“The offset clause inserted by the Union Defence Ministry in the Defence Procurement Programme (DPP) 2008 will help the maintenance command in carrying out infrastructure development,” IAF Maintenance Command Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar told said in Nagpur.

The offset clause makes a vendor invest 30 to 50 per cent back in public sector undertakings (PSUs) or indigenous industry in the country, he said.

Under the programme, the vendors (mostly foreign) are obliged to transfer specific and engineering drawings to the command, which was not available earlier. Earlier, it was restricted to reverse engineering, Nayyar said.

The infrastructure development programme launched recently will be completed by year 2011, he said adding that for the maintenance command the next 5-10 years are very crucial for carrying out developmental activities.

The maintenance command has taken up massive upgradation of its existing fleet of aircraft, Nayyar said.

The MiG-21 fighter planes, which earned a bad name due to frequent crashes, have been upgraded to Bison at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik leading to reduction in number of crashes, he said.

Jaguar aircraft upgradation is under progress at HAL, Bangalore while negotiations are underway for Mirage upgradation with the original equipment provider from France.

Initial upgradation will be carried out in France and later at HAL, Bangalore, he said.

MiG-29 upgradation contract has already been finalised with a Russian company and will be done at 11 BRD in Nashik, Nayyar said.

Negotiations are on for upgradation of transport aircraft AN-32 with Ukraine. After initial work in Ukraine, the transport plane will undergo upgradation at 1 BRD in Kanpur. With this, the life of an AN-32 will be enhanced from 25 to 40 years, he said.

About helicopters, Nayyar said the MI-8 machines, which are nearing expiry are being replaced by MI-17 choppers, which have night vision (capability) goggles (NVGs).

IAF has plans to set up a first-of-its-kind engineering college in Bangalore where students after completion of standard 12, will be directly admitted to various branches of engineering to be inducted in the air force later, Nayyar said in reply to a question.