Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[Winged Hussars]

We need more MKIs.

 

[X_Killer]

We need more MKIs.

What MKIs?

Most of the Russian Aircrafts with India oriented customisation are designated with MKI
Like IL-76MKI

But if you are talking about Su-30MKI, than the deal will be closed with total number of 272. But it's a time to upgrade them to SuperSukhoi standard.

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Woohoo!
New C130-J30 for the IAF in Marietta:

Did we order a replacement for the one that crashed?

 

[GuardianRED]

Woohoo!
New C130-J30 for the IAF in Marietta:

Did we order a replacement for the one that crashed?

yes

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Today's the anniversary of first flight of one of the legends of IAF, English Electric Canberra. The first generation British Bomber first flew on 13 May, 1949.

Canberra was ordered by India, to replace its ageing B-24 Liberator bombers. Though Soviet Union allegedly offered India,a cheaper alternative in form of Ilyushin Il-28 ,Indian government was in favour of Canberras and total of 54 B(I)58 bombers, eight PR57 photo-reconnaissance aircraft, and six T4 training aircraft were ordered in January 1957.

Canberras became backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for bombing raids and as a reconnaissance aircrafts for time to come and became a strength multiplier for IAF in various conflicts.

Canberra was used in 1962 in UN campaign against the breakaway Republic of Katanga in Africa. The most iconic role of Canberras came during Indo-Pakistani Wars in 1965 & 1971.

The most memorable event was the "Raid on Badin" in 1965 when IAF successfully destroyed critical radars at Badin using the Canberras.

In a similar raid by the IAF on Peshawar Air base was attempted to destroy Pakistani B-57 bombers, American-built Canberras however due to poor visibility, a road outside of the base was bombed, instead of the runway where PAF B-57 bombers were parked.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Indian Canberras flew a strategic sortie against the Karachi oil tanks, which helped the Indian Navy in a series of missile boat attacks against the Pakistani coast. On 10 Dec 1971, a reconnaissance sortie was flown to Gwadar, to check whether the Pakistan Navy had located any assets there to avoid the blockade of Karachi, which did not prove to be the case.

No.106 Squadron Canberras also made sorties over East Pakistan photographing avenues for the advance of Indian columns from various directions. Photo-reconnaissance was done of prospective drop zones for the parachute drop of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment from which Tangail was selected. The Indian Navy requested photo-reconnaissance of Chittagong airfield and harbour, Cox's Bazaar airfield which was provided. Canberras of No.106 squadron squadron flew number of missions over enemy airfields, namely Ishurdi, Jessore, Kurmitola and Tejgaon airfields.

On 21 May 1999, prior to the commencement of the Kargil War, the Indian Air Force Air HQ assigned a Canberra PR57 aircraft of No.106 squadron on a photographic mission near the Line of Control, where it took a severe blow from a FIM-92 Stinger infrared homing missile on the starboard engine. The missile destroyed the left engine and damaged the aircraft but the pilots, Wing Commander Perumal and Flight Lieutenant Jha, landed the aircraft safely at a nearby air base. Wing Commander Perumal was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.

After a unfortunate crash of an IAF Canberra in 2005, the entire fleet was grounded and after 50 years of glorious service Canberra was finally retired by the IAF on 11 May 2007.

https://www.facebook.com/TeamINDRA/

Canberra B(I)58 of the "Rapiers" - No.35 Squadron in flight. This aircraft survives today and is preserved as a gate guardian. Photo Courtesy : Phil Camp

B(I)66 F1028 making a pre delivery flight over the English Channel.

And my personal favourite:

Canberra IP990 making its last public appearance when it landed in at Yelahanka in 2005 for the Aero India show

 

[GuardianRED]

https://www.facebook.com/TeamINDRA/

And my personal favourite:

Number plated yes, any guesses on which frame the No. 35 will get in the future?

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Number plated yes, any guesses on which frame the No. 35 will get in the future?

I am purely speculating here:
Wikipedia mentions that The Rapiers operate EW systems on Fighter/Bomber platforms and used to operate modified MiG21 Bis before being number plated so I will bet on a Su30 MKI with the required modifications.
IIRC, the SAP 518 have been tested but DRDO has something even better with the "Siva" and the High Band Jammer Pod (Second Image)

 

[GuardianRED]

I am purely speculating here:
Wikipedia mentions that The Rapiers operate EW systems on Fighter/Bomber platforms and used to operate modified MiG21 Bis before being number plated so I will bet on a Su30 MKI with the required modifications.
IIRC, the SAP 518 have been tested but DRDO has something even better with the "Siva"

That is some excellent speculation!!! .... It an perfect evolution from Canberra to MiG25 to Soon possible
E- Su30MKI

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

That is some excellent speculation!!! .... It an perfect evolution from Canberra to MiG25 to Soon possible
E- Su30MKI

BRF had interesting discussion on the subject and one member mentioned that the SAP 518 severely restricted manoeuvrability of the Su 30MKI so DRDO is designing a High Band Jammer Pod(Behind Siva in the above picture) which does not limit manoeuvrability as badly.
But one thing is for sure, the IAF is gearing up very well.

 

[GuardianRED]

BRF had interesting discussion on the subject and one member mentioned that the SAP 518 severely restricted manoeuvrability of the Su 30MKI so DRDO is designing a High Band Jammer Pod(Behind Siva in the above picture) which does not limit manoeuvrability as badly.
But one thing is for sure, the IAF is gearing up very well.

Agreed !... Think even PKS has a writeup on these Pods in this Blog, if you haven't seen it ... it is a good read!

 

[X_Killer]

Woohoo!
New C130-J30 for the IAF in Marietta:

Did we order a replacement for the one that crashed?

Already ordered.
Total orders still to be delivered are 7 units of C-130

 

[Hindustani78]

Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, and Mohana Singh recently became the first women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF)

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
19-May, 2017 15:34 IST
Air Marshal PN Pradhan AVSM Took Over as DCIDS (OPS), HQ IDS on 12 May 17

Air Marshal PN Pradhan AVSM took over as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), HQ IDS. He was commissioned as a pilot in the Transport stream of the Indian Air Force in 1981. Whilst posted at transport squadrons, he qualified on all operational roles, especially in forward areas and ALGs in the North-East and J&K. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and has been a pilot examiner on the Boeing and AN-32 aircraft. He was closely associated with the induction and operationalisation of Embraer-135, BBJ and C-130 fleets in the IAF.

He has had four command tenures including command of two operational bases & an Air Force Selection Board. He has held several important appointments at Command and Air Headquarters which include Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Transport and Helicopters) and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personal Airmen & Civilians) at Air Headquarters and served as the Senior Air Staff Officer of Southern Air Command.

For his distinguished service of an exceptionally high order he was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 Jan 2014.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/in-a...perations-at-a-very-short-notice-2007222.html

New Delhi: IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa has written a personal letter to each Indian Air Force officer, asking them “to be prepared for operations with our present holdings, at a very short notice”.

"In the present scenario, there is an ever persistent sub-conventional threat. Therefore, we need to be prepared for operations with our present holdings, at a very short notice. Training needs to be focused towards this," reads the letter

ACM Dhanoa took over as IAF chief almost three months ago.

As per news agency ANI, the "sub-conventional threat" is said to be a reference to the `proxy war` by the Pakistan, which is reflected in the increasing number of terror attacks on military camps and the rising public unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

The mention in the letter of "our present holdings" is an indication of the severe shortfall in the number of fighter squadrons with the IAF.

The IAF is authorised 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft but its current holding is down to 33.

Asking officers to be "combat effective professionals", ACM Dhanoa writes that "there is no choice but to stay abreast of new technological advancements both own as well as that of our adversaries. Only then will we come out with war-winning, out of the box solutions."

The letter reminds officers that "in the recent past, there have been instances and occasions where lack of professionalism has shown the IAF in poor light".

Indulging in uncharacteristic plain speak, the IAF chief writes that "we have been witness to a few instances of `favouritism` in selection of officers for prime assignments and promotions".

"This is something we can ill afford," the letter reads.

The letter has been posted and delivered to each of the nearly 12,000 officers of the force.

This is the first time that an IAF chief has written a personal letter to all officers, although two Army chiefs - Field Marshal (then General) K M Cariappa on May 1, 1950 and General K Sundarji on February 1, 1986 - have penned similar missives.

An IAF spokesperson, however, described the letter as "internal communication" and refused to comment on its contents.

(With Agency inputs)

 

[Hindustani78]

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force at the Agra Air Force Station.(File Photo )
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...to-officers/story-A2z21PuLEaakYMRvzv7nmI.html

The Indian Air Force chief has asked his officers to be prepared for operations at short notice and “with our present holdings”, sending out rare individual letters to 12,000-odd personnel of the country’s air defence wing.

The letter by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, the chief of air staff, was signed on March 30, an IAF source told Hindustan Times.

The missive comes amid heightened tensions with Pakistan and occasional verbal exchanges with China, mainly over cross-border terrorism and spike in militancy in Kashmir.

“In the present scenario, there is an ever persistent sub-conventional threat. Therefore, we need to be prepared for operations with our present holdings, at a very short notice. Training needs to be focused towards this,” media reports quoted the air chief as saying.

The mention of “sub-conventional threat” in the letter was a reference to Pakistan’s proxy war, “which is reflected in the increasing number of terror attacks on military camps and the rising public unrest in Jammu and Kashmir”.