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Sukhoi experts in Pune to review Su-30 fighters

A team of Sukhoi experts from Russia is in Pune to carry out a technical evaluation of Sukhoi-30 (Su-30) fighter planes, PTI News reported. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has grounded its fleet of Su-30s pending a technical review, following the crash of an aircraft last month.

A team of 10 Russian experts along with IAF personnel and officials from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are in the process of conducting a complete evaluation of the fleet of about 200 twin-engine fighters, the news agency cited IAF sources as saying.

The fleet of about 200 Su-30 jets currently grounded represents almost a third of the country’s fighter fleet. The IAF is due to purchase another 72 Su-30 jets from Russia.

“The Russian experts will check the exact technical faults which took place during the crash and submit the details to the IAF,” sources told the paper. “This information will help to complete the ongoing court of inquiry. Besides, the jets will be back in operation once the process is complete.”

An IAF Sukhoi-30 MKI crashed into a field in the Pune district on October 14. There were no casualties as both the pilot and the co-pilot had ejected to safety. IAF sources told the Pune Mirror that one of the pilots was involved in a previous Su-30 crash as well. The sources added that the fleet had been grounded twice earlier.

When the fleet was grounded last month, sources close to the situation told RIR the announcement may have been a scare tactic employed by those with vested interests in the Rafale deal. “Create a scare and then generate media pressure so that the government will buy the Rafales for terms that are more suitable for the French than they are for India… these are old tricks,” a retired IAF officer who worked closely with the Su-30MKI had said.

The Su-30 MKI, NATO reporting name Flanker-H, is the IAF’s elite fighter-bomber. It was developed by Sukhoi Aviation Corporation and built under license by HAL.

The Indian Air Force has lost more than 35 planes and helicopters to crashes in the last three years.
 
Wind tunnel test of BrahMos-A air launched cruise missile separation from a 1:30 model Su-30 MKI


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Indian Air Force plane arrives in Fiji

An Indian Air Force aircraft has arrived in the country this morning ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Wednesday.

The aircraft is an Illyushin 76MD known as the Gajraj or King Elephant in the Indian Air Force which forms the strategic/heavy transport fleet.

It has brought vehicles believed to be bullet proof for Modi’s entourage as well as his advanced security team...

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Quick question. MKI pilots fly with the blue IAF overalls or the green ones?
 
I really dunno. It seems that the numerous joint exercises with the USAF may have contributed to the change; just as the collar flashes/tabs also got changed. :)

Which brings a second question, the Helmets and other associated gear. Do both pilots get the HMS or just the pilot?

And this recent photo gives a rather confusing picture. The ACM is in the traditional blue gear while his checkride pilot in green.
AirChief_Sukhoi_295.jpg
 
Which brings a second question, the Helmets and other associated gear. Do both pilots get the HMS or just the pilot?

And this recent photo gives a rather confusing picture. The ACM is in the traditional blue gear while his checkride pilot in green.
View attachment 155755

TBH; I've not had a chance to get up close and personal with IAF aviators in the recent past. Though I visit a place close to a Sukhoi base off and on.
Now coming to the picture, (and others like it); I see that the IAF Pilots in general (whether Su or Herk or any other) are attired in the green overalls. NAK Browne seems to in the blues, maybe to be a little distinctive, perhaps?
There is another picture (on the net) where Adm.Arun Prakash took a ride with a Su of the 20th Sqdn (in which he served as a Lt. in 1971 on Hunters) wearing beige overalls, the kind that he would wear as a Harrier pilot, while his pilot Wg Cdr Rathore is in the std IAF overalls.
 
TBH; I've not had a chance to get up close and personal with IAF aviators in the recent past. Though I visit a place close to a Sukhoi base off and on.
Now coming to the picture, (and others like it); I see that the IAF Pilots in general (whether Su or Herk or any other) are attired in the green overalls. NAK Browne seems to in the blues, maybe to be a little distinctive, perhaps?
There is another picture (on the net) where Adm.Arun Prakash took a ride with a Su of the 20th Sqdn (in which he served as a Lt. in 1971 on Hunters) wearing beige overalls, the kind that he would wear as a Harrier pilot, while his pilot Wg Cdr Rathore is in the std IAF overalls.

I have another one of an Indian Air Acdre in grey overalls. So clearly there is some lack of standardization on overalls. Usually one sees the disparity in flight gear between those aviators operating overland generally and those operating near the shore(high reflectivity). US airmen for e.g switched to a desert beige during OEF/OIFF.
 
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