three contenders were in play: the Avro HS 748, the Fokker Friendship and a Lockheed design. Defence Minister Krishna Menon was keen that India pick the Avro. 2/
There was one problem. The Avro barely existed. No prototype. No flight record. No performance sheets. Not even complete drawings. Menon still wanted an immediate firm order. Lal, responsible for passenger safety, refused to sign. 3/
In 1973, when princely titles were history, Jamnagar’s ruler Shatrusalyasinhji D. Jadeja entered uniform as Honorary Wing Commander. The Indian Air Force did not honour a title; it honoured a man who kept serving after titles stopped mattering. (1/14)
#IAFHistory
In 1950, under H.H. Digvijaysinhji's guidance, Jamnagar opened an Indian Air Force station. Roads were laid, land and clearances came quickly, and the base was treated as a civic priority from day one. The bond began as stewardship, not ceremony. 2/
In 1952, Jamnagar gifted an eight-inch silver pilot on wood that went each term to the “most promising” trainee at Jodhpur’s No. 2 Air Force Academy. It rewarded potential over pedigree—an early sign of how the house chose to back the IAF. 3/
Meant to hide at a quiet base, the @IAF_MCC MiG-21 instead made a home at Chandigarh. A six-month stopgap became four decades. The place where the story begins and ends. Here’s how it unfolded. 🧵(1/16)
#MiG21Nuggets #IAFHistory
After Independence, the IAF used “type bases”: Pune had Tempests, Kalaikunda had Mystères, Ambala had Hunters. That tidy system was still in place when the MiG-21 came up for induction. 2/
Before the team left for the USSR, AVM Pinto told CO designate, (then) Wg Cdr Dilbagh Singh the first MiG-21 squadron would go to Adampur—quiet, remote and ideal for secrecy. 3/
This, right here 👇🏽—is the real reason the MiG-21 earned the "flying coffin" tag. No, it wasn’t the LCA delay. No it wasnt the machine or spares itself.
The real cause lies deeper. The data and context are all there. Few connect the dots. Read On. (1/19)
#IAFHistory
I wrote about this in a @timesofindia editorial a few years ago. The MiG-21 earned the “Flying Coffin” tag not because of its airframe—but because we made it carry the weight of our institutional failure between 1980s -2000s. 2/
The MiG-21 entered IAF service in 1963, our first supersonic jet. It demanded a steep learning curve—especially in landing, where speeds exceeded 300 km/h. That was 2–3x faster than subsonic jets like the Vampire. It was not beginner-friendly. 3/
1/ There's growing confusion between two important systems:
👉🏽 Akashteer
👉🏽 IACCS
Both play crucial roles in India’s air defence.
But let’s be clear — they operate at different altitudes — literally and metaphorically.
Here’s how 👇 (1/8)
#IAFHistory
But, let’s get some history, geography and law right.
History: The Network Centric Warfare (NCW) concept was first developed by Vice Admiral Arthur Cebrowski (US Navy) and John Garstka in 1998. It envisioned linking forces digitally to enhance situational awareness and increase warfighting effectiveness.
2/
📕 Let’s talk law — the Union War Book is India’s master document on war responsibilities.
Until 1993, there was no single agency for air defence.
Each service did its bit, and consequently the Army built up significant frontline/terminal AD assets.
Then came a historic shift:
🛡️ “Air Defence of the country is the responsibility of the IAF.”