Tyagi favours Fighter Aircraft relevant for next 25 years

Bhubaneswar, Dec 25 (UNI) Chief of Air Staff S P Tyagi today favoured for a technology for the combat aircraft which will be relevant for 20 years ahead.

''If I buy an older technology today it will not be relevant five years from now and then I will have to spend enormous sums of money again,'' Air Chief Marshal Tyagi told newsmen after inaugurating ''Sahid Park'' at the Martyrs' Memorial site in sainik School.

On being asked about the delay in procuring the 126 fighter aircraft for the Indian Airforce, Mr Tyagi said this was a 10 billion dollar deal and such a contract could not be signed in half a day.

He further said one has to go around the world to see the kind of technology, the product support and the price, as such aircraft would remain for the next 40 years.

To another question, the Air Chief Marshal said one could not procure the aircrafts overnight as there should be a transfer of technology. An aircraft could come but with what electronic equipment it will come and what kind of radar or missile will go on has to be visualised, beforehand.

On the frequency of accidents of MIG crashing, Mr Tyagi said in the history of Indian Air Force we have never had a better safety record than now.

No Air Force in the world none has had a safety record in such a short time to be able to drop the number of accidents, he said adding that it was wrong to say too many MiGs were crashing.

On being asked as to who would succeed him as the next Air Chief Marshal, Mr Tyagi said it was the privilege of the government to decide who should become the next Air Chief.

''It was the job of the government. We have put the government there by our votes and they will take a sensible decision in the interest of the nation,'' he remarked.

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