New Delhi, May 21 (DHNS): The Chief of Air Staff has written a personal letter to each officer in the Indian Air Force asking them to be prepared for operations at a very short notice.

Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa had sent the letter on March 30 when the increasing number of terror attacks on military camps and the rising public unrest in Jammu and Kashmir caused serious concern for the government.

“In the present scenario, there is an ever persistent sub-conventional threat. Therefore, we need to be prepared for operations with our present holdings, at a very short notice. Training needs to be focused towards this,” said the letter sent to nearly 12,000 officers.

Though the air chief did not mention Pakistan by name, his comment was seen as a reference to the ‘proxy war’ by the neighbouring country.

Alluding to the air force facing shortage of manpower and equipment, the IAF chief said, “There is no choice, but to stay abreast of new technological advancements both own as well as that of our adversaries. Only then will we come out with war-winning, out-of-the-box solutions.”

The Air Chief Marshal’s reference to make the optimum use of “our present holdings” appeared to underscore the fact that the IAF, which is authorised to have 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft, has now only 33 squadrons.

This is the first time that an IAF chief has written a personal letter to all officers. However, in the past, two Army chiefs, Field Marshal (who was then a General) K M Cariappa on May 1, 1950, and General K Sundarji on February 1, 1986, had sent personal letters to their men.

Both these letters are of a general nature.