Friday, November 20, 2009

AIR MARSHAL PK BARBORA NEEDS TO LEARN FROM HISTORY

Soviet Women Fighter Pilots during World War II

Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal P.K. Barbora has recently said that women couldn't be inducted as fighter pilots as they were not fit for combat operations. Quote,"Women cannot be used in combat scenarios as we can't afford to have them captured as prisoners of war". Un quote.

Barbora also sought to suggest that women were 'not worth' the heavy investment made on training fighter pilots. Quote, "We invest Rs 1.66 crore on training a fighter pilot and expect 12 to 14 years of service. If the air force doesn't recover that investment in the form of service, it's a waste of money and time for the organisation. Women have to go for their family duties after a certain period." Un qoute.

Barbora said that the armed forces have taken decision not to place women in combat roles for the time being, but if that happens in the future, there may be certain preconditions to it.

Now, Some Facts of the Soviet Female Fighter Pilots during the World War II:

"Nearly a million women fought alongside their male counterparts and in October 1941, women’s aviation regiments began to be formed.

Marina Raskova, already an ace pilot and member of the ‘People’s Defence Committee’, was allowed to organised three female aviation groups authorised by the Soviet high command. They were the 586 IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment), the 587 BAP (Bomber Aviation Regiment) and the 588 NBAP (Night Bomber Aviation Regiment).

After being accepted to the training program, the young women underwent a rigorous six month flying and navigation course, fitting in to that time an amount of training that would normally take around a year and a half. In September 1942, Valerya Khomyakova of the 586 IAP’s or ‘Fighter Aviation Regiment’ became the first female Soviet pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft at night when she downed a Ju 99.

A month later, the 586 IAP assisted in Operation Saturn and Uranus, which was successful in eliminating the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, after which, they were given the task of defending some important military logistical facilities and strategic locations. In 1944, the unit took part in the Soviet offensive in Hungry fighting with Yak-9 fighters and they finished the war on one of the captured airfields in Austria.

The 588 NBAP unit or ‘Night Bomber Aviation Regiment’ arrived combat ready in the Ukraine on the 23rd May 1942. They quickly earned the respect and fear of their enemies being given the nick name ‘night witches’. The decorated German Commander of II. /JG 52, Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff, wrote of the 588 NBAP’s;

"We simply couldn't grasp that the Soviet airmen that caused us the greatest trouble were in fact WOMEN. These women feared nothing. They came night after night in their very slow biplanes, and for some periods they wouldn't give us any sleep at all."

On 25th October 1942, a bomb strike by the 588 NBAP set alight a fuel depot at Armavir airfield. The fire spread and destroyed all but one of the planes on the airfield, leading to the quick withdrawal of the German fighters situated there. In January the following year, the regiments achievements were acknowledged and it was given the new title of 46th Taman' Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.

It was the most highly decorated regiment in the whole Soviet Air Force, with twenty-three of its pilots being awarded with the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, with a former navigator of the regiment becoming the twenty-forth to receive the award in 1995.

Marina Raskova took command of the third regiment herself, the 587th BAP or (Bomber Aviation Regiment). The regiment finished its training on 22nd November 1942 and was moved to the Stalingrad front line. After helping to liberate the town of Borisov, the unit became known as the 125th "M. M. Raskova" Borisov Guards Dive Bomber Aviation Regiment.

In one celebrated incident involving a pilot from the unit, Mariya Dolina flying a Pe-2 bomber, managed to shoot down two enemy plains at the same time. The regiment finished war operations in May 1943 after flying a total of 1134 combat missions dropping 980 tons of bombs in the process. A tribute made to the women of the unit by the Free-French pilots of the "Normandie-Niemen" Fighter Regiment who often fought along side them stated;

"Even if it were possible to gather and place at your feet all the flowers on earth, this would not constitute sufficient tribute to your valour."

The 587 BAP and the 588 NBAP were involved in the fighting in the Kuban area of Southern Russia where they came up against some of the best fighter pilots the German air force had to offer including Erich Harmann of the famous JG 54 fighter group, who was the highest ranked fighter ace in the world with 352 confirmed combat kills.

Throughout the war, the Soviet female fighter pilots were involved in some of the heaviest aerial combat operations in history. They earned the fear and respect of enemy combatants and were often highly decorated for their efforts by their country."

(Source: http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/raskov/raskov.htm, Photo: Google)


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

USE OR MISUSE OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES

Armed forces are the ultimate weapon of state whose basic task is to protect the nation and project national power beyond its boarders. Every effort, therefore, should be made to keep this potent weapon in the highest possible professional standard and any deviation whatsoever, from the same should be strictly avoided as it undermines the national security.

Committing nation’s armed forces in menial tasks reflect a very poor understanding amongst the policy makers about this force. It also raises questions on the morality of generals towards a larger national interest as they are expected to appraise the statesmen on the consequences of same and quit more honorably, if otherwise, not heard. It also raises questions on the efficiency of a huge civil mechanism eating tax payer’s money without any accountability.

Over a period of time, it has become a common tendency in India to call the armed forces for many and for any contingency. In the recent past, we have seen our services being mobilized for taking out children from the bore wells (and our generals posing as saviors in front of glittering media), digging trenches outside a compound being caught on fire, standing to help civil administration during railway accidents, helping the defunct Indian police on almost occasions (Mumbai's 26/11 proved it quite significantly that when it matters the most, they are good for nothing), organizing events, helping civil administration on all major or minor calamities, combating insurgency in almost all fronts directly or indirectly, so on and so forth. The list does not seem to end.

Now, does it mean the rusting of our forces at all? Or a more popular statement echoed by the top brass that Indian Armed Forces are the most experienced ones……

Monday, November 16, 2009

MILITARY TRANSFORMATION

During the Vietnam War, a study was conducted in the US as to why soldiers fought for the nation and the most common reasons were for respected and valued leaders, out of sense of duty and for survival. These reasons are further corroborated by observations of American soldiers during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraqi War and the Afghanistan War. The fact of the matter is that organizations having structures to control and support individual behaviour might lead to greater individual commitments. Through a control over individual behaviour in supporting his day to day needs, a total institution often engineers a great sense of identification and devotion to the organization which in turn is reflected in individual's effort to carry out goals and purposes of the organization.

Reports of combat effective soldiers show greater similarity to the institutionally oriented soldier. These factors could be in terms of honour through service, sense of duty and loyalty. Institutionally committed soldiers are therefore, more strongly committed to the military, the unit and more willing to undergo adversities to serve others.

Observations of this American study needs a greater emphasis in the Indian context. Although, we don't have any political leader who can inspire the nation and other values too, eroding quite significantly, our armed forces needs an urgent check to transform themselves. They need to create a strong interface with the society and understand as to what the society expects from them and based on the honest evaluations, a structural transformation is the need of time. This transformation should never be associated with monetary gains from the state.

Armed forces for ages have remained sacred organizations world over... an ultimate weapon of the state, it should in no manner be equated with a police or a para-military force. An honour to serve should always remain as the sole guiding factor.