IAF cohorts propose aerospace battle innovation hub for multi-domain operations

New Delhi: A team of cohorts from the Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Programme (WASP) of the IAF on Monday presented an academic paper suggesting creation of a combat testing organisation -- National Aerospace Battle Innovation Hub -- with a task to design, test, validate and refine force structures for multi-domain operations.

The paper, jointly produced by 10 WASP cohorts -- nine air warriors and a naval officer -- was presented in the presence of IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, during a session held here as part of a capstone seminar hosted by defence think-tank Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies (CAPSS) and the College of Air Warfare (CAW).

The proposed National Aerospace Battle Innovation Hub (NABH) seeks to serve as a formation to enhance India's military capabilities by employing air power by leveraging multiple domains, and as a platform for force design "rooted in innovation".


WASP is a strategic education programme which was started in 2022 to provide the participants with a deep understanding of geo-politics, grand strategy and comprehensive national power. It was conceived as a part of Professional Military Education by the India Air Force, CAPSS said.

The broader aim is to nurture critical thinkers who can blend cross-domain knowledge to generate policy-driving ideas at the strategic level, according to the defence ministry.

In a power-point presentation, some of the cohorts, by turn delineated the various aspects of the paper, including the proposed 'NABH'.

According to a slide, NABH has been suggested as a "permanently constitutes combat testing organisation" under the direct authority of the Air Headquarters, with one task -- "design, test, validate and refine force structures for MDO (multi-domain operations)".

There will also be a management of link between NABH and the IAF.

It will have elements of all six domains -- air, land, sea, space, cyberspace and cognitive; and comprise units dedicated to test "new technologies", the paper said.

The team of cohorts said industry and DRDO will also eventually have a link with it.

During an interaction with the audience later in the session, asked if NABH will be a formation embedded within the IAF or will function as a tri-Service platform, Wg Cdr Amit Khatri said, "Aerospace power is also one of the most suited, when it comes to defining or developing this model of multi-domain operations."

"For our defence forces, our concept of future operations is going to be multi-domain. Since, this was in the aerospace domain, we gave a model...an academic exercise...that this is the one that is most suited as far as developing or innovating, in term of the force structure," he added.

The cohorts were also asked if, amid the evolving nature of the modern warfare, whether land will retain its primacy when it comes to defining the outcome of a conflict or will air power make a difference.

Wg Cdr Khatri said, "I would say it is a very contextual question, and it will depend on what are the political outcomes, what are the military objectives."

Wg Cdr Medhavi Chandra, another cohort, said, "Every domain has its particular role in kind of conflict."

He also cited Colin Gray's book 'Airpower for Strategic Effect' to buttress his point and asserted that "air alone cannot decide a conflict, however, you cannot disregard air because of various factors".

"Air power alone may not be able to win you a war, but no war can be won without air power," Wg Cdr Chandra said.