Indian Air Force: News & Discussions

[Sancho]

Just an amazing picture:

Source: IAF Twitter account

 

[shiphone]

we haven't had any crashed with this jet, not that I can recall any, so the hypothesis at best I can come up with is "pilot error". But than alternative would be "problem with on board avionics or mechanical failure".

Let's see what the initial black box recovery could tell.

four accidents in 2008,2011,2015, 2016....


eg.

NEW DELHI, APRIL 30: India's newly acquired fleet of Hawk fighter trainers has been grounded for a second time after one of them crashed at the Bidar airbase on Tuesday afternoon while taking off on a training mission. Both pilots escaped unharmed.

While the entire fleet has been facing problems since the induction in February due to lack of spares, the grounding comes weeks after the IAF discovered that the new aircraft contained parts that were rusted and appeared to be old and used.

This came as a surprise as the trainers — 66 were bought in a Rs 8,000-crore deal inked in 2004 — are new and were inducted barely three months ago. In fact, only 10 aircraft have arrived until now from the assembly line in UK.

After Air Hqs informed the Ministry of Defence about the matter, the Defence Secretary has been asked to head for London on May 19 to raise the issue with top UK government officials.

As first reported by The Indian Express on March 23, the fleet had earlier been grounded, shortly after the aircraft arrived in January, due to lack of spares and technical problems.

Sources at Air Hqs said that the British High Commissioner has also been contacted and an official communication has been sent to the original manufacturers, the UK-based BAE Systems.

It is learnt that the problem with the Hawks pertains to certain parts like the undercarriage and the pitot-static tube —it gives the pilots feedback on airspeed and altitude — that IAF technical teams discovered were rusted.

The fleet will now remain grounded until the reason behind Tuesday's crash is investigated. The IAF's training schedule is likely to get affected as the first course on the new trainers was set to begin at Bidar in July.

While a court of inquiry has been ordered into the crash and human error is not ruled out, IAF sources say that initial investigation points to a fault either in the undercarriage or the yaw controllers that are used to stabilise the aircraft. The IAF says that both pilots were experienced instructors with several hundred hours of combat flying in their logbooks.

Officials from BAE Systems, who concede that there are "small issues"

 

[Tanmay]

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
President's Secretariat
21-March-2018 16:32 IST
President of India to present standard to the 51 squadron and colours to the 230 signal unit of the Indian Air Force tomorrow
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, will visit Punjab (Halwara) tomorrow (March 22, 2018) topresent the Standard to the 51 Squadron and Colours to the 230 Signal Unit of the Indian Air Force.

***

AKT/SH/SK


Hope to see Spyder SAMs on display . About time

 

[Tanmay]

Seen here at : 0:08

and here too

Spyders deployed at Halwara AFS. Seen in parade today.
The truck seems to be Tatra. Not TATA LPTA. Confused as the reason for the delay was said to be change in platform from Tatra to TATA
Wonder why IAF still uses Indra radar.

 

[Prashant12]

Centre clears plans for IAF base close to Pakistan border in Gujarat
The base, to be located close to Deesa in Banaskantha district, will fill an important gap between Barmer in the north and Bhuj/Naliya in the west in India’s defence capabilities.

Indian Air Force fighter planes during a training exercise. The new Deesa base is expected to cost upwards of Rs 4,000 crore.(PTI File Photo)

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared a long-pending Indian Air Force (IAF) plan to set up a forward fighter base close to Deesa in Banaskantha district, near India’s western border in northwest Gujarat, adding teeth to its military capabilities against Pakistan.

Defence ministry officials said on condition of anonymity that the CCS has cleared the initial investment of around Rs 1,000 crore to extend the runway, build fighter-pens and administrative facilities. “The proposal for converting the small Deesa airport with a 1,000-metre runway, which was used for helicopter landings and VVIP movements, has been gathering dust for quite some time. The fact is that 4,000 acres for the air base, which will plug the critical air defence gap between the Barmer and Bhuj air bases, was acquired nearly two decades ago. This decision was pushed by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman,” said one of the officials.

Although the defence ministry is tight-lipped about which fighters will be based in Deesa, it is a fact that the new base will increase IAF’s ability to respond swiftly in case of any hostilities in India’s western skies.

Two former IAF chiefs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as very significant. “The Deesa base will fill an important gap between Barmer in the north and Bhuj/Naliya in the west,” said one of the two chiefs. “We have constructed a boundary wall there and have some personnel stationed there. It’s time to get started now,” he added.

The base will come under the Air Force’s Gandhinagar-headquartered South Western Air Command (SWAC), which was headed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa in 2014-15. SWAC’s area of responsibility covers Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and Deesa will be the ninth base under it.

Setting up a full-fledged fighter base could eventually cost upwards of Rs 4,000 crore and it will be crucial for the government to earmark funds so that the project is not delayed any further, the former chief said.

Money will be critical at a time the Indian military is facing a fund crunch, as revealed in a string of reports tabled in Parliament this month. For instance, the IAF whose projected requirement in 2018-19 was Rs 1,14,526 crore received an allocation of Rs 65,891 crore.

Experts believe the new base will pack a tremendous punch for the IAF.

“Fighter jets have a finite range so extra bases are always welcome as more force is available when required,” said Air Marshal Vinod Patney (retd), head of the Centre for Air Power Studies and a former IAF vice chief. “The IAF has been asking for Deesa for years. It’s good news that the base is on its way to becoming a reality,” Patney added.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...-in-gujarat/story-Y8L4AsvhZceQFNnWr3l5oM.html

 

[Tanmay]

Centre clears plans for IAF base close to Pakistan border in Gujarat
The base, to be located close to Deesa in Banaskantha district, will fill an important gap between Barmer in the north and Bhuj/Naliya in the west in India’s defence capabilities.

Indian Air Force fighter planes during a training exercise. The new Deesa base is expected to cost upwards of Rs 4,000 crore.(PTI File Photo)

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared a long-pending Indian Air Force (IAF) plan to set up a forward fighter base close to Deesa in Banaskantha district, near India’s western border in northwest Gujarat, adding teeth to its military capabilities against Pakistan.

Defence ministry officials said on condition of anonymity that the CCS has cleared the initial investment of around Rs 1,000 crore to extend the runway, build fighter-pens and administrative facilities. “The proposal for converting the small Deesa airport with a 1,000-metre runway, which was used for helicopter landings and VVIP movements, has been gathering dust for quite some time. The fact is that 4,000 acres for the air base, which will plug the critical air defence gap between the Barmer and Bhuj air bases, was acquired nearly two decades ago. This decision was pushed by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman,” said one of the officials.

Although the defence ministry is tight-lipped about which fighters will be based in Deesa, it is a fact that the new base will increase IAF’s ability to respond swiftly in case of any hostilities in India’s western skies.

Two former IAF chiefs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as very significant. “The Deesa base will fill an important gap between Barmer in the north and Bhuj/Naliya in the west,” said one of the two chiefs. “We have constructed a boundary wall there and have some personnel stationed there. It’s time to get started now,” he added.

The base will come under the Air Force’s Gandhinagar-headquartered South Western Air Command (SWAC), which was headed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa in 2014-15. SWAC’s area of responsibility covers Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and Deesa will be the ninth base under it.

Setting up a full-fledged fighter base could eventually cost upwards of Rs 4,000 crore and it will be crucial for the government to earmark funds so that the project is not delayed any further, the former chief said.

Money will be critical at a time the Indian military is facing a fund crunch, as revealed in a string of reports tabled in Parliament this month. For instance, the IAF whose projected requirement in 2018-19 was Rs 1,14,526 crore received an allocation of Rs 65,891 crore.

Experts believe the new base will pack a tremendous punch for the IAF.

“Fighter jets have a finite range so extra bases are always welcome as more force is available when required,” said Air Marshal Vinod Patney (retd), head of the Centre for Air Power Studies and a former IAF vice chief. “The IAF has been asking for Deesa for years. It’s good news that the bases on its way to becoming a reality,” Patney added.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...-in-gujarat/story-Y8L4AsvhZceQFNnWr3l5oM.html

IAF wanted airbase at Deesa since 2010. Should take another decade to construct it with Indian speed.
How will IAF get money for this airbase when it has none to even pay for previous contracts. Probably just an announcement as usual there are other critical things to buy.

 

[Samsung J7]

Look at the pathetic condition of iaf mig21.these jets looks worse than dabba town buses. Iaf is forcing young pilots to fly this museum jets.

 

[rockrocky]

TIMES NOW Exclusive, Moscow offers to sell MiG-29s to India, Offer ahead of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Russia

 

[VIP]

TIMES NOW Exclusive, Moscow offers to sell MiG-29s to India, Offer ahead of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Russia

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.........

 

[Mikesingh]

MiG-29??? WTF? Unless the Ruskies are selling them for $100 a pop!

 

[binayak95]

I think this is our media at its best!

The Russkies must've offered us MiG 35s (since they are not THAT stupid) and our media went ahead and said MiG 29 (they look the same!!)

Or mayhaps its an offer for MiG 29Ks for both Navy and AF?

 

[MrPresident]

TIMES NOW Exclusive, Moscow offers to sell MiG-29s to India, Offer ahead of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Russia

I think they are offering a refurbished one from their inventory which still have some life left in the air frame. If its bang for buck why not.

 

[MrPresident]

View attachment 24022

Look at the pathetic condition of iaf mig21.these jets looks worse than dabba town buses. Iaf is forcing young pilots to fly this museum jets.

I am no expert but i think the logic is to learning to fly planes the hard way. As per my understanding Mig 21 is the by far toughest airplane to fly and once the pilot excels in it, he/she can excel in any. Just playing devils advocate.

 

[Vishal Chandorkar]

I think this is our media at its best!

The Russkies must've offered us MiG 35s (since they are not THAT stupid) and our media went ahead and said MiG 29 (they look the same!!)

Or mayhaps its an offer for MiG 29Ks for both Navy and AF?

Mig-29k is the naval version, how can it be offered to the airforce?

 

[binayak95]

Mig-29k is the naval version, how can it be offered to the airforce?

I am just guessing, but since the GoI wants the IAF to consider buying the F-18 as a common fighter for both IAF and IN (same for the Rafale), the Russians might have offered the MiG 29K as a common fighter for both IAF and IN. Not gonna happen, but that hasn't stopped the Russkies before.

 

[Babloo Singh]

I think they are offering a refurbished one from their inventory which still have some life left in the air frame. If its bang for buck why not.

I agree with you, if available we should buy some 40 odd units, 2 Sqn will reduce our stress on falling no's and give us more breathing time to get our act together on MK-2 & AMCA.
Similarly we should go for another 2 Sqn of Miraj 2000 from France, they are phasing out M2K's from their nuclear strike role.
If we add 4 Sqn of decent 4th gen fighter which has remaining airframe life of 10-12 years we are covered till 2030, hopefully we will start adding AMCA by then and Tejas MK-2 much before that. We will also be able to let go of mig 21 & 27 without any fall in Sqn strength

 

[WolfPack86]

All ready we are upgrading all MIG 29 to MIG 29 UPG. It is good addition existing MIG 29 planes in Indian Air Force.

 

[Vishal Chandorkar]

I agree with you, if available we should buy some 40 odd units, 2 Sqn will reduce our stress on falling no's and give us more breathing time to get our act together on MK-2 & AMCA.
Similarly we should go for another 2 Sqn of Miraj 2000 from France, they are phasing out M2K's from their nuclear strike role.
If we add 4 Sqn of decent 4th gen fighter which has remaining airframe life of 10-12 years we are covered till 2030, hopefully we will start adding AMCA by then and Tejas MK-2 much before that. We will also be able to let go of mig 21 & 27 without any fall in Sqn strength

What you are saying makes sense. But I am wondering, instead of mig-29s, wouldn't it be better to add 2 squadrons of Su-30mki?

 

[WolfPack86]

It's not MIG 29 Russia seems to offered MIG 35 fighter aircraft as usual reporter seems got confused when Russia mentioned advanced version of MIG 29. Offer will be placed before defence minister when she visit Russia.

 

[Babloo Singh]

What you are saying makes sense. But I am wondering, instead of mig-29s, wouldn't it be better to add 2 squadrons of Su-30mki?

We have 32-33 Sqn as of now..... and this includes 8 Sqn of Mig 21/27 which are on extended life, and will retire in next 2-3 years. We have 2 Sqn of Rafale & 2 Sqn of MKi on order which will join by 2021. Also by 2021 2 Sqn of Tejas will join IAF.

So IAF's strength will be say 32-8+6 = 30 Sqn in 2021.
If we order more of Rafael or Su 30 Mki it will come in 2023-25, in that time frame we will get 2-3 Sqn of Tejas too.

If we buy used Mig 29/M2K say 2 Sqn, we get it within a year and we have capability to use them straight away.
That will ensure there won't be any drop in sqn strength in coming three-five years period.