Indian Air Force: News & Discussions

[Mikesingh]

For those who say that Tejas took 32 yrs to be inducted. Just like our dumb media. In this picture the actual dates of various events are mentioned.

Tejas is the first aircraft that ADA developed from scratch. Still ADA is much faster than the other experienced aerospace industries!

And why even this delay? Because of sanctions after our Pokhran-II tests in 1998. Critical components were NA. Otherwise we would have had the Tejas Mk II up and running by now.
.

 

[bhramos]

...........................

 

[uoftotaku]

Wishful thinking but I do hope at some point someone in MoD realizes the value to allowing such procurement opportunities to be taken up

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-01-05/gunships-sale-part-mass-jordanian-sell

 

[Prashant12]

Eye on Chinese Army, nod to shelters for IAF fighter jets on border

Majority of the hardened shelters will be designed to house the Russian made Su-30MKi jets – the mainstay of IAF’s fighters. In 2016, a parliamentary committee on defence pointed to the fact that IAF did not have protective shelters to keep the Su-30Mki.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has now spread its fighters in disparate bases in the eastern sector. (REUTERS)


The air force has got a go-ahead to construct 108 modern shelters to house fighter aircraft in forward areas on India’s northern borders at a time when China has ramped up activity in the Tibet Autonomous Region, which overlooks Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Ladakh.

The Union Cabinet had recently allocated about ~5,500 crore for the project to build the Next Generation Hardened Aircraft Shelters (NGHAS), said three senior officials aware of the development who asked not to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

In the past few months, there were reports of increased activity by the People’s Liberation Army (air force), which has carried out several exercises, including moving troops at a rapid rate in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has now spread its fighters in disparate bases in the eastern sector. “While the fighters can be scrambled as when required from different bases, it will be difficult for the enemy to target every base,” a senior IAF officer said, explaining the decision.

Majority of the hardened shelters will be designed to house the Russian made Su-30MKi jets — the mainstay of IAF’s fighters. In 2016, a parliamentary committee on defence pointed to the fact that IAF did not have protective shelters to keep the Su-30Mki.

“Hardened shelters are not available for even the limited numbers of aircraft that is available with the Service,” the committee observed.

Apart from the hardened shelters, IAF has also inducted new technology to repair damaged runways in a few hours.

“The combination of the hardened shelters and capability to repair damaged runways quickly gives us an operational edge,” said a senior defence ministry official.

NGHAS are specialised structures comprising layers of reinforced concrete, sand and steel. They can protect aircraft from direct hits by a 2,000-pound bomb.

IAF bases in the western sector have “blast pens” — tunnel-shaped concrete structures covered with a layer of earth and protective walls near their openings, which are supposed to protect aircraft from the effects of blasts in case of an attack.

“However, with the change in warfare technology the blast-proof pens may not be enough to protect assets,” the officer quoted above said, explaining why IAF needs NGHAS.

To underline the importance of the hardened shelters, a second defence ministry official said IAF told the Union government that during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, nearly 60% of the air force’s loses were of fighters that were on the ground. After the 1965 war, India started building blast-proof pens. “The blast-proof pens ensured that fighters on the ground were safe during the Bangladesh liberation war. No aircraft on the ground was lost during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war,” he said, adding that IAF told the government that the need of the hour now was to upgrade to NGHAS.

https://defenceforumindia.com/forum...-news-discussions.57142/page-159#post-1471272

 

[cyclops]

...........................

That's some funny $hit right there.

 

[Defcon 1]

Indian Air Force to Showcase Aircraft Flying on Mix of Jet Fuel and Biofuel on Republic Day

New Delhi: A host of country's air defence capabilities will be showcased during the Republic Day celebrations here, including a 'vic' formation of An-32 aircraft, whose lead plane will be flying using a mix of traditional and biofuel for the first time during the parade, a senior IAF official Wednesday said.

The 'vic' formation is devised for military aircraft and comprises three or sometimes more aircraft flying in close formation with the leader at the apex and the rest of the flight en echelon to left and right, the whole resembling the letter 'V'.

This formation will follow the swashbuckling main flypast which leaves the crowd at the ceremonial boulevard spellbound every year on January 26.

"The An-32 (Satluj) formation will also exhibit India's quest to seek alternative sources of fuel. The lead aircraft of the formation, piloted by Sqn Ldr Mehtab Sond of the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment, will be flying utilising Aviation Turbine Fuel blended with 10 per cent biofuel," the senior official said.

The biofuel has been extracted from Jatropha plant seeds using a technology patented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, the IAF said.

"The other two aircraft in the 'vic' formation will be flying on traditional Aviation Turbine Fuel and captained by Sqn Ldr Gautam Bajaj and Wg Cdr Arun Chandan...The successful trials will lead to significant reduction on India's dependency on imported crude oil," he said.

A media preview was Wednesday held at the Akash Air Force Officers Mess, where air force officers fronting the 144-strong Indian Air Force contingent and the leader of the IAF band, participating in the celebrations, interacted with reporters.

The IAF said its initiative is "in line with the prime minister's vision" to reduce crude oil imports and dependency on it to the tune of 10 per cent by 2021.

The main flypast will comprise 33 aircraft of the IAF and four helicopters of the Army's aviation arm, the IAF said.

"The aircraft types include 18 fighters, eight transport aircraft and 11 helicopters. The flypast will be conducted in two phases. The end of the parade will be marked by a single Sukhoi aircraft Su-30 MKI of the IAF performing the signature 'vertical charlie' in the air.

According to the IAF, the theme for its R-Day tableau is 'Indian Air Force: Safeguarding Indian Skies'.

The tableau will showcase scaled down models of Light Combat Aircraft, Sukhoi-30 MKI and Low Level Light Weight Radar, which have been indigenously designed and manufactured.

"The theme underlines the air defence capabilities of the IAF and its commitment to defend the airspace of our country against any threat," the official said.

Flt Lt Srikant Sharma, who will lead the IAF marching contingent on Rajpath on the Republic Day was ecstatic and said, "It was fulfilment of another dream."

"I have seen R-Day parade on TV and on Rajpath since childhood days and getting into the Armed Forces was a dream come true and this opportunity to lead the contingent is an icing on the cake," he told PTI.

Flt Lt Pankaj Choudhary and Flying Officers Ragi Ramachandran and Vikas Yadav will be in the vanguard led by Sharma, the IAF said.

Ramachandran said it was a "moment of great pride" that also "inspires great humility in me" given the prestige the Republic Day celebrations hold for one and all.

https://www.news18.com/news/india/i...fuel-and-biofuel-on-republic-day-2004705.html

 

[captscooby81]

EXCLUSIVE: Amidst Spat, Elevated Chance Of IAF Su-30 Order To HAL

Chances of the Indian Air Force signing up for 40 more Su-30 MKI fighters have swelled considerably amidst an ill-tempered political spat between India’s government and the chief opposition Congress Party. Livefist learns that an unsolicited offer made by HAL in February 2018 has shuffled its way to the top of the priority list, with the government regarding the proposal as a possible twin-cure.

On the one hand, it would slow the depletion in the Indian Air Force’s fighter squadron strength — a chief worry for the IAF leadership. More visibly, though, it would alleviate the bruising political storm that has raged for months now with HAL, which license builds the Su-30 in western India, being held up by aggressive opposition parties as a company neglected and driven into the ground by the government in power. HAL will build and deliver the last of its ordered Su-30s this year. An order for 40 more jets would therefore keep a fully functioning production line buzzing for at least three more years.

The IAF’s possible order, in other words, would serve as a soothing salve on two bruising fronts — equipping the military adequately and political perceptions in an election year. Elevated chances of the 40 aircraft order come shortly after HAL found itself the unlikely centerpiece of a scrappy episode in India’s Parliament earlier this month. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was angrily accused by the Congress Party of lying to Parliament about large scale orders that had been handed to HAL. The Minister was forced to respond with documents indicating ‘pipeline’ orders for several different platforms.

To be sure, the Indian Air Force isn’t against the idea of 40 more Su-30 MKIs, which would take its fleet strength of the type to 312 aircraft. However, a section within the IAF has strongly held that the service needs to get larger numbers of lighter fighters that have less demands on serviceability and availability. This also ties in with the fact that the existing Su-30s are soon to be up for an extensive upgrade cycle that will make them more capable aircraft. Yet another section believes that the need of the hour is to double down and order at least an equal number of Rafale jets, instead of Su-30s, since they’re less demanding on maintenance and pilot resources.

The politically-charged suggestion from the opposition parties that HAL was abandoned by the government for offsets and local manufacturing contracts in the 2016 Rafale deal is also a clear compelling factor for the government leaning towards handing this new 40 jet deal to HAL. With the first new Rafales arriving in September this year, an order to HAL would quell perceptions that HAL has been allowed to languish by lack of orders, even if that weren’t true.

The Indian Air Force has been watching, with increasing consternation, the manner in which HAL has allowed itself to become a political football without a clear stand on way or the other on the many fast-flying allegations concerning the company. As its principal customer, the IAF believes that HAL — with which it has shared frequently ill-tempered relations — is looking to fish in troubled waters, hoping to gain from the turbulence surrounding it. Reports last week that HAL, a company listed on the stock exchanges, would need to borrow millions to pay salaries, amplified suggestions that the company was a broken shell of its former self and that it had been neglected to its doom by the current government. Again, a 40 aircraft booster shot could stop the political bleeding on that count.

There’s another compelling reason why the new order could be pushed through.

In a related development, with the Su-30 MKI production run in its final leg, HAL and its partners have only just mastered all phases of license production of the AL-31FP engine in Koraput, Odisha, including ‘Phase V’ which involves building brand new engines from raw materials, and not simply assembling them from parts. HAL has also additionally mastered the capital overhaul of AL-31FP engines and its aggregates locally, all of it still monitored though by a guarantee team from Russia.

A senior HAL source said, “The licensed production of the Russian AL-31FP turbofan engines powering Su-30MKI multirole fighters at HAL’s engine division in Koraput is being successfully implemented in accordance with the contracts concluded earlier by Rosoboronexport. It’s a successful example of Make in India. AL-31FP engines are being manufactured and assembled from the kits delivered by the Ufa-based UEC-UMPO (producer of AL-31FP, part of UEC) production company.”

https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...levated-chance-of-iaf-su-30-order-to-hal.html

 

[vampyrbladez]

EXCLUSIVE: Amidst Spat, Elevated Chance Of IAF Su-30 Order To HAL

Chances of the Indian Air Force signing up for 40 more Su-30 MKI fighters have swelled considerably amidst an ill-tempered political spat between India’s government and the chief opposition Congress Party. Livefist learns that an unsolicited offer made by HAL in February 2018 has shuffled its way to the top of the priority list, with the government regarding the proposal as a possible twin-cure.

On the one hand, it would slow the depletion in the Indian Air Force’s fighter squadron strength — a chief worry for the IAF leadership. More visibly, though, it would alleviate the bruising political storm that has raged for months now with HAL, which license builds the Su-30 in western India, being held up by aggressive opposition parties as a company neglected and driven into the ground by the government in power. HAL will build and deliver the last of its ordered Su-30s this year. An order for 40 more jets would therefore keep a fully functioning production line buzzing for at least three more years.

The IAF’s possible order, in other words, would serve as a soothing salve on two bruising fronts — equipping the military adequately and political perceptions in an election year. Elevated chances of the 40 aircraft order come shortly after HAL found itself the unlikely centerpiece of a scrappy episode in India’s Parliament earlier this month. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was angrily accused by the Congress Party of lying to Parliament about large scale orders that had been handed to HAL. The Minister was forced to respond with documents indicating ‘pipeline’ orders for several different platforms.

To be sure, the Indian Air Force isn’t against the idea of 40 more Su-30 MKIs, which would take its fleet strength of the type to 312 aircraft. However, a section within the IAF has strongly held that the service needs to get larger numbers of lighter fighters that have less demands on serviceability and availability. This also ties in with the fact that the existing Su-30s are soon to be up for an extensive upgrade cycle that will make them more capable aircraft. Yet another section believes that the need of the hour is to double down and order at least an equal number of Rafale jets, instead of Su-30s, since they’re less demanding on maintenance and pilot resources.

The politically-charged suggestion from the opposition parties that HAL was abandoned by the government for offsets and local manufacturing contracts in the 2016 Rafale deal is also a clear compelling factor for the government leaning towards handing this new 40 jet deal to HAL. With the first new Rafales arriving in September this year, an order to HAL would quell perceptions that HAL has been allowed to languish by lack of orders, even if that weren’t true.

The Indian Air Force has been watching, with increasing consternation, the manner in which HAL has allowed itself to become a political football without a clear stand on way or the other on the many fast-flying allegations concerning the company. As its principal customer, the IAF believes that HAL — with which it has shared frequently ill-tempered relations — is looking to fish in troubled waters, hoping to gain from the turbulence surrounding it. Reports last week that HAL, a company listed on the stock exchanges, would need to borrow millions to pay salaries, amplified suggestions that the company was a broken shell of its former self and that it had been neglected to its doom by the current government. Again, a 40 aircraft booster shot could stop the political bleeding on that count.

There’s another compelling reason why the new order could be pushed through.

In a related development, with the Su-30 MKI production run in its final leg, HAL and its partners have only just mastered all phases of license production of the AL-31FP engine in Koraput, Odisha, including ‘Phase V’ which involves building brand new engines from raw materials, and not simply assembling them from parts. HAL has also additionally mastered the capital overhaul of AL-31FP engines and its aggregates locally, all of it still monitored though by a guarantee team from Russia.

A senior HAL source said, “The licensed production of the Russian AL-31FP turbofan engines powering Su-30MKI multirole fighters at HAL’s engine division in Koraput is being successfully implemented in accordance with the contracts concluded earlier by Rosoboronexport. It’s a successful example of Make in India. AL-31FP engines are being manufactured and assembled from the kits delivered by the Ufa-based UEC-UMPO (producer of AL-31FP, part of UEC) production company.”

https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...levated-chance-of-iaf-su-30-order-to-hal.html

PLEASE DO THIS! PLEASE! FGFA WON'T COME BEFORE 2027.

 

[Chinmoy]

PLEASE DO THIS! PLEASE! FGFA WON'T COME BEFORE 2027.

IAF already did this to FGFA. No FGFA for India.

 

[Advaidhya Tiwari]

PLEASE DO THIS! PLEASE! FGFA WON'T COME BEFORE 2027.

There is no FGFA. It is now AMCA.

 

[vampyrbladez]

@Advaidhya Tiwari @Chinmoy

https://sputniknews.com/military/201808191067320605-russia-india-5th-generation-fighter-jet/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...oin-at-a-later-stage/articleshow/64981021.cms

We're blue balling Russia till 2nd stage engine receives certification. Also radar integration needs to be certified as well. Besides 2027 is 8 years away so priority to immediate needs first!

 

[Chinmoy]

@Advaidhya Tiwari @Chinmoy

https://sputniknews.com/military/201808191067320605-russia-india-5th-generation-fighter-jet/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...oin-at-a-later-stage/articleshow/64981021.cms

We're blue balling Russia till 2nd stage engine receives certification. Also radar integration needs to be certified as well. Besides 2027 is 8 years away so priority to immediate needs first!

As I said, IAF poured cold water on it.

A multibillion dollar programme to develop and produce a stealth fighter with Russia appears to be in peril, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) against pursuing it as it believes that the platform lacks the desired stealth characteristics and is inferior to US-made F-35 and F-22 jets, said a senior IAF officer familiar with the project.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...with-russia/story-17X10snonrs4A6FwOJAxOI.html

What NS has said is just a mellow down and decent way to say Russia that India is not interested.

 

[vampyrbladez]

As I said, IAF poured cold water on it.



https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...with-russia/story-17X10snonrs4A6FwOJAxOI.html

What NS has said is just a mellow down and decent way to say Russia that India is not interested.

There is no more 5th generation fighters on the market. We are essentially blue balling Russia till we get new engines and decent ToT.

 

[Chinmoy]

There is no more 5th generation fighters on the market. We are essentially blue balling Russia till we get new engines and decent ToT.

As I already mentioned, IAF is least interested in FGFA as a whole after Russians didn't agree to part with the required work share asked by India.

 

[binayak95]

There is no more 5th generation fighters on the market. We are essentially blue balling Russia till we get new engines and decent ToT.

IAF will never go for FGFA.

a. Its not ready
b. the Russians themselves have only ordered 12.
c. they want India to pay for development costs, without giving us any of the technology, and then they want to overcharge us for the aircraft.
d. they'll push this tech down the line to the Chinks - buying from Russia = subsidising chinese military armament
e. Fuck OFF to Roosiya

 

[vampyrbladez]

IAF will never go for FGFA.

a. Its not ready
b. the Russians themselves have only ordered 12.
c. they want India to pay for development costs, without giving us any of the technology, and then they want to overcharge us for the aircraft.
d. they'll push this tech down the line to the Chinks - buying from Russia = subsidising chinese military armament
e. Fuck OFF to Roosiya

Points a), b) and c) are valid. Rest is bullshit. Main issue of contention are 2nd stage engines and radar integration. Without them, it is a souped up Su 35BM not worth the investment. Ultimately it will be MKI-sed so we will get them around 2027.

 

[vampyrbladez]

As I already mentioned, IAF is least interested in FGFA as a whole after Russians didn't agree to part with the required work share asked by India.

Russia will break after funding required for batch 2 of FGFA. This will be done only for 2nd stage engine and radar integration.

 

[Advaidhya Tiwari]

Russia will break after funding required for batch 2 of FGFA. This will be done only for 2nd stage engine and radar integration.

Russia has too much money to worry about funding. Russia has a surplus budget economy it is getting more and more surplus each year.

It is absurd to say that Russia needs Indian funds. This was the case only in 1986-2006 period when USSR and Russia faced serious internal problem and external oil shocks.

 

[Enquirer]

EXCLUSIVE: Amidst Spat, Elevated Chance Of IAF Su-30 Order To HAL

Chances of the Indian Air Force signing up for 40 more Su-30 MKI fighters have swelled considerably amidst an ill-tempered political spat between India’s government and the chief opposition Congress Party. Livefist learns that an unsolicited offer made by HAL in February 2018 has shuffled its way to the top of the priority list, with the government regarding the proposal as a possible twin-cure.

On the one hand, it would slow the depletion in the Indian Air Force’s fighter squadron strength — a chief worry for the IAF leadership. More visibly, though, it would alleviate the bruising political storm that has raged for months now with HAL, which license builds the Su-30 in western India, being held up by aggressive opposition parties as a company neglected and driven into the ground by the government in power. HAL will build and deliver the last of its ordered Su-30s this year. An order for 40 more jets would therefore keep a fully functioning production line buzzing for at least three more years.

The IAF’s possible order, in other words, would serve as a soothing salve on two bruising fronts — equipping the military adequately and political perceptions in an election year. Elevated chances of the 40 aircraft order come shortly after HAL found itself the unlikely centerpiece of a scrappy episode in India’s Parliament earlier this month. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was angrily accused by the Congress Party of lying to Parliament about large scale orders that had been handed to HAL. The Minister was forced to respond with documents indicating ‘pipeline’ orders for several different platforms.

To be sure, the Indian Air Force isn’t against the idea of 40 more Su-30 MKIs, which would take its fleet strength of the type to 312 aircraft. However, a section within the IAF has strongly held that the service needs to get larger numbers of lighter fighters that have less demands on serviceability and availability. This also ties in with the fact that the existing Su-30s are soon to be up for an extensive upgrade cycle that will make them more capable aircraft. Yet another section believes that the need of the hour is to double down and order at least an equal number of Rafale jets, instead of Su-30s, since they’re less demanding on maintenance and pilot resources.

The politically-charged suggestion from the opposition parties that HAL was abandoned by the government for offsets and local manufacturing contracts in the 2016 Rafale deal is also a clear compelling factor for the government leaning towards handing this new 40 jet deal to HAL. With the first new Rafales arriving in September this year, an order to HAL would quell perceptions that HAL has been allowed to languish by lack of orders, even if that weren’t true.

The Indian Air Force has been watching, with increasing consternation, the manner in which HAL has allowed itself to become a political football without a clear stand on way or the other on the many fast-flying allegations concerning the company. As its principal customer, the IAF believes that HAL — with which it has shared frequently ill-tempered relations — is looking to fish in troubled waters, hoping to gain from the turbulence surrounding it. Reports last week that HAL, a company listed on the stock exchanges, would need to borrow millions to pay salaries, amplified suggestions that the company was a broken shell of its former self and that it had been neglected to its doom by the current government. Again, a 40 aircraft booster shot could stop the political bleeding on that count.

There’s another compelling reason why the new order could be pushed through.

In a related development, with the Su-30 MKI production run in its final leg, HAL and its partners have only just mastered all phases of license production of the AL-31FP engine in Koraput, Odisha, including ‘Phase V’ which involves building brand new engines from raw materials, and not simply assembling them from parts. HAL has also additionally mastered the capital overhaul of AL-31FP engines and its aggregates locally, all of it still monitored though by a guarantee team from Russia.

A senior HAL source said, “The licensed production of the Russian AL-31FP turbofan engines powering Su-30MKI multirole fighters at HAL’s engine division in Koraput is being successfully implemented in accordance with the contracts concluded earlier by Rosoboronexport. It’s a successful example of Make in India. AL-31FP engines are being manufactured and assembled from the kits delivered by the Ufa-based UEC-UMPO (producer of AL-31FP, part of UEC) production company.”

https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...levated-chance-of-iaf-su-30-order-to-hal.html

Shouldn't these 40 be in Super Sukhoi configuration?
What would be the point in making it in old config and then spending an additional $2 billion to upgrade these 40!
Net-net, IAF/MoD should speed up the contract signing for Super Sukhoi, and then place order for 40 brand new planes......

 

[Mikesingh]

The aircraft types include 18 fighters, eight transport aircraft and 11 helicopters. The flypast will be conducted in two phases. The end of the parade will be marked by a single Sukhoi aircraft Su-30 MKI of the IAF performing the signature 'vertical charlie' in the air.

Big deal! Same old stuff! Yawn! We should end the flypast with a display of the Surya Kirans trailing Indian colors like this......


I dunno what the problem is? The world over they end the parade with such displays. This vertical charlie stuff is old hat.