Question

Which are the operational commands of the Indian Air Force? State their roles in brief.

Hint:

To remember the 5 operational commands: think of the map coordinates North (WAC in Delhi), East (EAC in Shillong), Center (CAC in Prayagraj), South (SAC in Trivandrum), and South-West (SWAC in Gandhinagar).

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Command Structure:
The Indian Air Force operates a total of seven commands. Out of these, five are operational commands (tasked with executing combat missions) and two are functional commands (Training and Maintenance). Each command is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) holding the rank of Air Marshal.

Step 2: Detailing the Five Operational Commands and Their Roles:
The operational commands are organized geographically to secure Indian airspace:
• Western Air Command (WAC):
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Role: The largest and most critical command. It is responsible for air defense along the sensitive northern borders, covering Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana.
• Eastern Air Command (EAC):
• Headquarters: Shillong, Meghalaya.
• Role: Responsible for safeguarding the northeastern borders, covering Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and international borders with China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
• Central Air Command (CAC):
• Headquarters: Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh.
• Role: Responsible for protecting the geographical heartland of India. It also hosts heavy transport and strategic bomber units.
• Southern Air Command (SAC):
• Headquarters: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Role: Tasked with securing the vast peninsular airspace and the Indian Ocean region, coordinating joint maritime-air operations with the Navy.
• South Western Air Command (SWAC):
• Headquarters: Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Role: Responsible for the western borders along Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, protecting key industrial and coastal installations.