Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[Hindustani78]

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha, having a look at aircraft exhibited at Begumpet airport on the second day of Wings India-2018 in Hyderabad on Friday.


No merger of Wings India with Aero India, says Jayant Sinha

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha, put to rest the speculation over the future of civil aviation show which has been regularly organised in Hyderabad every two years since 2008 and asserted that it would continue to take place, at the International Exhibition and Conference on Civil Aviation, Wings India, here on Friday.

Responding to questions from reporters at the ongoing event in the backdrop of speculation that the event was being merged with Aero India, another biennial event organised in Bengaluru, Mr. Sinha said the two were organised with different intents.

“This is the first time we have organised Wings India on such a scale and it has been successful. This is an event for States to interact with various stakeholders. We will take feedback from all to see how we can take it forward,” he said.

The four-day event that began on Thursday will not feature an aerial show of daredevilry, which has been a crowd-puller in the past events.

Mr. Sinha also reiterated that the Indian government was working to complete transfer of Air India to private sector by the end of this year, but did not reveal details on specific bidders. “We are on track according to the established time-line for the privatisation process,” he said.

He was also asked about Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapatih Raju stepping down from the Cabinet, but Mr. Sinha did not respond directly to a question on whether he tried to convince Mr. Raju to stay on.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Sinha participated in a round-table discussion organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India. The Minister assured the representatives of air cargo industry that the Indian government would play a role of facilitator in regulation and policy.

 

[Gomig-21]

He was replying to a quote made by a reliable journalist who said that India will be going for 6 squadrons of FGFA once the Russians allow everything the Indians want.

https://twitter.com/x/status/970183430532157440

Click on the tweet and scroll down, you will see Vishnu Som's reply there.



The Opposition in India has no critical ammunition against the ruling govt. So they are making up stories in order to discredit the govt, which is failing. They are basically saying the new Rafale deal is more expensive than what the Opposition had negotiated during MMRCA.

https://scroll.in/latest/871351/ind...lear-oppositions-doubts-says-french-president
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday the Indian government could reveal some details of the Rafale fighter jet deal to address the queries of the Opposition and prevent a political stalemate over the controversy. He gave the interview to India Today ahead of his trip to India starting Friday.

Ah ok, I got it. It threw me for a little bit of a loop at first.

BTW, how many aircraft in an Indian squadron?

 

[proud_indian]

Ah ok, I got it. It threw me for a little bit of a loop at first.

BTW, how many aircraft in an Indian squadron?

generally 16-18 aircrafts per squadron

 

[Gomig-21]

generally 16-18 aircrafts per squadron

So assuming current inventory of Su-30MKI is 240 (eventually 272) and a number of 16 per squadron, India has 15 squadrons of that beast? lol. Add the other aircraft into the mix and it's no wonder it's up there, including the naval platforms. Very impressive.

 

[proud_indian]

So assuming current inventory of Su-30MKI is 240 (eventually 272) and a number of 16 per squadron, India has 15 squadrons of that beast? lol. Add the other aircraft into the mix and it's no wonder it's up there, including the naval platforms. Very impressive.

You are right and we may even end up having 300+ Su-30s in our inventory and in coming years we will have them upgraded to Super Sukhoi 30 standards having many technologies borrowed from T-50 program.

 

[randomradio]

Ah ok, I got it. It threw me for a little bit of a loop at first.

BTW, how many aircraft in an Indian squadron?

20 for MKI and 21 for other aircraft. But that includes reserves and combat training.

So we will have 13.5 or 14 squadrons of the MKI.

 

[Gomig-21]

20 for MKI and 21 for other aircraft. But that includes reserves and combat training.

I see. When you group them as part of the entire fleet then the trainers/reserves are definitely included, so the 20 makes sense and that's usually the right number for a large airforce.

So how many total squadrons including all the other fighters only?

 

[randomradio]

I see. When you group them as part of the entire fleet then the trainers/reserves are definitely included, so the 20 makes sense and that's usually the right number for a large airforce.

So how many total squadrons including all the other fighters only?

Right now, we technically have 31 squadrons out of a sanctioned 42. So we are severely short of aircraft. Most old squadrons aren't even at full strength now and many are obsolete.

We need about 700 new fighters inducted to meet the shortfall in 15-20 years. This number includes attrition that may happen by then.

So 300+ Tejas, 200 Rafale and 150 FGFA should take care of the problem.

 

[Gomig-21]

So 300+ Tejas, 200 Rafale and 150 FGFA should take care of the problem.

Wow, that a tall order, especially for the Tejas if you consider what other aircraft will be assembled in India like possibly the FGFA itself. Not to mention the other platforms like the Su-30.

 

[randomradio]

Wow, that a tall order, especially for the Tejas if you consider what other aircraft will be assembled in India like possibly the FGFA itself. Not to mention the other platforms like the Su-30.

Since our borders are soft, we need an aircraft that can take to the air as quickly as possible and can be used in difficult conditions. Kinda like Sweden.

We originally had 2 import programs, single engine and twin engine fighters. SE was supposed to be Gripen or F-16 and TE was Rafale. But the IAF has now combined the SE requirement with Tejas. The original number for Tejas was 123 aircraft. But after adding the 200 SE jets, Tejas has climbed all the way to 300+.

 

[sudhir007]

https://twitter.com/x/status/973390202768183298

 

[Gomig-21]

Since our borders are soft, we need an aircraft that can take to the air as quickly as possible and can be used in difficult conditions. Kinda like Sweden.

We originally had 2 import programs, single engine and twin engine fighters. SE was supposed to be Gripen or F-16 and TE was Rafale. But the IAF has now combined the SE requirement with Tejas. The original number for Tejas was 123 aircraft. But after adding the 200 SE jets, Tejas has climbed all the way to 300+.

SP-8 Looking really nice!

 

[Water Car Engineer]

 

[surya kiran]

I see. When you group them as part of the entire fleet then the trainers/reserves are definitely included, so the 20 makes sense and that's usually the right number for a large airforce.

So how many total squadrons including all the other fighters only?

There are currently following aircraft which will be replaced

Jaguars - 130
Mig 21 - 245
Mig 27 - 66
Mig 29 - 66
Mirage 2000 - 45

This is just the current size, needing replacements, out of 32 squadrons. Typical IAF squadron has 18 +2. Sanctioned strength is 42 (as of date). So another 200 fighters just for the sanctioned strength.

130+200+245+66+66+45 = 752 fighters will be replaced or added over the next 15 years, just for reaching sanctioned squadron strength. This does not include trainers or any other aircraft. This also does not include the IN air wings, off shore and ac based.

So that would be close to 850 fighters at a minimum, at current squadron sanction levels. You can add in few more Su30s, to keep the line running. Maybe 30 to 40 more.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
14-March, 2018 12:23 IST
Air Marshal Chandrashekharan Harikumar Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command Called on Chief Minister of Uttarakhand

A team of senior officials of the Western Air Command, led by the Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Air Marshal C Hari Kumar PVSM AVSM VM VSM ADC called on the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat on 14 Mar 18.

The Air Marshal said “I thank, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister and the state machinery of Uttarakhand, for excellent support extended by the state to IAF, during various exercises”.

The team also discussed the issues of land acquisition in the state, in view of the plans of setting up new IAF units in Uttarakhand. The Air Marshal explained the strategic importance of the region to the Chief Minister and the requirement of land for the IAF in the hills of the state.