The Indian Air Force (IAF) has officially opened the Weapon Systems School (WSS). The inauguration took place on July 24 at Air Force Station Begumpet, Hyderabad, and was conducted by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, who serves as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). In 2022, a new branch of officers in the IAF, known as the Weapon System (WS) branch, was approved.
The establishment of the WS branch was announced by the CAS during the Air Force Day Parade celebrations on October 08, 2022.
Air Vice Marshal Premkumar Krishnaswamy, the Commandant of Weapon Systems School, extended the welcome to the Chief of Air Staff. The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command, and other high-ranking officers of the Indian Air Force. These included the Commandant of the Air Force Academy, the Commandant of the College of Air Warfare, the Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station Hakimpet, and the Station Commander of Air Force Station Begumpet.
The WSS will provide up-to-date and relevant training to officers of the newly established branch, aligning them with the requirements of the IAF. The inauguration of the WSS marks the beginning of the second semester of training for Flight Cadets of the WS Branch at this institute. The new branch will consist of four specialized divisions: the Flying stream, responsible for operating weapons and systems on airborne platforms such as the Sukhoi-30 MKI and C-130J; the Remote stream, dedicated to operating Remotely Piloted Aircraft; the Mission Commanders and operators division; responsible for managing Surface to Air and Surface-to-Surface weapon systems; and the Intelligence stream, which will handle space-based intelligence and imagery.
During the engagement, the Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the crucial importance of the new Weapon Systems Branch in bringing together the operators of ground-based and specialist weapon systems into a unified entity. The CAS urged the teachers, who are leading the way in a newly established branch, to be the foundation on which the entire training system would be built, ensuring the effective use of air power.
