Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[White privilege]

DRDO Flying Test Bed on a Hawker 8000 platform..used for testing the Uttam AESA radar.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1625036051218587648

Looks similar to the Iraqi modification of Falcon jet for anti shipping role during war with Iran. I wonder if such could be a feasible fire control supplement for fighters during an actual battle??

 

[MirageBlue]

Looks similar to the Iraqi modification of Falcon jet for anti shipping role during war with Iran. I wonder if such could be a feasible fire control supplement for fighters during an actual battle??

Not sure what you're implying. Such platforms lack the speed, maneuverability and survivability of fighters and hence can't take on the role of fighters.

That is simply a Flying Testbed for the indigenous Uttam AESA radar to be used on fighters. AFAIK, the Hawker 8000 jet was leased by DRDO for the purpose.

 

[White privilege]

Not sure what you're implying. Such platforms lack the speed, maneuverability and survivability of fighters and hence can't take on the role of fighters.

That is simply a Flying Testbed for the indigenous Uttam AESA radar to be used on fighters. AFAIK, the Hawker 8000 jet was leased by DRDO for the purpose.

I am saying if such business jets could be used to mount more powerful, longer ranged fire control AESA radars to allow for accurate longer ranged shots from missiles carried by fighters during aerial combat...

 

[MirageBlue]

I am saying if such business jets could be used to mount more powerful, longer ranged fire control AESA radars to allow for accurate longer ranged shots from missiles carried by fighters during aerial combat...

Well missiles fired from over 100 kms away are unlikely to do anything but cause the opposing fighters to turn away to evade them. But eventually the business jet will be also within the shooting range of the enemy fighter and that time it doesn't have the speed or the maneuverability to necessarily be able to evade the missiles fired at it.

The USAF considered the concept of having a whole lot of AMRAAMs on bigger airplanes to be able to take on a numerically superior PLAAF but all the studies it has done haven't led to a concept demonstrator as yet. They clearly didn't feel that the concept was foolproof.

 

[MirageBlue]

MiG-21s in the IAF completed 60 years in service! Obviously none of the current MiG-21s are that old, but the first variant of the MiG-21 F13 entered service in the IAF 60 years ago.

These pics of the MiG-21 Bison released by the IAF are among the best ever!

Bison

Bison firing a R-73E

Bison firing unguided rockets

 

[MirageBlue]

Jaguar DARIN 3 with ASRAAM and SAAW PGMs as well as a Sudarshan LGB on the centerline and Litening LDP

https://twitter.com/x/status/1637681739010293761

 

[Broccoli]

Russia cannot meet arms delivery commitments because of war, Indian Air Force says

Russia is unable to deliver vital defence supplies it had committed to India's military because of the war in Ukraine, the Indian Air Force (IAF) says.

www.reuters.com

 

[Two banks of the River]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1639247558848708615

 

[NagaBaba]

not sure if posted here earlier

 

[MirageBlue]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1643850328046202886

 

[VkdIndian]

The development of AMCA shows the differences between Turkish and Indian efforts towards a similar goal. Goal to develop a 5th gen fighter.

Turkish effort is taking shape with parallel developments simultaneously. From the time they unveiled the aircraft structure to Taxy trials, they have a set a new benchmark of short timelines.

In India things happen sequentially. It isn’t possible in India to do things the way they are being done in Turkey. Each step here is vetted and cleared by various agencies before the next step can be taken. There are timelines and delays involved and any change on the go isn’t feasible. There is remote possibility of parallel ideas being worked on.

We have no idea about how much time will CCS take to clear the project. What happens during that waiting period? Do the planners have adequate freedom to change tracks on the go? I don’t think so.

India has done good work in improving the timelines involved. But looking at Turkish effort, it is clear that a leaf can be taken from Turkey and make things better.

 

[Skull and Bones]

The development of AMCA shows the differences between Turkish and Indian effort towards same goal. Goal to develop a 5th gen fighter.

Turkish effort is taking shape with parallel developments simultaneously. In India things happen sequentially. It isn’t possible in India to do things the way they are being done in Turkey. Each step here is vetted and cleared by various agencies before the next step can be taken. There are timelines and delays involved and any change on the go isn’t feasible. There is remote possibility of parallel ideas being worked on.

We have no idea about how much time will CCS take to clear the project. What happens during that waiting period? Do the planners have adequate freedom to change tracks on the go? I don’t think so.
India has done good work in improving the timelines involved. But looking at Turkish effort, it is clear that a leaf can be taken from Turkey and make things better.

Bureaucracy is too strong to let go in few years of time frame. For years, a segment of the ruling class made money out of this inefficiency.

 

[indushek]

The development of AMCA shows the differences between Turkish and Indian effort towards same goal. Goal to develop a 5th gen fighter.

Turkish effort is taking shape with parallel developments simultaneously. In India things happen sequentially. It isn’t possible in India to do things the way they are being done in Turkey. Each step here is vetted and cleared by various agencies before the next step can be taken. There are timelines and delays involved and any change on the go isn’t feasible. There is remote possibility of parallel ideas being worked on.

We have no idea about how much time will CCS take to clear the project. What happens during that waiting period? Do the planners have adequate freedom to change tracks on the go? I don’t think so.
India has done good work in improving the timelines involved. But looking at Turkish effort, it is clear that a leaf can be taken from Turkey and make things better.

To their credit, CCS has approved recent proposals pretty quickly.
Well it's like extremes for us always, either go full out of India and make money through deals, or tighten screws so much that things move at snail's pace.
Govt and agencies have to streamline things, so that things work better.

 

[VkdIndian]

To their credit, CCS has approved recent proposals pretty quickly.
Well it's like extremes for us always, either go full out of India and make money through deals, or tighten screws so much that things move at snail's pace.
Govt and agencies have to streamline things, so that things work better.

Actually, CCS is just one cog in the wheel. It is at the apex of a myriad and pyramidical structure where each player tries to show its importance, which is displayed in how much time they can hold on to delaying a decision. Even the top office in the government don’t seem to have much impact on them as yet.

A good example is Rafale deal. The deal was agreed upon at Govt level and there was no bidding involved. Even then the people involved in price negotiations took so much of time to finalise it. It seems that file for approval goes from one office to another in sequence with each wielding more power. They seem to return a file at a mere whim at times.
If things can be done faster in Turkey then why not in India? All it requires is change of mindset. Which is happening, but slower then desired.

 

[Soldier35]

Indian President Draupadi Murmu flew a Su-30MKI fighter jet. The aircraft was flown by the commander of the 106th squadron, Naveen Kumar. The flight lasted 30 minutes at an altitude of 2 kilometers, at a speed of about 800 kilometers per hour. The Su-30MKI fighter is a modification of the Su-30MK, about 100 of these aircraft were delivered to India. Now in India, the Su-30MKI fighter from Russian kits is manufactured under license by the Hindustan Aeronautics Corporation. Limited. The Indian Air Force currently has approximately 270 such aircraft, including those supplied by Russia. According to the President of India, it was an exciting experience for her. She expressed pride that the country's defense potential has grown.