Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[marcos98]

EXCLUSIVE: IAF An-32 Upgrade Begins This Month, First Batch To Ukraine Soon
LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: EXCLUSIVE: IAF An-32 Upgrade Begins This Month, First Batch To Ukraine Soon

Following the inter-governmental contral that was signed on June 15 last year, the first batch of Indian An-32 tactical airlifters will leave leave for Kiev, Ukraine this month, while overhaul continues at the Base Repair Depot-1 in Kanpur. A total of 105 An-32s will be upgraded under the contract with Antonov Aeronautical Complex. I met officials from Antonov this week at DefExpo and got a brief on the upgrade programme.

Each of the 105 An-32s earmarked for the upgrade will be integrated with an tactical air collision avoidance system, ground proximity warning system, satellite navigation console, distance measuring equipment, new and upgraded radio altimeters, a whole new radar with two new large multifunction displays in the cockpit, a brand new oxygen handling and supply system, and most visibly, improved seats for crew members! A total of 25 new elements form a part of the upgrade. An Indian crew will station itself in the Ukraine starting next month and will remain there for a five-year period to test the upgraded fleet.

Antonov is also pitching its An-74 to the Navy, IAF and Coast Guard, and is holding discussions with HAL about system outsourcing.

 

[sricharannaidu]

in 1965 war with pakistan india lost 60-75 aircrafts while pskiatan lost 20 aircrats what is the problem with indian airforce at that time?

 

[karan.1970]

A large majority of the indian losses were on ground kills in PAF bombing sorties..

 

[sudhir007]

21 Feb 2010 8ak: Calling it a historic moment, Orville Prins, Vice President, Business Development, Lockheed Martin, India told Manu Sood, Editor, 8ak.in (watch video) that when India gets delivery of its first C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, it will be the first military plane sold to India by the U.S. The Indian government, he revealed, is considering a follow on order of another six of these aircraft. While no definite time frame can be given as to when will the new contract will be signed, Mr Prins hinted that this could be after the IAF gets delivery and is satisfied with the first plane. He said that the IAF can expect to get an early delivery of the first plane in Dec 2010 or Jan 2011 as against the contracted date of Feb 2011. Adding further he said that delivery coinciding with Aero India 2011 would be highly desirable.

The additional order for six aircrafts will be part of the US$1.05 billion contract for six C-130J transport aircraft signed between India and the U.S. using the FMS route in 2008, which gave India an option to increase the aircraft order to 12.

The IAF is keen to buy the aircraft because of its ability to land and take off even in improvised or short airfields, and without lights. What has also impressed the IAF top brass is the performance of the J model in Hot and Humid conditions, which can reduce the useful load of older Hercules or similar transport aircraft by 50-60%.

The C-130J Super Hercules is the newest version of the U.S. Air Force's primary cargo- and personnel-transport aircraft, the C-130 Hercules. The plane is externally similar in appearance to the older C-130E Hercules. But the J version features new Rolls-Royce turboprop engines with composite propeller blades that generate 29 percent more thrust while increasing fuel efficiency by 15 percent. It has digital avionics, including head-up displays for each pilot, is far more reliable and requires only three crewmembers.

Length 112 ft 9 in. / 34.37 m

Height 38 ft 9 in. / 11.81 m

Wingspan 132 ft 7 in. / 40.38 m

Horizontal tail span 52 ft 8 in. / 6.05 m

Power Plant Four Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 4,591 phsp turboprop engines, Dowty R391, 6-blade propellers all composite

Maximum take-off weight 164,000 lb / 74,390 kg

Maximum payload* (2.5 g) 48,000 lb / 21,770 kg

Maximum cruise speed 355 KTAS / 660 km / hr

Landing/take-off ground roll (typical assault mission) 1,500 ft / 460 m

Payload* at 500 n. mi /926 km - USAF operations 47,000 lb ** / 21,329 kg; 2,100 n. mi / 3,890 km

Range with 35,000 lb/24,690 kg - USAF operations 2,900 n. mi ** / 5,375 kg

Cargo compartment length 55 feet (15 feet longer than the C-130J-Short)

* With wing relief fuel

** MIL-C-5011A reserves and no wing foam

Specifications courtesy Lockheed Martin

http://www.8ak.in/8ak_india_defence...c130j-super-hercules-transport-aircraft-.html

 

[sudhir007]

Chindits: Images: IAF's Fire Power Demo In Pokhran

 

[gowthamraj]

that's really hot. . .

 

[sricharannaidu]

does india have any bomber plane?

 

[gowthamraj]

ya currently an-32 is used for tat role

 

[sudhir007]

MiG-27s grounded, IAF orders checks idrw.org

IAF has “grounded” its MiG-27 fleet for checks after one of the `swing-wing’ strike fighters crashed in West Bengal on February 16. Preliminary reports indicate the `failure of low-pressure turbine blades’, which is not in the realm of day-to-day servicing and maintenance, led to the mishap.

Incidentally, the over 100 MiG-27MLs in the IAF fleet were hardly flown in 2005-2006 after it was found that their R-29 engines were causing a large number of accidents.

The MiG-27 crash last week was soon followed by a MiG-21 going down near Bagdogra in West Bengal on February 20, as reported earlier. Ageing MiG variants, which constitute the bulk of India’s combat fleet, shoddy maintenance and inadequate training to rookie pilots, have all contributed to the high crash rate in IAF.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, on his part, said, “For us, the accidents are not only a matter of grave concern, but they also pain us deeply since lives are lost.”

Maintaining that IAF is constantly taking steps to minimize mishaps, he said, “Accidents are bound to happen. Nobody has ever had zero accidents. But we, as an organisation, must ensure that the operational efficiency and morale is not degraded.”

 

[sudhir007]

 

[manish123]

shame that the MMRCA deal is taking so long while on the other hand we are loosing fighters. shame shame MMS

 

[manish123]

Can anybody tell me when the first flight of LCH is going to take place. This something that we must all track inspite of all dust being thrown by politicians in our eyes

 

[sudhir007]

Can anybody tell me when the first flight of LCH is going to take place. This something that we must all track inspite of all dust being thrown by politicians in our eyes

Most proberly this week or Ist week of next month

 

[manish123]

I hope it is true since DRDO has been lying for one year about this and hiding the fact that that the shakti engine is underpowered because of excessive weight of the LCH.

 

[DMLA]

Chindits: Video: IAF's Vayu Shakti On Feb 28th

Check out the Vayu Shakti official invite!! I would easily have given a million to attend!!!