Indian Air Force: News & Discussions

[F-14B]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

 

[aditya10r]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

100 is way more than we need.
We need 60-65 squadrons max to dominate the sub continent and keep the Chinese in check............
Fleet availability and sortie generation rate is more important than numbers.

 

[Bahamut]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

With force multipler, increase in technology, inflight refueling and increase in payload vs weight, we require less planes for same work. 42 squadron of such planes are more the enough.

 

[aditya10r]

With force multipler, increase in technology, inflight refueling and increase in payload vs weight, we require less planes for same work. 42 squadron of such planes are more the enough.

But 42 is way too less.
We need at least 55-60 squadrons along with better support systems......

 

[F-14B]

100 is way more than we need.
We need 60-65 squadrons max to dominate the sub continent and keep the Chinese in check............
Fleet availability and sortie generation rate is more important than numbers.

Why i said 100 is because as we grown in importance we will have to send our forces out side our sovrenig borders that is why we need a 100 squadron

 

[aditya10r]

Why i said 100 is because as we grown in importance we will have to send our forces out side our sovrenig borders that is why we need a 100 squadron

2000 jet fighter are just too much.
1200-1300 are enough.
And as far as fighting outside our borders can be taken care by aircraft carriers

 

[WolfPack86]

DON'T MISS: Model of an early iteration from India's Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program undergoing RCS tests.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

 

[Bahamut]

DON'T MISS: Model of an early iteration from India's Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program undergoing RCS tests.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

It is nicely design, it will have a low rcs.......

 

[kunal1123]

DON'T MISS: Model of an early iteration from India's Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program undergoing RCS tests.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

looking nice .glad project is progressing good.................................

 

[aakash_2410]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

I think you're being a bit optimistic there. When India had thousands of Mig-21 it still didn't have more than 50 figher squads.

Also, India's current fighter strength is 33 squads not 43 and not to mention around 200 Mig-21s that are being decommissioned over 4 years. Hence, the talks of third Tejas production line and 200 F-16s/Gripens plus possible follow on orders of Rafale.

43 is the ideal number of squads IAF wants to maintain for any eventuality (Possible two-front war. Never gonna happen but, still).

 

[scatterStorm]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

As for strategic detterrance is concerned, even 30 squadrons can lay havoc to any aggressor. But currently the geopolitical chess game is shifted towards a two pronged war, i.e. Pakis and Chinkies. Our agenda is to defend ourselves and project power in south east Asia, anything global is simply daydreaming. Nevertheless, why 42 squadrons? To give you a perspective, In Vietnam war(Operation rolling thunder) USAF lost over 900 planes, while the Vietnam lost somewhere around 112, mostly jet fighters whereas USAF lost culmination of fighter jets, bomber, recon planes etc. This is due to a very well trained Air Force. Today that same situation can't be reconstructed in any Air Force campaign, but important lesson can be learnt that a few handful squadrons can kick arse from seven days till sunday. Yeah, there are advanced Anti-air missiles, radars and jets, to fight such war we need 46 not just 42, but 42 will do. Rest if our pilots are well trained, which they are due to victories in few air exercises, complemented by a swift maintainence team that could improve the sortie rates. Last time I checked IAF learned few lessons in red flag exercise and improved there sortie rate to 45-50% which is good. All we require is good logistical support, a couple of few squadrons of mixed class fighters and we will be a formidable force to any aggressor. Rest assured our fighter pilots are better than pakis and chinkies, I am saying this because we have a similar program like the top gun program of US. Our top 1% train the young newbies into something close to them, all along new air war tactics is practiced. So have little faith!

 

[scatterStorm]

DON'T MISS: Model of an early iteration from India's Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program undergoing RCS tests.
https://twitter.com/SJha1618?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Pretty VLO, granted if the engines could take it anything closer to 40-50k feet, long endurance than this will be jewel in the crown for IAF. But than I may be overthinking. At best 25-30k feets at 250 mph.

 

[rohit b3]

My favorite part is 26:40
Bharat Karnad straight to the point!

Also at 38:50, there has been no official movement from India's side to buy any aircraft.
Its just as i thought, all the news are just random desperate lobbying by Saab mainly.

 

[TPFscopes]

I am suprised why india is still stuck @ 42 squadrons of fighters why cant we increse our fighter squadrons strenght to a 100 that will give a even spread of 50 fighter squadrons per front and we should also re raise the IAFVR a with an additional fighter squadron strength of 100 that again will give us a spread of 50 per front in reserves and 100 squadrons per front in Actual combat conditions

Their is a very high cost is imposed to maintain an aircraft than why there is need to spend a lot to INDUCT 100+ squadrons that means 1800+ FIGHTERS .
It's totally baseless. As required 42.5 squadrons are more than enough for two front war.

 

[tsunami]

As required 42.5 squadrons are more than enough for two front war.

I believe 42 is a minimum required strength to defend from a 2 front war. So defeinatly we need more squadrens not 100 but 50-55.

 

[TPFscopes]

I believe 42 is a minimum required strength to defend from a 2 front war. So defeinatly we need more squadrens not 100 but 50-55.

Numbers of required squadrons are determined by our dedicated IAF diamonds. So, I don't think to fill up our hangers by more fighters. But there is an urgent need to replace the junks from our running squadrons and need to increase the numbers of squadrons to the required numbers

 

[sthf]

You can't demand the 100 squadron Air Force of an economy of $17 trillion from India. It's absurd to say the least.

If I remember correctly post Sino-Indian war, a 60 squadron Air Force was recommended. But mind you, Cold war was at its peak and India had just lost a war.

So in the current scenario, 42 is good and 60 is an unachievable dream for the foreseeable future.

 

[Superdefender]

Aircraft Fleet Strength
Last Updated: 07 February 2017
Written by Fleet Data
TABLE A: Summary of estimates of the Indian Air Force active aircraft fleet*

Combat Aircraft - Air Superiority 388(Incl 30 Trainers)
Ground Attack 291 (Incl 33 Trainers)
Second Line Combat Aircraft -
Helicopters 359
Transport Aircraft 247
Trainers 182
TOTAL 1467
TABLE B: Detailed Type Wise Break up

Type Sqn Est Sqn Nos Total No of Units Est Combat Est Trainers
COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Air Superiority and Multi Role

MiG-29 16 As and 2 UMs 28, 47, 223 3 48 6
Mirage 2000H 16 Hs and 2 THs
6 THs and 4 Hs 1, 7
9 3 36 10
MiG-21 Bison 16 Bison and 2 U 3, 4, 21, 23, 32, 51 6 96 12
Sukhoi-30 MKI 16 MKI 2, 8, 15, 20, 24, 30, 31, 102, 106, 220 10 160
HAL Tejas 16 45 1 2
MiG-21Bis 16 + 2 Us 26 1 16 2
Total for Air Superiority and Multi Role 358 30

Ground Attack

MiG-27 UPG 16 + 2 UMs(23) 10,29 2 32 4
MiG-27 ML 16 + 2 UMs(23) 18,22, 222, TACDE(0.5) 3.5 56 7
MiG-21 M/MF 16 + 2 Us 17, 35, 37, 101, 108 5 80 10
Jaguar IS 16 IS + 2 IT 5,14,16,27, 224 5 80 10
Jaguar IM 6 IM+ 2 IT+ 4 IS 6 1 10 2
Total for Ground Attack 258 33


Total Combat Aircraft 36.5+3 616 63

HELICOPTERS
Mi-8 12 105,107,109,110,112,118,119,121,122F 8.5 102
Mi-17 12 127, 128, 129, 130, 152, 153, 6 72
Mi-17 V-5 12 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159 6 72
Mi-24/35 10 104, 125 2 20
Mi-26 4 126HF 1 3
Chetak 8-12 111,115, 116,141SSS F, 142SSS F,HTS 6 48
Cheetah 12 114,131F,132F, 2 24
Dhruv 6-12 117, 151 2 18
Total Helicopters 359

TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT
C-17 (3) 81 1 3
Il-76 MD (17) 44,25 'A' 1.5 15
Il-78 MKI (6) 78 1 6
A-50E (3) 50 1 2
C-130J (6) 77 1 5
An-32 (119) 12,25'B',33,43,48,49,PTS, TTW 7 104
HS-748 (68) 11, 41 'A', 59, 106 'A' , 6 Cmd Flts(2 A/c) 4 64
Do-228 (24) 41, TTW, 6 Comm Flts(2 A/c) 2.5 40
Boeing 737 Air HQ Flt 1 4
Embraer 135BJ Air HQ Flt 1 4
Total Transports 247

TRAINER AIRCRAFT
HJT-16 Kiran AFA(A), AFA(B) , FIS , FTW, 52 84
BAe Hawk Mk 132 HOTS, OCU 70
Pilatus PC-7 AFA 28
Total Trainers 182

Total Fleet* 1285 182
Number plated Units: Fighter 221 Transport: 19, 42

Editors Note: Does not include Attrition Reserves, aircraft of ARC. This estimate is based on the number of units and the standard Unit Establishment of aircraft that each unit is eligible to hold. The numbers on this page will not reflect the actual numbers held by IAF units. The number of each type of aircraft may appear to be less than the total procured by the IAF as the totals here does not take into account Storage reserves. Any shortfall between the estimates here and the total procured does not automatically mean that the rest of the aircraft were lost in attrition. For Example, The total number of Mirage 2000s procured by IAF stand at 49 till date. Till date six of these have been lost in attrition. However the total Mirages held by the Units will only show 36 instead of 43 as the rest will be in storage. The totals above does not include any aircraft held by such establishments like TACDE, ASTE, AFTPS, HAL or ADA.


For better view, go to source link:
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/units/others/281-fleet.html

 

[Screambowl]

iaf mig 27 crash , old.
why he didn't eject, ATC could warn him
RIP

 

[WolfPack86]

“IAF Officially Pulls Out Of HAL Intermediate Trainer Project” Our reports over 7 years tracked the nosedive.
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en