Information has always been recognised as the single-most important factor in war. No one can fight against the unknown. Today, this maxim has gained far greater validity as the desert war saw over half-a-million intelligence photographs being processed. The success of wars will lie critically on the efficiency and security of C 41 system; no doubt the speed of success will be accelerated by the level of degradation we will be able to impose on the adversary. Day one could well be Vee Day. Hitherto, achieving air superiority first has been the dictum of air strategists. Achievement of information superiority could well relegate air superiority priority to position two.

While aeroplanes have changed little in the last decade and a half, the C41 systems and avionics have undergone a revolutionary change. This is because of the exponential increments in the speed of processing. In 1980, the four-bits processor and 64K ram was an enviable capability. There was no mention of processor speed. Today, processor clock speeds have reached over a hundred-fold than that of only 15 years ago. Possibly the first Giga hertz processor is already available on a desk-top. What could happen in the next 10-15 years? Given the existing life-cycles of computers, we would be attempting to imagine the shape of the cyber world seven computer-generation down. But we still have to attempt it, if we want to stay ahead and not having to face the futility of trying to catch-up with an ever-increasing gap with those in the vanguard of technology.

While fighter aircraft design has generally stayed the same and has maintained the same manoeuvre capabilities for the last 10-15 years, it would be an error of judgement if we believe that nearly all is done in this sphere. Aircraft agility is yet to have reached its zenith because of the physical limitation of its human occupant. But there are possibilities of overcoming this by incorporating super slow downs and whip around abilities as the SU-30 MKI has clearly demonstrated with its canard application and swivel nozzle thrust vectoring.

Super extension of fighter performance is certainly an area that would attract anyone. Developments in aerodynamics for upgrades of existing fleets in this sphere could be considered. While low drag and high efficiency engines and AAR will enhance endurance, the concept of floating platforms which could replace the aircraft carriers in the future has great possibilities. Floating platforms concept will not have to stay restricted only to the sea as the availability of space stations has already set the trend. The atmospheric aerial platform idea could well be adapted from this, not only as a launch platform, but for recovery, replenishment and re-launch.

Even if this bordering-on-science fiction conceptualising may be considered far fetched, the long period of staying in air requirement of the fighter is there. Once again the human factor creates difficulties.

There has been a quantum jump in what the avionics packages can offer today; the sensors are getting incredibly sensitive and amazingly discriminating, aerial weapons are reaching distances longer with precision-accuracy and have enormous penetration capability. The question that will be asked in the future is not whether the target can be destroyed. But the queries will be on the extent of avoidance of collateral damage. Deeply entrenched fortified underground facilities would have to be destroyed without touching the super structure above it.

Uninhabiting the aerial platform is already underway for a variety of applications. While the uninhabited combat air vehicles (UCAVs) are, in my reckoning, still at least two decades away, the concept has already taken a firm hold. The UCAV is not likely to be progressed directly, but will possibly evolve as a directed buddy to other manned aircraft. The UCAV not only keeps the combat casualties low, but overcomes human-limiting stipulations on 'G' crunching manoeuvres and stringent cockpit environment for protection and survival of the pilot. The UCAV's penetration survivability will be
high for ensuring mission accomplishment. High survivability will also give it an extraordinary resilience thus increasing the reusability factor manifold.