Yes you must be proud of ur great turbopropeller driven AWACS,WOn't last a day in modern aerial warfare.Only thing its good at is sitting pretty and monitoring its own airspace.In a chinese invasion of n-e india,or taiwan or diayu islands where u have to monitor enemy airspace and thus get close,These planes have zero survivability.Sitting ducks.
Thats why all modern airforces with feasible external enemies have turbojet platforms.
The y-8 is a upgraded an-12 ,a useless 50's era platform in today's warfare.
usa/nato uses boeing 707/847,russia ,india uses ill-76.India's new indigeneous one is based on the EMB-145 jetliner.And here u are bragging abt ur propeller driven awacs.Sweden uses it coz it has no external enemies and saves money.Besides its feasible as a purely defensive platform to monitor own airspace from deep inside.Anywhere near enemy borders.This is a big sitting duck for offensive operations.
As for transport fleet all u got are 20 ill-76MDS.India has 17 IL-76MDs herself.
The only other transport with moderate strategic transport ability is the new y-9.U have 7 atm.Its cargo load is still only 25000 kg.
India already has 6 c-130 super herc with 33000 kg plus 6 more on order arriving.
U have nothing comparable to our new c-17 globemasters with 80000 kg cargo load and unique ability to land on rough areas without proper airstrips.This means we can supply NE border far better than u who have nothing comparable.
U also have around 60 of the old y-8 transports [reverse engineered ultra old 50s era an-12] and around a 100 an-24 and an-26 reverse engineered types with y-series designations.The cargo laod of the an-24/26s is a measly 5500 kgs.LOl.
India just upgraded 110 of its an-32 medium transports from ukraine.
So for a air force of 2500 aircarft ur transport ability is pathetic.Especially when u consider the USAAF has 100 c-5 galaxy heavy strategic transports,220 c-17 globemasters and 430 c-130 super herc.The usa can almost airlift its entire army.
Even the declining Russian airforce has over 250 strategic heavy transports and 160 mediuma nd light tactical transports[includes 210 il-76s and 40 super heavy strategic transports]
What it means is that ur ground infrastructure is ur only card,if IAF knocks that out[the rail network...which isn't too difficult with tactical ballistic missiles,brahmos or precision guided munitions from the air] ur soldiers are done for as PLAAF's ability to resupply and reinforce from the air is mminimal.I am not even thinking what will happen if u go up against the USAAF in a cross SCS adventure.
May I know how far can your brahmos goes? Did I need to remind you of its pathetic range of 280km?
If you think your missile can easily overwhelm us. I think India will be far worst. China has CJ-10 missile that can goes 1300 miles with TARCOM or GPS guided. We do not even need to risk a bomber to dispatch the missiles. And still we have the DF-15 and DF-21 tactical missiles that goes 10 mach and has range of 1500km. India trying to fight a surface to surface war with China is sucide. Your whole fleet can stay on the ground.
If you think turbo prop AWACS is useless, probably E2-C skyhawk of USN shall retired too... Our turboprop KJ-200 can stay near border to direct battle and direct air battle. The problem with IAF is you are lacking in number of AWACS and AEW compare to PLAAF. Its simply not enough to cover your airspace plus projection airspace.
As for the cargo plane. IAF is in no where better shape the An-320 is the most moderate cargo even the CJ-130 hercules no matter how you upgraded, will still be limited in cargo space meaning even heavy payload will be useless becos of the space constraint.
IAF IL-76 fleet is in no way better than PLAAF one. We have overhaul ours and increase their working lifespan. Baically, I do not see how IAF is better , in fact with aging Bison , Mig-27 and Jaguar with no replacement. IAF are at its weakest point. Rafale plan has stalled. LCA is not going smoothly.