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Indian Air Force News & Discussions

Can anybody tell me what's the current SAM capability of Indian defense... What are the latest procurement and all... I know it but still want to correct myself on that... Thanks in advance....

Around 8 Squadron of Akash Missiles ordered, and we Operate S-125 Pechora and 9K33 Osa SAMS , And Even S-300 But its More Of Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile (ATBM) ... With the Induction Of Akash Our Air defense would be even stronger
 
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Well thanks for that info... I though of something more anyways we do have the Advanced Air Defence (AAD)/Ashwin Ballistic Missile Interceptor under development as well also Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) / Pradyumna Ballistic Missile Interceptor is under development...

The Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) is an anti-ballistic missile developed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles outside of the atmosphere (exo-atmospheric). Based on the Prithvi missile, PAD is a two stage missile with a maximum interception altitude of 80 km (50 mi). Whereas Advanced Air Defence (AAD) is an anti-ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 30 km (19 mi).

Sounds good to me... So far all the tests have been successfull.....
 
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IAF’s Surya Kirans to fly Hawk’s

Surya Kiran, the acrobatic team of Indian Air force is all set to fly the British Hawk. Back in 2006, Wing Commander Sandeep Bansal, who commanded the Surya Kiran team had said that they were looking forward to get the HAL built Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT – 36) by 2008 and the British Hawk.

HAL non delivery schedules have kicked in for IJT-36 which is till under developmental flights and had been delayed due to engine AL-55I, a crash land technical issues. The first IJT-36s was supposed to be delivered in 2006-07. HAL already has an order for 12 Limited Series Production aircraft for Surya Kiran team and a further order for 60 production aircraft.

IAF has begun the process of converting Surya Kirans to the Hawks and the team has already been testing it. Surya Kirans will 2-3 years to completely shift to the Hawks aircraft. The Kiran MkII scheduled to be retired in another five years.
 
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IAF strengthening its ground assets: Air chief

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is upgrading and modernising its existing airfields and bases - rather than creating new ones - with the latest and ultra-modern communications, radar, aircraft landing systems and defensive shields, its top commander says.

A project, designated Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI), was already under way and airfields all over the country would be activated and upgraded, the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, told India Strategic defence magazine (..:: India Strategic ::.. Home Page: The authoritative monthly on Defence and Strategic Affairs.) in an interview.


India has a total of 428 airbases, airports and airfields, most of them decades old as they were built by the British during World War II from the Himalayan border regions to India's island territories. Many of these airfields have been lying unused or disused.

The idea is to utilise these assets by various types of aircraft in the IAF's inventory - transports and combat jets included. India is acquiring the heavy-lift C17 Globemaster-III and medium-lift C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, both of which can operate from short, football ground sized airstrips, obviously in line with the MAFI project.

They would not however be permanent homes for aircraft but as and when required, aircraft and helicopters can be moved there.

All the airfields and airbases would be covered by the IAF's secure intranet, called AFNET or Air Force Net.


Some of the airports are operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for international and domestic operations, but most of them are under the control of the IAF, although 28 of them like Pune and Chandigarh have been opened to civilian traffic.

The plan to develop the airfields was drawn about 10 years ago. The cost estimated then was Rs 15,000 crore (USD 3.5billion) but this will have considerably gone up now, due to both price escalations and the requirement for newer equipment with higher technology levels as also for emergencies like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

To ensure that aircraft can operate safely, the minimum Category-II landing systems have to be installed at these airbases and airfields, as well as a network or radars and anti-aircraft missiles. Details were not available but Naik said that the vendor to execute the project had been identified and that discussions were in the final stage to fix the costs.

"The MAFI project aims to modernise all the navigational aids at our airfields. The project is in CNC (commercial negotiations) stage. The vendor for the project has been identified. Various air bases across the country have been earmarked for installation of Cat-II airfield lighting system and upgradation of navigational aids, as part of the MAFI project," he said.

It is understood that wherever possible, depending on the length of the runways and terrain, particularly in the Himalayan border regions, these airfields would be made capable for combat jet operations, although they might not necessarily be based there.

The IAF does not, in any case, have many high-altitude capable combat aircraft in its inventory, except the Sukhoi SU-30 MKIs whose engines have been tweaked for high-altitude takeoffs and landings.

Besides, more than half of the IAF's combat fleet, with the exception of the MiG-29, is marked for phase-out in the coming years, including both the MiG 21-Bis and the MiG-27.


The upgradation would include the airfields in the islands, including Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshdweep, where only the Car Nicobar airfield is certified for fighter jet operations. In many places though, surrounding hills and the length of the airstrips, particularly in the Himalayan valleys, would impose barriers on the desired capability.

Besides the latest instrument landing systems (ILS) like the Cat-II lighting, which allows an aircraft to land with a visibility of 400 metres, an airbase or an airfield will also need modern surveillance radars, distance measuring equipment and communication aids to intercept and communicate with civilian traffic and IFF (identification friend or foe) system.

Connectivity with the naval and Army assets, both ground-based and aerial, is a requirement and something already being implemented.

Then, all the airbases or airfields would have to be made impenetrable by any enemy, which means all-round or 360 degrees surveillance and missile attack capability.

Air defence is admittedly very weak, and Naik said that due attention was being paid with the acquisition of short and medium range Israeli Spyder and indigenous Akash surface-to-air (SAM) missiles.

India's state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd has been contracted to deliver several squadrons of the all-weather 24x7 Akash missiles by 2012.

IANS


New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is upgrading and modernising its existing airfields and bases - rather than creating new ones - with the latest and ultra-modern communications, radar, aircraft landing systems and defensive shields, its top commander says.

A project, designated Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI), was already under way and airfields all over the country would be activated and upgraded, the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, told India Strategic defence magazine (..:: India Strategic ::.. Home Page: The authoritative monthly on Defence and Strategic Affairs.) in an interview.


India has a total of 428 airbases, airports and airfields, most of them decades old as they were built by the British during World War II from the Himalayan border regions to India's island territories. Many of these airfields have been lying unused or disused.

The idea is to utilise these assets by various types of aircraft in the IAF's inventory - transports and combat jets included. India is acquiring the heavy-lift C17 Globemaster-III and medium-lift C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, both of which can operate from short, football ground sized airstrips, obviously in line with the MAFI project.

They would not however be permanent homes for aircraft but as and when required, aircraft and helicopters can be moved there.

All the airfields and airbases would be covered by the IAF's secure intranet, called AFNET or Air Force Net.


Some of the airports are operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for international and domestic operations, but most of them are under the control of the IAF, although 28 of them like Pune and Chandigarh have been opened to civilian traffic.

The plan to develop the airfields was drawn about 10 years ago. The cost estimated then was Rs 15,000 crore (USD 3.5billion) but this will have considerably gone up now, due to both price escalations and the requirement for newer equipment with higher technology levels as also for emergencies like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

To ensure that aircraft can operate safely, the minimum Category-II landing systems have to be installed at these airbases and airfields, as well as a network or radars and anti-aircraft missiles. Details were not available but Naik said that the vendor to execute the project had been identified and that discussions were in the final stage to fix the costs.

"The MAFI project aims to modernise all the navigational aids at our airfields. The project is in CNC (commercial negotiations) stage. The vendor for the project has been identified. Various air bases across the country have been earmarked for installation of Cat-II airfield lighting system and upgradation of navigational aids, as part of the MAFI project," he said.

It is understood that wherever possible, depending on the length of the runways and terrain, particularly in the Himalayan border regions, these airfields would be made capable for combat jet operations, although they might not necessarily be based there.

The IAF does not, in any case, have many high-altitude capable combat aircraft in its inventory, except the Sukhoi SU-30 MKIs whose engines have been tweaked for high-altitude takeoffs and landings.

Besides, more than half of the IAF's combat fleet, with the exception of the MiG-29, is marked for phase-out in the coming years, including both the MiG 21-Bis and the MiG-27.

The upgradation would include the airfields in the islands, including Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshdweep, where only the Car Nicobar airfield is certified for fighter jet operations. In many places though, surrounding hills and the length of the airstrips, particularly in the Himalayan valleys, would impose barriers on the desired capability.

Besides the latest instrument landing systems (ILS) like the Cat-II lighting, which allows an aircraft to land with a visibility of 400 metres, an airbase or an airfield will also need modern surveillance radars, distance measuring equipment and communication aids to intercept and communicate with civilian traffic and IFF (identification friend or foe) system.

Connectivity with the naval and Army assets, both ground-based and aerial, is a requirement and something already being implemented.

Then, all the airbases or airfields would have to be made impenetrable by any enemy, which means all-round or 360 degrees surveillance and missile attack capability.

Air defence is admittedly very weak, and Naik said that due attention was being paid with the acquisition of short and medium range Israeli Spyder and indigenous Akash surface-to-air (SAM) missiles.

India's state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd has been contracted to deliver several squadrons of the all-weather 24x7 Akash missiles by 2012.

The upgradation would include the airfields in the islands, including Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshdweep, where only the Car Nicobar airfield is certified for fighter jet operations. In many places though, surrounding hills and the length of the airstrips, particularly in the Himalayan valleys, would impose barriers on the desired capability.

Besides the latest instrument landing systems (ILS) like the Cat-II lighting, which allows an aircraft to land with a visibility of 400 metres, an airbase or an airfield will also need modern surveillance radars, distance measuring equipment and communication aids to intercept and communicate with civilian traffic and IFF (identification friend or foe) system.

Connectivity with the naval and Army assets, both ground-based and aerial, is a requirement and something already being implemented.

Then, all the airbases or airfields would have to be made impenetrable by any enemy, which means all-round or 360 degrees surveillance and missile attack capability.

Air defence is admittedly very weak, and Naik said that due attention was being paid with the acquisition of short and medium range Israeli Spyder and indigenous Akash surface-to-air (SAM) missiles.

India's state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd has been contracted to deliver several squadrons of the all-weather 24x7 Akash missiles by 2012.
 
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Around 8 Squadron of Akash Missiles ordered, and we Operate S-125 Pechora and 9K33 Osa SAMS , And Even S-300 But its More Of Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile (ATBM) ... With the Induction Of Akash Our Air defense would be even stronger

Also Swordfish Long Range Tracking Radar is underway...

Swordfish is an Indian Long range tracking radar specifically developed to counter ballistic missile threat. It will be a part of India's ballistic missile program. First testing of this radar was in March 2009. Main aim of the test was to validate the capabilities of the indigenously developed Swordfish Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR). "The missile to be hit will be fired from a longer distance than it was in the earlier test. DRDO tested whether the radar could track the incoming missile from that distance or not" said a member of the project.

Swordfish is an acknowledged derivative of the Israeli Green Pine long range radar, which is the critical component of that country's Arrow missile defence system. However, it differs from the Israeli system as it employs Indian Transmit Receive modules, signal processing, computers and power supplies. It is also more powerful than the base Green Pine system and was developed to meet India's specific BMD needs

Capabilities

Target acquisition and fire control radar for the BMD system.
Can Guide Exo-atmospheric interceptor missile PAD to hit its target in space at an altitude over 80 km from earth.
The Swordfish LRTR currently has a range of 600 km (370 mi)-800 km (500 mi) km range and can spot objects as small as a cricket ball, which the DRDO plans to upgrade to 1,500 km by 2011. These may end up as entirely new designs as well.

Development

More tests were conducted in 2009 to enhance the capabilities of AAD endo-atmospheric missile to intercept missiles at altitudes up to 15 km. If no issues crop up, then the tentative date for deployment is 2015.

In March 2009, India DRDO tested long-range capabilities of its indigenously developed Swordfish radar.

---------- Post added at 01:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:35 PM ----------

May be an old article but a little revision is of no harm... lol....
 
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India Eyes Su-30 AESA Upgrade

India is looking at fitting its Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters with Russian Phazotron Zhuk-AE active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.

The X-band radar can track 30 aerial targets in the track-while-scan mode and engage six targets simultaneously in attack mode. By 2018, the Indian air force inventory is expected to comprise around 300 Su-30MKIs.

India’s Sukhois currently use N011M passive array technology, which delivers less peak power than an AESA. The N011M also has limitations in its back-end processing and requires more maintenance.

Defense Minister A.K. Antony recently told the Indian parliament about a proposal to upgrade the Indian air force’s Su-30 fleet. The upgrade is be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and Russia’s Irkutsk, the original equipment manufacturer, starting in 2012. It is likely that the order for the AESA also will be made simultaneously, as the radar will have to be integrated into most parts of the aircraft, including the navigation systems and engines.

The Su-30 entered service in India in 2000 — the purchase was approved in 1997 — and the aircraft have not been upgraded since.

AESA technology offers improved performance and reliability compared with traditional mechanically scanned array radars. India also has made it clear that having an AESA will be critical in the competition for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). For instance, the F-16IN is being proposed with the Northrop Grumman APG-80, while the F/A-18E/F is being bid with the Raytheon APG-78. All the other contenders have offered an AESA road map,

During the April trials for the MiG-35, the Zhuk AE test radar had a slightly smaller array than the production version would feature. The MiG-35 also is a contender in the MMRCA competition.

India would also expect to field an AESA on the fifth-generation fighter — the co-development and production effort with Russia built around the Sukhoi T-50.


Forgive if it's a repeat entry...
 
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Akash Missile Users Give Feedback To DRDO

Akashh.jpg


India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) had the opportunity to listen to Akash missile system users at a recent high-profile meeting in New Delhi.

A senior defense ministry official tells AVIATION WEEK that the deputy chiefs of the Indian army and air force, industry partners, representatives from Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL) all shared their concerns and expectations with DRDO on the missile system. BEL and BDL are the principal integrators for the Akash.

“The objective of this input session was to capture the aspirations, concerns and demands of the users,” the official says. “It also gave us an up-close [look] as to how the Indian industries were gearing up to meet the growing demand for the Akash. We discussed the current orders, production schedules, quality issues and cost-effectiveness.”

India also answered questions put forth by the services. “We went into the details of the number of missiles that would be produced in phases and the supply-chain management philosophies,” the official adds. “The Missile System Quality Assurance Agency explained how they would play the role of quality keepers.”

DRDO explained the design aspects of the missile system, documentation procedures and technology transfer processes. The air force already has placed orders for two squadrons of these systems, and six more are in the final stages. The army also has placed orders for two regiments.

The missile system and radars are worth Rs 23,000 core ($4-5 billion) — the biggest orders in recent times for a DRDO product. “It is the first time a home-grown tactical missile system is being ordered in large numbers by Indian users,” the official says.

Akash System photo: BEL
 
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India to launch series of military satellites

Bangalore: India plans to launch a series of indigenously built military satellites with surveillance, imaging and navigation capabilities to keep a watch on its neighbourhood and help guide cruise missiles, a top defence scientist said on Saturday.

"There will be a series of (defence) satellites. I cannot give you the numbers because they are classified," VK Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said here.

"Each year, you will find one or two satellites going up," added the Secretary, Defence R & D and Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Mostly, these satellites are dedicated to different defence applications and would have payloads which are for surveillance, imaging, navigation and communication.


"You should be able to see with very high resolution and precision the movements of troops and things like that (in the neighbourhood)," Saraswat said. "You should be able to see what are the new buildings and new facilities which have come up".

India would be able to send data and commands through these satellites to cruise missiles. "So it will have tremendous applications", he said.

These defence satellites would be indigenously built and launched from home soil only given the "security sensitivity", Saraswat stressed.


"The Army, Navy and Air Force each have their own requirement and it won't be appropriate to say how many each of them would need, due to security considerations," Saraswat said.

India has taken up development and launch of these defence satellites under its space-based surveillance programme, which has a road-map for setting up satellites for all applications for the Army, Navy and Air Force, he said.

"Now, this road-map has been given to the Department of Space and the Department of Space is taking its own schedule for launching these satellites. We have only one Department of Space and we have huge requirements...," he said.

Saraswat said India has already launched some satellites under this programme.
 
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Renovated Gnat Fighter Aircraft unveiled | | | Indian Express


KOZHIKODE: GNAT Fighter Aircraft, which was once a showpiece of the Indian Air Force, was unveiled at S K Pottekkatt Cultural Centre here on Sunday after renovation. The fighter aircraft was rusting due to lack of proper maintenance. It was renovated by a group of retired personnel of the Indian Air Force.


Kozhikode Chapter of the Indian Air Force Association paid homage to Flying Officer Nirmaljith Singh Sekhon, who was honoured with Param Vir Chakra for his fatal defence of the Srinagar Air Base during 1971 Indo-Pak war. A family get-together of the association was also organised in which, 200 members participated.

The group of retired IAF personnel came forward to give wings to the Gnat aircraft a few months back when they noticed the showpiece of IAF gathering dust in front of the Cultural Centre.

The work was initiated by the Kozhikode chapter of the Air Force Association. According to P M Mani, secretary of the association, it was unendurable for the ex-sentinels to witness a fighter aircraft rusting.

Developed by Folland Company in the UK to guard their frontiers, Gnat was later brought to India by the then Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon and the then High Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Pandit. They had bought 88 Gnats Fighter Aircraft.

Later, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd started to manufacture and the aircraft won appreciation for the Indian pilots in the Indo-Pak wars in 1965 and 1971.A Sujanapal, president of SK Cultural Centre, presided over the function. N P Abdul Azeez, Zila Sainik Welfare Officer, unveiled the portrait of Nirmaljith Singh. T Radhakrishnan, Group Captain (Rtd), handed over a token amount of `10,000 to the president of SK Cultural Centre. Sgt. Karunan, president of the Kozhikode chapter of Air Force Association, Flight Lieutenant T Ramachandran Nair, warrant officers P V Asokan and Sasi Kumar were also present at the function.
 
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Indian AWACS, RAF Eurofighters at Exercise Indradhanush This Month!​

EFawacs-764944.jpg



UK Air Force Exercise Indradhanush will take place at Air Force Station Kalaikunda, in West Midinapur district, West Bengal from 18 Oct 2010 till 03 Nov 2010.
This would be for the first time when RAF (Royal Air Force) Typhoons would be seen in a joint operational scenario in India. The IAF would be participating in this exercise with the Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-27 and Phalcon AWACS. The RAF would also be deploying its E-3D AWACS and VC-10 mid-air refuellers.
According to the Air Marshal KK Nohwar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command "Indradhanush is an opportunity for both the Air Forces to get an insight into each others operational philosophies and work cultures. This will greatly enhance the understanding of our Air Force to operate in scenario involving state of the art technologies".

In a written brief to the participating aircrew, Air Marshal LK Malhotra, Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command said "This exercise will prove to be a boon for both the nations to fine tune their procedures for multi-national operations, which are likely to happen with greater frequency in future. It will help fine tune tactics for large force engagements and also share each others experience to hone up the skills even more".

During Ex-Indradhanush, specific emphasis will be on exposing more IAF aircrew and controllers to missions like Large Force Engagements, and protection of High Value Aerial Assets -- roles routinely undertaken by RAF as part of coalition/expeditionary force deployment around the globe. It will be for the first time that IAF AWACS will participate in a joint AF exercise. The other novel exposure is expected to be logistical management needed to move large forces for a possible out of area contingency.

Livefist - The Best of Indian Defence: Indian AWACS, RAF Eurofighters at Exercise Indradhanush This Month!
 
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Around 8 Squadron of Akash Missiles ordered, and we Operate S-125 Pechora and 9K33 Osa SAMS , And Even S-300 But its More Of Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile (ATBM) ... With the Induction Of Akash Our Air defense would be even stronger
Brother - We do not operate S-300 system. it was evaluated by us but later rejected back in 2000.

Iam sure its wiki which has goven this information:)
 
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India has bought six S-300 batteries in August 1995 for $1 billion, probably the S-300PMU-2 version, believed to consist of 48 missiles per system. These will most likely be used in the short-range ballistic-missile defence (BMD) role against Pakistan's M-11 missiles(according to wiki)
 
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Boeing Confirms India in Talks for Purchasing Ten C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft

In an update to their India website, Boeing confirmed our earlier report that India is negotiating the purchase of up to ten C-17 Globemaster III aircrafts. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is designed to fulfill military and humanitarian airlift needs well into the 21st century. A high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed aircraft with a rear-loading ramp, the C-17 can carry large combat equipment and troops or humanitarian aid across international distances directly to small austere airfields anywhere in the world.

With a payload of 164,900 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,000-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. The C-17 is equipped with an externally blown flap system that allows a steep, low-speed final approach and low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings. Worldwide, Boeing has delivered 220 C-17s. Boeing’s program of record with the U.S. Air Force is to design, build and deliver 223 C-17s through September, 2012. Boeing has delivered 201 C-17s to the USAF as of August, 20, 2010.

There are 19 C-17s in service with five international customers. The RAF has acquired six and will receive a seventh in December, 2010; the Royal Australian Air Force and Canadian Defence Forces have each received four C-17s. The 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability consortium -- members of NATO and Partnership for Peace -- received its three C-17s in 2009. Qatar, the first Middle East customer to order C-17s, received two C-17s in 2009 and holds options for two more. In January, 2010, Boeing and the United Arab Emirates announced that the UAE had agreed to acquire six C-17s in 2011 and 2012. In May, 2010, Kuwait submitted a letter of request to the U.S. government regarding the acquisition of one C-17. India is currently negotiating with the U.S. government for the potential acquisition of ten C-17s.

A cockpit crew of two and one loadmaster operates the C-17, which can be refueled in flight. This cost-effective flight crew complement is made possible through the use of an advanced digital avionics system and advanced cargo systems. In the cargo compartment the C-17 can carry Army wheeled vehicles in two side-by-side rows. Three combat ready Stryker infantry-fighting vehicles comprise one deployment load. Similarly, the Army’s newest main battle tank, the M-1, can be carried.

The four engines are Pratt & Whitney PW2040 series turbofans, designated as F117-PW-100 by the Air Force, each producing 40,440 pounds of thrust. The engines are equipped with directed-flow thrust reverser's capable of deployment in flight. On the ground, a fully loaded aircraft, using engine reverser's, can back up a two-percent slope.

General Characteristics
Length: 174 feet (53.04 m)
Height at Tail: 155.1 feet (16.79 m)
Wing Span to Wingtips: 169.8 feet (51.74 m)
Cruise Speed: 0.74 – 0.77 Mach
Takeoff Field Length (Max Gross Weight): 7,740 ft. (2,359.15 m)

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