IAF Commissions First Officers For Weapon Systems Branch

The Indian Air Force (IAF) marked a historic milestone as the first batch of officers for its newly created Weapon Systems Branch graduated from the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Dundigal near Hyderabad on Saturday.

The graduating officers were among 204 cadets, including 26 women from flying and ground duty streams, who were commissioned as flying officers during the Combined Graduation Parade. The ceremony was reviewed by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.

A two-stage training program has been developed for weapon system operators, with initial training conducted at the AFA and subsequent specialised training at the newly established Weapon Systems School in Begumpet, near Hyderabad. The program is designed to hone the specific skills required for the branch's operations.

The creation of the Weapon Systems Branch was first announced during the Air Force Day celebrations in Chandigarh in 2022 by the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari. He described the initiative as a significant step toward unifying all weapon system operators in specialist ground-based systems and airborne platforms under a single stream.

“This will essentially be for manning of four specialised streams of surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, remotely piloted aircraft and weapon system operators in twin- and multi-crew aircraft,” Chaudhari had stated. He further highlighted that the establishment of this branch would result in cost savings of over Rs 3,400 crore by reducing expenditure on flying training.

Four Specialised Sub-Streams

The Weapon Systems Branch is divided into four specialised sub-streams, each focusing on distinct operational requirements:

• Flying: Officers in this category will operate as weapon systems operators aboard aircraft such as the Su-30MKI, attack helicopters like the AH-64E Apache, Soviet-origin Mi-25/35, indigenous Prachand, and special operations aircraft like the C-130J Super Hercules.
• Remote: This sub-stream involves operations of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones for missions including attack, surveillance, and logistics. The IAF operates a mix of indigenously designed UAVs and those sourced from countries like the United States and Israel.
• Intelligence: Officers in this stream will interpret imagery from surveillance assets in space, aircraft, or UAVs. Their roles will include intelligence analysis, information warfare, signal intelligence collation, and operation of space systems.
• Missiles: This stream covers the operation and launch of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air guided missile systems.

The establishment of this branch represents the first creation of a new operational branch in the IAF since Independence. It underscores the Air Force's focus on modernising its capabilities and adapting to the evolving demands of contemporary warfare.

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