Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[sancho]

now in 2012, IAF

34 squadrons, 617 combat aircraft, including
159 Su-30MKI,
68 MiG -29,
51 aircraft Mirage-2000,
100 aircraft MiG -21,
139 Jaguar attack aircraft
100 MiG -27 attackmachine

Is this accurate or not???

The Mig 21s will be phased out only till 2014, so currently there are around 150 more of them.

 

[Gessler]

now in 2012, IAF

34 squadrons, 617 combat aircraft, including
159 Su-30MKI,
68 MiG -29,
51 aircraft Mirage-2000,
100 aircraft MiG -21,
139 Jaguar attack aircraft
100 MiG -27 attackmachine

Is this accurate or not???

MKIs are 162 in service. With atleast 20 more built but not inducted as yet.
MiG-27s are 145 (105 Mig-27M and 40 Mig-27UPG)
MiG-21s are some 173 (123 Mig-21 Bison, 30 Mig-21M Type-96, >20 Mig-21U Type-69B) some of these are in reserve.

 

[sudhir007]

http://www.hal-india.com/MSM/VOlume-5_msm-95.pdf

 

[DMLA]

Mig-21's are NOT going to be phased out by 2014. All mig-21's barring the "bison" variant will be phased out by 2014.

 

[sancho]

AUSA: US Army to re-designate Block III Apache as AH-64E

The US Army is re-designating the Boeing AH-64D Block III Apache as the AH-64E...

...The soon-to-be E-model's rotor blades are made of composites and the airfoil is shaped differently, he says. Moreover, the entire drive system has been completely revamped, with the engines and transmission significantly upgraded. "It's a completely new gearbox," Handy says.

The new drive system, in many respects, restores performance of the helicopter to earlier days. The introduction of the D-model in the 1990s added a large amount of weight to the aircraft over the years...

...The Block III's avionics have also been greatly improved. The biggest change is that the system has moved to an open-architecture design. But there have also been improvements to the flight controls and flight management systems.

The aircraft's mission capabilities have also been greatly improved, although Brown declines to elaborate. However, Boeing says one of the biggest improvements in that regard is the addition of a level four manned-unmanned teaming system, which will allow the aircraft's crew to work with unmanned air vehicles.

AUSA: US Army to re-designate Block III Apache as AH-64E

 

[Gessler]

AUSA: US Army to re-designate Block III Apache as AH-64E

So its the AH-64E that we're getting then...

 

[Gessler]

New pic of AW-101 VVIP helo -

 

[sancho]

So its the AH-64E that we're getting then...

Most likely, but more important were the new capabilities of this version shown in the article.

 

[sancho]

IAF strike capabilities past and future:

Only 2 years ago we saw the following pics of IAF during the Vayu Shakti exercise, which showed that IAF was still dependent on many old platforms, dumb bombs and unguided rockets in the strike role.

 

[sancho]

Back then only a few versions were able to use laser guided bombs and even less were multi role capable. From 2015 onwords however, things will change and the modernisation of the fleet will be full on. Be it upgrades to older fighters, or the addition of new fighter types, the strike role will get way more punch and that in all roles!


CAS - frontline fighters

(Note: Pic shows Mig 29K, but the config will be similar for IAFs Mig 29UPG)



Second line fighters

CAS weapons:

Kh 29 laser guided missile
(Hopefully Helina with a triple pylon as well)
Paveway, Griffin and Sudharshan LGBs
KAB (possibly SPICE) and AASM PGMs
Weight classes, from 50 to 1000Kg
Range from 8 to 80Km

 

[sancho]

Not only the CAS role will be dramatically improved, but also the SEAD capabilities, where IAF will be able to field different fighters, weapons and tactics. Be it at short, medium or long distances, attacking the radar, or the whole systems at once, in single type or combo attack.


SEAD

Rafale 1 detecting the threat, MKI taking out the radar, Rafale 2 taking out the missiles:

Rafale 1 detecting the threat and taking out the radar, Rafale 2 taking out the missiles:

SEAD weapons:

AASM (possibly SPICE) PGMs
Kh 31P anti radiation missiles
Scalp cruise missiles
(possibly JSOW or Pilum stand off weapons)

Weight classes, from 125 to 1200Kg
Range from 55 to 290Km

 

[sancho]

Deepstrikes will be a new capability that IAF will add, especially with China in mind! Again the MKI and mainly the Rafale (possibly the Mirage 2000-5 as well) will form a great hi / lo combo, with complementary capabilities and weapons, to offer IAF different tatics to fullfil this role.
Be it the MKI at high altitudes and even from Indian airspace, or the Rafale with it's excellent low level penetration capabilities.

Deepstrike weapons:

Scalp and Brahmos cruise missiles
Later Nirbhay will be an option as well

Weight classes, from 1000 to 2500Kg
Range from 290 to 1000Km

 

[sancho]

Special strikes, that occur less often will be further modernised with capabilities and weapons as well. Be carpet bombings, attacks on Bunkers, or even the nuclear strike role.

Special strike weapons:

FAB 100 to 250
CBU-105
GBU 24
KAB 1500
Brahmos, or Nirbhay missiles

Weight classes, from 100 to 1500Kg
Range 20Km to 1000Km

 

[MilSpec]

excellent posts sancho.....gr88 job

 

[kurup]

India Cuts Order of FGFA Fighter. F-35 on the Horizon?

Fresh tensions in Indo-Russian bilateral ties are bound to surface soon as India is set to cut its Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) order by one-third. India will now be inducting only 144 FGFA instead of the originally scheduled 214. The reduced purchase size could be to accommodate potential interest in the Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft, which had earlier been rejected by both the Indian Air Force and the Defense Ministry. Both of these organizations have denied the F-35 rumors.

Significantly, all of the 144 FGFA India now intends to purchase will be single-seater jets. Earlier, the Indian Air Force planned to procure 214 units– 166 single-seaters and 48 twin-seaters.

According to sources, India’s decision to reduce the number of jets it will purchase was driven primarily by two overarching concerns: production delays and cost over-runs, both of which have been major irritants in Indo-Russian defense ties. The first prototype of the fighter jet is likely to be delivered to India in 2014, followed by additional planes in 2017 and 2019. Earlier, India expected to induct the jets into service sometime between 2017 and 2018. Recently Russia said the FGFA would not be delivered until 2020.

Still, the news of India’s reduced purchase is likely to irritate Russia and it will be worth closely watching how Moscow responds. Russia has already delayed President Vladimir Putin’s trip to India by seven weeks. Putin was initially scheduled to visit New Delhi from October 31 to November 1st, but will now arrive in the Indian Capital on December 24.

India's Hindustan Aeronatics Limited (HAL) is to build the FGFA, a derivative of the Sukhoi T-50, in India. India and Russia signed a 50:50 joint venture to build the aircraft in December 2011.

India Cuts Order of FGFA Fighter. F-35 on the Horizon?