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fatman17

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The operational availability of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) combat, transport, and helicopter fleets has averaged about 60% over the past three years, a recent internal assessment has revealed.

Of these platforms, the report disclosed that the IAF’s 780-strong fighter fleet had an overall operational availability rate of 55% between 2011 and early 2014: the lowest of all platform types.

The availability rate for the same time period of trainer and transport assets, including recent acquisitions such as the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II trainer, Lockheed Martin C-130J-30, and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transporters, hovered at about 65%.

Availability of the IAF’s helicopter fleet stood at about 62%.

The IAF assessment, a copy of which IHS Jane’s had access to, largely blamed the low operational availability of its assets on Ministry of Defence (MoD) delays and poor maintenance and platform support by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

HAL has monopolised the license building and maintenance of IAF fighters, trainers, transport aircraft, and helicopters for more than four decades.

However, the IAF has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with delays in platform construction, development and support as well as with recurring cost overruns.

The analysis said the MoD had failed to approve acquisitions of spares, after-sales service and upgrade contracts, and there were quality control issues at IAF Base Repair Depots.

The report revealed that the average serviceability – the IAF’s term for operational availability – of 50% for its 172 Su-30MKIs, which constitute the backbone of the IAF’s combat fleet, was the lowest among front-line fighters.

Only lower were the obsolescent 21 Mikoyan MiG-23UBs and 68 upgraded MiG-27ML/UPGs, which the report said had serviceability rates of about 39% and 36% respectively because of “structural defects due to ageing”.

The remaining IAF fighters – 254 MiG-21 variants; 60 MiG-29s (including eight trainers);124 SEPECAT Jaguars (including 29 trainers); and 49 Dassault Mirage 2000Hs (including 10 trainers) – had serviceability of 55%, 70%, 61%, and 53% respectively.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha conceded in his annual press conference on 4 October that the Su-30MKI fleet was facing “technical problems” but declined to elaborate further.

First published online: 24/10/2014

is this another deception / ploy to get increased funding for the IAF?
 
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