World air forces, India

[fatman17]

World air forces, India

Date Posted: 20-May-2010

Jane's World Air Forces

India - Air Force
Summary
Assessment
Deployments, tasks and operations
Role and Deployment
Recent and Current Operations
Command and control
Organisation
Order of Battle
Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine
Bases
Personnel
Demographics
Recruitment
Morale
Professionalism
Training
Training Areas
Military Exercises
Air Force procurement
Combat
Transport
Utility
C4ISR
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Air Defence
Missiles & Weapons Systems
Trainer
Modernisation
Equipment in service
Fixed Wing
Rotary Wing
Missiles

India - Air Force

Summary

STRENGTH
170,000

COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-29 'Fulcrum', MiG-27M 'Flogger-J', Jaguar, Mirage 2000

COMBAT HELICOPTER
Mi-25/35 'Hind', Dhruv

TRANSPORT
HAL/Avro 748M, An-32 'Cline', Il-76MD 'Candid', Il-78MKI 'Midas', HAL/Dornier 228


Assessment

The Indian Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena - IAF) is considered to be a competent, technology-intensive service, albeit one that faces a number of problems. A sharp shortfall in the number of pilots and a high accident rate, notably in the MiG-21 fleet, are of considerable concern, although reductions in MiG-21 numbers (and thus total flying hours) have reduced the accident rate. With the exception of the Su-30s, assets are ageing and it is essential that the IAF speedily refurbishes, upgrades and/or replaces fixed and rotary-wing combat and transport aircraft. The IAF operates some 500 fixed-wing combat aircraft, down from 850 in 2006, and although considerable efforts are being made extend the lives of current assets, the state of major replacement programmes (production of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and selection of a foreign-supplied Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) are such that serious attrition can be expected to continue for the foreseeable future. It may be that stop-gap measures, possibly including the purchase of further aircraft from Russia in a fly-away condition, will be necessary if the IAF is to maintain its diminishing numerical superiority over the Pakistan Air Force.

Between 1990 and 2003, the IAF lost over 100 pilots and 273 fighters (the equivalent of nearly 19 squadrons) in flying accidents. The high rate can be attributed to the obsolescence of aircraft, poor maintenance, inefficient rebuild programmes, a spares shortage, and inadequate pilot training due to the lack of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), although the latter shortcoming is being rectified with the gradual introduction of the Hawk. With a substantial number of MiG fighters (many MiG-21s and all MiG-23s and MiG-25s) being retired from service, the number of combat squadrons has fallen from the authorised strength of 39.5 to 29, although the number of 32 was quoted by the defence minister, Mr AK Antony, in February 2009, probably because the practice of 'number-plating' squadrons indicates a state of suspended animation and token operation rather than formal disbandment. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence noted that "the squadron strength of air force at the end of 10th, 11th and 12th [five year] plan period will be 29, 34 and 36 respectively." The 10th plan period was 2002-2007 and the 11th is 2008-2013. In a written statement to parliament in February 2009 Mr Antony forecast that, "During the period 2007-2022, the strength at the end of 11th, 12th and 13th Plan periods is expected to increase to 35.5, 35 [sic] and 42 squadrons respectively."

After a period of downward trend, annual flying hour rates have been restored to normal (180 to 200 hours). However, this seems to be largely due to the reduction in the number of MiG-21 and the phase-out of MiG-23 aircraft which was completed in March 2009. Pilot numbers are a major problem. The attractions of commercial flying over service life (mirrored in the other services, for similar reasons) are proving too great for well-trained aircrew. It has been made more difficult to quit the service before conventional retirement age, and this has created some resentment in the pilot stream. Between 2002 and 2004, 263 pilots took premature retirement, but in 2005 only eight pilots were allowed to leave, of a reported 200 who had applied to resign. The trend continues, however, and in 2006 there were 220 resignations and in 2007, 287 resignations. The overall shortfall in officer strength was 1,565 in August 2007. A year later, in August 2008, the then IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, stated that the air force had a pilot shortage and would take five years to fill the gap. He said that pilots "have to be trained over a period of time and there are no shortcuts. We are short of about 400 pilots but with the measures we are taking, we will make good the shortage in the next five years." In October 2008 a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General recorded that "The number of pilots trained in various streams during 2001-2006 was much lower than planned targets, indicating that either the training targets did not take into account constraints or IAF failed to ensure adequate intake of pilot trainees through an effective recruitment strategy." In 2008 the officer shortfall fell to 1,368 but, as with the army, it is probable that the slow-down was due to officers waiting to see the results of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Constraints such as the sanctions imposed by the US and others on India's technology trade between 1998 and 2005, following nuclear tests in 1998, forced the government to think more creatively and carefully regarding costs. As a result, the country produced a number of aircraft, with which it is also hoping to carve a niche in the global defence market. Among the projects are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv). Some of the latter have come into service, but the LCA project has experienced major difficulties and delays, and in October 2008 the defence minister stated that "final operational clearances for the indigenously developed aircraft will be given by 2010." The Dhruv suffered a setback when a crash in January 2006 grounded the fleet of 46; there was a further fatal crash in February 2007.

The IAF is placing the best possible face on its dwindling numbers and consequent reduction in capabilities. A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued in June 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, for which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35, Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, of which all but Rafale appeared at Aero India 2009 at Bangalore in February. It is estimated that even if acceptance of an RfP is agreed in 2009 it will not be possible for supply of aircraft to begin until 2012 at the earliest. Five combat squadrons of Su-30 multi-role aircraft are already in service and assembly of a further 140 aircraft is taking place. On 24 August 2007 the chairman of the board of directors of Irkut SPC stated that it was hoped to sign a contract with India in September to provide a further 40 Su-30MKI aircraft, but the state of negotiations is not clear.

In February 2008, the IAF invited bids to upgrade 30 of its airfields and Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems for an estimated USD1.5 billion. The project is part of the military's revised doctrine that seeks to prepare for future conflicts - expected to be short, swift and intense - by making the Indian Armed Forces more mobile and network centric. The IAF wants the 30 airfields in India's north, west and east, bordering nuclear rivals Pakistan and China, to receive new lighting, automated ATC management and instrument landing systems, distance measuring apparatus and a Doppler VHF omni-range navigation system capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft. The selected company will also be required to provide six mobile airfield lighting systems as a back-up measure and a mobile ATC system in addition to facilities for training personnel to operate and repair the equipment. All hardware would need to have a service life of 15 years.

AEW&C capabilities are being enhanced by acquisition of Israeli Phalcon systems, the first of which was delivered in early 2009, after a delay of 18 months, and a further two in 2009-2010. (There were incorrect media reports of delivery of a Phalcon in January 2009.)

The IAF is in a state of flux, and force structure decision-making is complicated by politics, sensitivity to past corruption in procurement projects, budget priorities, continuing problems with indigenous systems, bureaucratic delays in tendering processes and the entry of the US as a major commercial and political factor in procurement planning.


Deployments, tasks and operations

Role and Deployment

Until the late 1980s the primary role of the IAF was tactical and confined to supporting the army through a combination of fighter/ground attack capability and establishing local air superiority. Its role extended to interdiction but now involves a strategic capability, including nuclear delivery. The IAF has made a bid for a more independent role, arguing that air power has the capability to strike deep within enemy (namely Pakistani, or possibly Chinese) territory. It is deployed throughout the country, with main bases being in the west and north.

The air force undertakes normal combat and support tasks, from strike to natural disaster relief. Capabilities of the current fleet include maritime strike by the Jaguar S(I), deep strike by the Su-30MKI, close support by the various versions of the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Jaguar, and air superiority and interception by the Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000H, MiG-21, and MiG-29.

Cargo-passenger operations are undertaken largely by Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-26s, with Mi-25s and Mi-35s used as attack helicopters. Chetak helicopters (SE 3160 Alouette II) are used in the anti-tank role and for liaison, cargo-passenger carriage, and search and rescue operations. Mi-17s, Chetaks and Cheetahs (improved Chetak) are capable of high-altitude operations, providing logistics support to ground forces in the mountains of the north. Cheetah light helicopters are also used for liaison, forward air control, and high-altitude operations with minimal cargo.

Aerial refuelling capability is provided by six Il-78 tankers and was first publicly demonstrated at Pokhran in March 2004, when an Il-78 flew by with two Mirage 2000s ostensibly being refuelled. The advent of in-flight refuelling capability permits strike aircraft to be based further east, beyond the reach of Pakistani warplanes. Refuelling systems on the Il-78 were supplied and installed by Israel, which has gained a substantial market in aerospace activities in India.

A detachment of 100 IAF pilots and technicians is stationed at Malaysia's Gong Kedak Air Force Base, assisting with training of the Royal Malaysian Air Force in operation of its Su-30 fleet. It is expected to remain there until the end of 2010.

There is an Indian Air Force (and army) presence in Tajikistan, at Farkhor (Ayni) air base. There are no aircraft stationed here, however, and it appears the detachment is responsible for technical assistance. The base is located at 37o 32' N 69o 29' E, on the border with Afghanistan, some 100 miles south of the capital, Dushanbe.



Recent and Current Operations

In 1993-1994, Indian Air Force assets were deployed to a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time when two helicopters operated in support of a ground contingent in Somalia (UNOSOM). A further eight helicopters (including three Mi-35 'Hind' gunships) were deployed to UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone in 2000, with nine helicopters (including four gunships) being sent to the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

In October 2005, a 196-strong IAF contingent - including aircrew, technicians and ground support staff along with logistics, administration and medical personnel - was sent to Kadugli in Sudan as part of the UNMIS peacekeeping operation. Six Mi-17 assault transport helicopters currently participate in the deployment, providing close air support and airlift for army troops.

The IAF provided much assistance in flood disaster relief within India in 2008.

The IAF pilot training team has been training the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sukhoi Su-30MKM pilots and weapon system operators (WSOs) of No 11 Squadron at RMAF Gong Kedak airbase. In January 2010 they were asked to extend its training mission by another six months and conclude in August 2010 instead of February 2010 as scheduled. RMAF sources said that the request was now with the Indian Defence Ministry for approval and that it would probably be granted. The six-month extension was requested because a lack of aircraft availability meant that the planned training targets could not be met by the agreed February 2010 end date. Malaysia and India signed an agreement in January 2008 for the IAF to initiate a two-year training mission in Malaysia the following month. The training is focused upon creating a sufficient number of RMAF Su-30MKM pilots and WSOs capable of acting as instructors for the Su-30MKMs. The IAF team is also training RMAF ground crew for the Su-30MKMs, which has been unaffected by the delays and will be completed as scheduled in June 2010.

Command and control

Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Pradeep Naik

At Air Headquarters in New Delhi, the Chief of the Air Staff is assisted by a Vice Chief and a Deputy Chief of the Air Staff; air officers in charge of administration, maintenance, and personnel; and the Inspector General, who holds responsibility for flight safety and inspection. The Vice Chief is responsible for operational matters.


Organisation

The IAF is organised on a functional and geographical basis, with front-line combat forces grouped into five main operational commands, specifically:

Western Air Command (Subroto Park, New Delhi)
South Western Air Command (Ghandinagar, Gujarat)
Central Air Command (Bamrauli, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh)
Eastern Air Command (Shillong, Meghtalaya)
Southern Air Command (Tiruvettipuram (otherwise Trivandrum), Kerala)
Maintenance Command (HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra) and Training Command (HQ Bangalore, Karnataka) operate as functional commands.

Air force nuclear-delivery assets have been placed under command of the Strategic Forces Command, together with army delivery systems. The command answers to the Chiefs of Staff Committee, pending the possible creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

Order of Battle

Operational Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Central Air Command 1
4 Wing Agra
106 Squadron Agra HAL / Avro 748M Electronic Intelligence

15 Wing Bareilly
8 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
24 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
111 Helicopter Unit Bareilly Chetak Communications

17 Wing Gorakhpur
16 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
27 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
105 Helicopter Unit Gorakhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

29 Wing Allahabad-Bamrauli2

40 Wing Gwalior-Maharajpur
1 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
7 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-21 Tactics Training
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-27 Tactics Training

Eastern Air Command 3
5 Wing Kalaikunda
18 Squadron Kalaikunda MiG-27M Attack

10 Wing Jorhat
43 Squadron Jorhat An-32 Transport
129 Helicopter Unit Jorhat Mi-17 Assault / Transport

11 Wing Tezpur
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21UM Operational Training
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21US Operational Training
115 Helicopter Unit Tezpur Chetak Communications

14 Wing Chabua
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-8 Assault / Transport
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-17 Assault / Transport

16 Wing Hashimara
22 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack
222 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack

19 Wing Gauhati
59 Squadron Gauhati HAL / Avro 748M Transport
118 Helicopter Unit Det Gauhati Mi-8 Assault / Transport

20 Wing Bagdogra
142 SSS Flight Bagdogra Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

22 Wing Kumbhirgram
110 Helicopter Unit Kumbhirgram Mi-8 Assault / Transport

42 Wing Mohanbari
127 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport
128 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport

Southern Air Command 4
37 Wing Car Nicobar
121 Helicopter Unit Car Nicobar Mi-8 Assault / Transport

43 Wing Coimbatore-Sulur
33 Squadron Coimbatore-Sulur An-32 Transport
109 Helicopter Unit Coimbatore-Sulur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
122 Helicopter Unit Port Blair Mi-8 Assault / Transport

South-Western Air Command 5
2 Wing Pune/Lohegaon
20 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
30 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole

27 Wing Bhuj
15 Squadron Bhuj MiG-21bis Air Defence / Attack

32 Wing Jodhpur
10 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
29 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8S VIP / Transport
116 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Chetak Communications
119 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

33 Wing Jamnagar
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IM Maritime Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IS Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IB Continuation Training
28 Squadron Jamnagar MiG-29 Air Defence
141 SSS Flight Jamnagar Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

35 Wing Suratgarh
23 Squadron Suratgarh MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
104 Helicopter Unit Suratgarh Mi-35 Attack

36 Wing Vadodara
11 Squadron Vadodara HAL / Avro 748M Transport

41 Wing Jaisalmer

44 Wing Nagpur
44 Squadron Nagpur Il-76MD Transport

46 Wing Nal-Bikaner
5 Forward Base Support Unit Uttarlai
4 Squadron Uttarlai MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
12 Forward Base Support Unit Naliya
101 Squadron Naliya MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

Western Air Command 6
1 Wing Srinagar

3 Wing Palam
41 Squadron7 Palam HAL / Avro 748M Transport

7 Wing Ambala
3 Squadron Ambala MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
5 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack
14 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack

8 Wing Adampur
47 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence
223 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence

9 Wing Halwara

12 Wing Chandigarh
25 Squadron Chandigarh Il-76 Transport
25 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
48 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
126 Helicopter Flight Chandigarh Mi-26 Transport

18 Wing Pathankot
108 Squadron Pathankot MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack
125 Helicopter Unit Pathankot Mi-35 Attack

23 Wing Leh
114 Helicopter Unit Leh Cheetah Communications
130 Helicopter Unit Leh Mi-17 Assault / Transport

28 Wing Hindan
131 Forward Air Control Flight Hindan Cheetah Observation
181 Flight Hindan HAL / Avro 748M Transport / Communications

30 Wing Sarsawa
117 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Dhruv Attack / Utility
152 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Mi-17 Assault / Transport

34 Wing Bhatinda
17 Squadron Bhatinda MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

39 Wing Udhampur
132 Forward Air Control Flight Udhampur Cheetah Observation
153 Helicopter Unit Udhampur Mi-17 Assault / Transport

45 Wing Sirsa
21 Squadron Sirsa MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack

Notes:
Central Air Command also has air bases at Bihta and Nagpur under care and maintenance with no permanently resident units.
No operational forces stationed here, but base does accommodate training unit (see Training Command).
Eastern Air Command also has Forward Base Support Units (FBSUs) at Agartala, Calcuttta (Dum Dum), Panagarh and Shillong.
Southern Air Command has no combat forces permanently stationed here. Main air bases under Southern Air Command are at Bangalore (Yelahanka), Begumpet, Bidar, Dundigal, Hakimpet, Tambaram, Port Blair and Car Nicobar, with most accommodating training units (see Training Command). Also FBSUs at Madurai and Trivandrum (17 FBSU).
South-Western Air Command has control of new base constructed at Phalodi in 2004; also has FBSUs at Ahmedabad (4 FBSU) and Uttarlai (5 FBSU).
Western Air Command also has FBSUs at Amritsar (1 FBSU) and Awantipur (8 FBSU).
Supports air force headquarters in New Delhi.


Support Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Training Command HQ Bangalore, Karnataka

Air Force Academy1 Allahabad-Bamrauli HPT-32 Deepak Training
Air Force Academy1 Dundigal Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Bidar Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Hakimpet Kiran Training

Flying Instructors' School Tambaram HPT-32 Deepak Instructor Training
Flying Instructors' School Tambaram Kiran Instructor Training

Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Chetak Training
Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Cheetah Training

Navigation and Signals School Begumpet HAL / Avro 748M Navigation Training

Paratroop Training School Agra An-32 Paradrop Training

Test Pilots' School Yelahanka Various Training

Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka HAL / Avro 748M Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka An-32 Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka Dornier 228 Training

52 Squadron2 Bidar Kiran II Aerobatic Display Team

112 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Mi-8 Training
151 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Dhruv Training

Maintenance Command HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra
HQ Flight Nagpur HAL / Avro 748M Communications
1 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
2 Base Repair Depot Gwalior-Maharajpur Various Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-8 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-17 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-25 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-35 Overhaul
4 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
5 Base Repair Depot Coimbatore-Sulur Various Overhaul
11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar Various Overhaul
Base Repair Depot Jodhpur MiG-21 Overhaul

Notes:
Operates from several locations as shown. Dimona motor gliders attached to National Defence Academy. Hawk to be stationed at Bidar after delivery in November 2007.
Also known as 'Surya Kiran' (Sun Rays).


Direct Reporting Units

Unit Base Type Role

Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Boeing 737 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam HAL/Avro 748M VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam EMB-135BJ VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Dornier 228 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Mi-8S VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam An-32 VIP / Transport
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-29 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-27 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-21 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka HAL/Avro 748M Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Dhruv Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Cheetah1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 707-337C Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 737 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Gulfstream SRA-1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam An-32 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Il-76 Trials
Air Cadets Various CH 701 Air Experience

Note:
Loaned from the army.


Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine

IAF doctrine is believed to be centred on 'offensive-defence', terminology that implies both pre-emptive action and swift retaliation. It is not known whether this is compatible with the new army doctrine known as 'Cold Start', that involves multiple offensives by integrated battle groups and relies heavily on airspace domination and ground attack. There does not appear to be integrated planning for land-air warfare, even with regard to the employment of tactical nuclear weapons, as the IAF and the army operate Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) units independently.

Operational art and tactical doctrine are based on a combination of threat appreciation and its equipment, which, although predominantly of Russian origins, also includes French and British combat aircraft.

Bases

The following airfields are known to accommodate air force aircraft:

Adampur (31° 25' 59" N; 75° 45' 38" E)
Agartala (23° 53' 20" N; 91° 14' 27" E)
Agra (27° 09' 21" N; 77° 57' 39" E)
Ahmedabad (23° 04' 29" N; 72° 37' 54" E)
Allahabad-Bamrauli (25° 26' 21" N; 81° 44' 03" E)
Ambala (30° 22' 07" N; 76° 48' 54" E)
Amritsar (31° 42' 27" N; 74° 47' 57" E)
Awantipur (33° 52' 35" N; 74° 58' 32" E)
Bagdogra (26° 40' 53" N; 88° 19' 41" E)
Bakshi-Ka-Talab (26° 59' 18" N; 80° 53' 35" E)
Bareilly (28° 25' 20" N; 79° 26' 59" E)
Begumpet (17° 27' 08" N; 78° 27' 40" E)
Bhatinda (30° 16' 12" N; 74° 45' 20" E)
Bhuj (23° 17' 16" N; 69° 40' 12" E)
Bidar (17° 54' 28" N; 77° 29' 09" E)
Bihta (25° 35' 31" N; 84° 52' 54" E)
Calcutta-Dum Dum (22° 39' 17" N; 88° 26' 48" E)
Car Nicobar (09° 09' 11" N; 92° 49' 09" E)
Chabua (27° 27' 44" N; 95° 07' 03" E)
Chandigarh (30° 40' 24" N; 76° 47' 18" E)
Coimbatore-Sulur (11° 01' 53" N; 77° 02' 38" E)
Dundigal (17° 37' 45" N; 78° 24' 12" E)
Gauhati (26° 06' 17" N; 91° 35' 04" E)
Gorakhpur (26° 44' 22" N; 83° 26' 58" E)
Gwalior-Maharajpur (26° 17' 38" N; 78° 13' 40" E)
Hakimpet (17° 33' 12" N; 78° 31' 29" E)
Halwara (30° 44' 54" N; 75° 37' 47" E)
Hashimara (26° 42' 06" N; 89° 22' 04" E)
Hindan (28° 42' 27" N; 77° 21' 30" E)
Jaisalmer (26° 53' 21" N; 70° 51' 52" E)
Jamnagar (22° 27' 59" N; 70° 00' 41" E)
Jodhpur (26° 15' 05" N; 73° 02' 53" E)
Jorhat (26° 43' 50" N; 94° 10' 33" E)
Kalaikunda (22° 20' 22" N; 87° 12' 52" E)
Kanpur-Chakeri (26° 24' 15" N; 80° 24' 36" E)
Kumbhirgram (24° 54' 46" N; 92° 58' 43" E)
Leh (34° 08' 08" N; 77° 32' 44" E)
Madurai (09° 50' 04" N; 78° 05' 36" E)
Mohanbari (27° 29' 00" N; 95° 01' 03" E)
Nagpur (21° 05' 31" N; 79° 02' 49" E)
Nal-Bikaner (28° 04' 14" N; 73° 12' 25" E)
Naliya (23° 13' 18" N; 68° 53' 40" E)
Ojhar (20° 07' 14" N; 73° 54' 47" E)
Palam (28° 33' 59" N; 77° 06' 11" E)
Panagarh (23° 28' 28" N; 87° 25' 40" E)
Pathankot (32° 14' 01" N; 75° 38' 04" E)
Port Blair (11° 38' 53" N; 92° 44' 05" E)
Pune/Lohegaon (18° 34' 55" N; 73° 55' 10" E)
Sarsawa (29° 59' 38" N; 77° 25' 31" E)
Shillong (25° 42' 06" N; 91° 58' 41" E)
Sirsa (29° 33' 38" N; 75° 00' 21" E)
Srinagar (33° 59' 13" N; 74° 46' 27" E)
Suratgarh (29° 23' 15" N; 73° 54' 14" E)
Tambaram (12° 54' 24" N; 80° 07' 16" E)
Tezpur (26° 42' 36" N; 92° 47' 03" E)
Trivandrum (08° 28' 55" N; 76° 55' 05" E)
Udhampur (32° 54' 08" N; 75° 09' 18" E)
Uttarlai (25° 48' 46" N; 71° 28' 56" E)
Vadodara (22° 19' 54" N; 73° 13' 20" E)
Yelahanka (13° 08' 09" N; 77° 36' 20" E)

To implement current doctrine, the IAF has dispersed some of its strike aircraft away from the border with Pakistan, and has upgraded and hardened facilities, especially radars, at most forward operational bases.

India continues to increase its air presence further afield in order to enhance power projection capability and regional influence. It's base at Car Nicobar (known as 'Carnic') in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is being upgraded to support Su-30MKI operations, according to Indian officials in February 2010. Vice Admiral D K Joshi, who heads the joint Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), said the airstrips at Campbell Bay on Nicobar and Shibpur in the Andamans were being extended from 975 m to 3,657 m to support all types of combat aircraft, including fighters, and were also being upgraded for night flying operations.

Originally, the Car Nicobar base housed just a small contingent of approximately 200 personnel and five Mi-8 helicopters, but the growing strategic importance of the islands relative to China has prompted the gradual expansion of operations there. The IAF had planned to station two Su-30MKI strike aircraft at Car Nicobar, but following the Asian tsunami of December 2004, the positioning of strike aircraft at Car Nicobar was postponed and the first aircraft did not arrive until mid-2005. Before the February 2010 fortification announcement, the base already hosted a small army presence of a brigade, some dozen helicopters and Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft, a rotating flight of combat aircraft, and 15 patrol boats and other navy light vessels.

The IAF and the Indian Army have jointly established India's first overseas base at Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 km (80 miles) southeast of the capital city of Dushanbe. Although details are unclear, this action demonstrates minor expansion of Indian assets beyond its borders. It is not known by which overflight path Indian military aircraft access Tajikistan's airspace. Despite official Indian denials in April 2006, it appears that flights of combat aircraft, most likely MiG-29s, will be rotated through Farkhor. It is planned to station an Su-30 squadron (possibly 30 Squadron from Pune) at Tezpur Air Force Base in Assam in 2009. Tezpur is 500 km (310 miles) from the border with China and is at present the base of 11 Wing, with MiG-21 Operational Flying Training Units.

It was announced in February 2008 that India was planning upgrades for many of its 30 military airfields and their air traffic control systems.Thales, Lockheed Martin, Siemens, Celex, Terma, Tata Power and Mumbai-based NELCO were all invited to bid on the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) programme's first phase. The airfields include Adampur, Agra, Ambala, Bagdogra, Bareilly, Bhatinda, Bhuj, Bidar, Chabua, Chandigarh, Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Halwara, Hasimara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Nal, Naliya, Pathankot, Pune, Sirsa, Suratgarh, Tezpur, Uttarlai and Yelahanka.

The Mumbai-based Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED) eventually was awarded the estimated USD260 million upgrade programme, but the decision has been appealed by Italy's Selex Sistemi Integrati (Selex SI), part of the Finmeccanica group. Tata has been given approval to begin work on the project and, in January 2010, a court declined Selex SI's demand to stay the award of the contract. However, the case continues and IAF officials are concerned, as India's legal system is known for its in-built delays and vagaries. This, the IAF fears, could impinge on the long-delayed project to upgrade the military airfields, 24 of which are along the frontier with nuclear rivals China and Pakistan. The MoD has denied Selex's claims of procedural lapses in awarding the contract, maintaining in court that Tata Power SED's bid of USD238 million was lower than the Italian defence contractor's USD248 million submission.

Upgrading the airfields is vital for the IAF, not only to support frontline operations but also to accommodate new platforms. The MAFI programme involves the supply, integration and sustainment of instrument landing systems, distance measuring equipment, Doppler very high frequency omni-range navigation systems capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft, tactical air navigation systems, 24-hour automated air traffic control systems and Category II airfield lighting systems. All hardware needs to have a serviceable life of 15 years and the ability to function in temperatures ranging from well below 0 degrees Celsius in the northern Himalayan region to more than 50 degrees Celsius in the western Rajasthan desert area. The project is to be completed within 42 months of the contract being signed.

Personnel

Demographics

The IAF is an all-regular force of generally high calibre personnel, with no reserve component. There is a higher proportion of Sikh pilots than would be expected from the ratio of Sikhs to other groups in the country. There are 784 female officers, of whom some 40 are pilots, but in October 2008 the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Homi Major, stated that "There is no denying that the female staff have expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now."

Recruitment

As with the other armed services, there are difficulties in recruiting and retention, and major recruiting drives are conducted throughout the country, although mainly in areas considered as producing more highly educated school graduates. Accordingly, there is concentration on internet recruiting sites. The National Cadet Corps (Air Wing) is an important source of recruits, and entry standards for potential pilots are high, being "BSc with Physics and/or Maths or 4 year BE course. Age between 18-years-old and 22 years-old (relaxable up to 2 years for those having Commercial Pilot Licence). Unmarried, Widows (without any child) of service personnel killed on duty can also apply." The officer shortfall fell to 1,368 in 2008, from 1,565 the previous year, and it is likely, given the economic downturn, that applications for premature retirement (mainly in the pilot stream, to transfer to civil airlines), will decrease for the foreseeable future.

Morale

So far as can be determined from public sources, IAF morale is in general high, although there has been some disaffection in the pilot stream concerning reluctance to release those who wish to retire prematurely in order to take up civil flying appointments. Conditions of service are reasonable, and accommodation and facilities at IAF stations, especially in regard to education, are in general of good quality. As with the other services, there is discontent about salary levels, but given the economic downturn this is expected to diminish as it becomes apparent that many well qualified people in civilian life do not have the same degree of job security offered by the armed forces. There has been concern over the IAF's suicide rate which, at some 22 annually, is higher than that of the other services. A study in 2008 showed that causes were not in the main directly associated with conditions of service and were largely domestic in nature, but that "The study noticed that spouses of airmen earning more than their husbands led to acute depression."

Professionalism

The IAF is a professionally proud organisation that trains and operates efficiently. It has had no air-to-air combat experience since the 1971 war with Pakistan, and it is not possible to judge how effective it will be in the event of conflict. Exercises with foreign nations, notably the 2008 'Red Flag' exercise with the USAF, have not provided a realistic assessment frame, as security concerns militated against employment of classified systems, including some radars.

Training

Pre-flying training is conducted at Begumpet near Hyderabad, with all other basic officer training undertaken at the nearby Air Force Academy. This involves:

Stage I and II pilot training;
Training of Officer Cadets in non-technical ground duty branches; and
Training of officers in the basic radar and advanced air traffic control courses.
Following stages I and II at the academy, pilots are assigned to squadrons for continuation training on type, be that combat aircraft, transport or helicopter. Senior IAF officers have long argued that stage I and II should be followed by another pilot training course on the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) before a pilot joins an operational unit for type transition. With the procurement of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 AJTs from Britain now underway, the establishment of an advanced training stage is now a realistic proposition. The USD1.65 billion contract provides for Hawk training in the UK and around 70 IAF pilots have already attended an instructor's course at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in Anglesey. Induction of the Hawk into the IAF syllabus will improve the progression of trainee pilots from low-speed trainers to high-performance front-line fighters.

According to Group Captain Michael Fernandez, chief instructor at Flying Training Establishment (FTE) Bidar, around 40 fighter pilots are being trained each year from July 2008. Plans are for each pilot to fly around 160 hours on the AJTs in two semesters, in addition to training on advanced simulators in tactics and night flying, air combat manoeuvres and air-to-ground bombing before qualifying to operate the advanced fighters in the IAF's inventory.

However, these plans are in jeopardy after the IAF grounded its entire fleet of Hindustan Piston Trainer 32 (HPT-32) Deepak basic trainer aircraft in August 2009, following a series of fatal accidents (most recently in late July 2009) and over 100 emergency situations in recent years.

For nearly three decades 140-150 IAF cadets have trained annually on the HPT-32 before graduating to the HJT-16 Surya Kiran MKI intermediate flight and weapons training aircraft. Thereafter, fighter pilots move onto Surya Kiran MKIIs and the BAE Systems Hawk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which entered service in November 2007. With the HPT-32s grounded, a handful of AFA cadets are now beginning their training on the Surya Kiran MKI, a measure that not only contravenes the normal training regime but also places the aircraft under undue pressure.

The IAF is demanding the immediate procurement of 200 basic trainers from overseas to cope with the training crunch - a request under evaluation by the Ministry of Defence.

Training Areas

Tactical training and more complex operational requirements are designed and practised at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) at Gwalior. Bombing and other ordnance-related target practice is conducted at weapons ranges in Tilpat and Pokhran.

Military Exercises

With regard to operational training, India conducted a large exercise near the Indo-Pakistan border in May 2001, involving several thousand troops, armoured vehicles and over 100 combat aircraft. Scenarios are known to have included the simulation of a nuclear strike against Indian troop formations, as well as preparations for chemical and biological defence. The exercises also trained special forces units in seizing vital enemy assets and involved simulated deep-strike missions by combat aircraft.

In 2004-2005 the IAF conducted joint exercises with the air forces of the US, France and Singapore. While these have contributed to some aspects of training, one of the most significant recent exercises was "Vajra Shakti" in May 2005, when tightly-scripted but nonetheless valuable tactics were practised in support of the army's developing "cold start" doctrine which mirrors Pakistan's "riposte".

Despite the lack of tri-service doctrine and the non-existence of a joint HQ, it appears that efforts are being made to improve joint operations. Exercise 'Garuda II', with 'the French Air Force, was held in France in June 2005, and involved six Su-30s and an Il-78 refueller. Similar operations have been undertaken with the US Air Force, which deployed warplanes to India in 2005.

Recent exercises involving international co-operation have been undertaken with elements of the UK Royal Air Force. In the first, six Tornado F Mk 3 air defence fighters plus a VC10 tanker and an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft deployed to Gwalior in October 2006 for exercise "Indra Dhanush", during which they undertook missions with IAF combat aircraft. This was followed in July 2007 by "Indra Dhanush II", which brought six Su-30MKI fighters and an Il-78 'Midas' tanker to Waddington in the UK for operational training against Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado and Typhoon fighters.

In August 2008, the IAF took part in a 'Red Flag' air exercise mounted from Nellis AFB in the United States, with eight SU-30MKI aircraft, two IL-78 air refuellers and one IL-76 transport. During the air combat exercises, the main radars of the Su-30s were not used. This deployment was extremely expensive and there are questions as to whether another will take place in the near future.

In October 2009 the Indian and US air forces conducted the five-day 'Cope India-09' exercises at Agra, India. The exercised focused on airlift techniques, as well as aero-medical and disaster management procedures. The US Air Force contributed 150 personnel, three C-130Hs and one C-130J, as well as one C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft to the exercises. The Indian Air Force (IAF) fielded one Il-76 and four An-32s, as well as one 'Chetak' (Alouette III) and two Mi-17 helicopters.

Also in October 2009, India conducted its first-ever air exercise with Oman. According to published reports, the 'Eastern Bridge' exercises held at the Royal Air Force of Oman base in Thumrait focused on co-operation between the two countries' fleet of Jaguar aircraft and included drills over mixed desert terrain.

Air Force procurement

Realisation of the size and potential of the IAF procurement market has attracted much attention by western manufacturers, the majority of which were represented at the Aero India exhibition which took place at Bangalore in February 2009.

Most current aircraft are of Russian origin and for the foreseeable future this situation is unlikely to change, at least until entry into service of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the Multi-role Combat Aircraft (which conceivably could be Russian).

It is significant that in May 2007 the US Congress was informed of the possible intention to supply India with six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft worth USD1.059 billion (which have now been approved, for delivery beginning 2011). The wording of the notification provided an insight to likely US policy in regard to military supplies and co-operation in that "India and the United States are forging an important strategic partnership. The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by providing the Indian government with a credible special operations airlift capability that will deter aggression in the region, provide humanitarian airlift capability and ensure interoperability with US forces in coalition operations".

Indian Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed that joint development programmes with Russia to produce a multirole transport aircraft (MRTA) and a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will be funded equally by New Delhi and Moscow. On 15 March 2010, Antony said agreements to develop the aircraft were signed by governments of the two countries in October and November 2007 respectively. He added that the "percentage share of investment by the Indian side towards development will be 50 per cent each for both aircraft". The development and production of the aircraft would be carried out in both countries. Both platforms are expected to enter service during India's 13th five-year plan period, which commences in 2018. Jane's reported that a contract between the countries to signal the start of work has not yet been signed.

Combat

India and Russia concluded an agreement on 23 December 2008, under which the two countries would co-operate in the development and production of a new fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) for service with the air arms of both countries. Hindustan Aeronautics is prime contractor on the Indian side, with the United Aircraft Corporation representing Russia. Sukhoi is reported to have been engaged in development work on an FGFA for several years, with a first prototype said to already be under construction at Komsomolsk-na-Amur, this being based on the T-50 PAKFA. Delivery of production aircraft is expected to commence in 2014-15, with initial single-seat examples going to Russia's air arm; Indian machines will be in a dual-seat configuration, with delivery to begin about two years later.

Regarding current developments, some five squadrons are understood to have re-equipped or be in the process of receiving the Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter, of which close to 100 had been delivered by early 2009. At one point, it was expected that the original 18 Su-30K aircraft would be refurbished and upgraded to full Su-30MKI standard, but this plan has been abandoned in favour of procurement of an additional 18 Su-30MKIs, raising total procurement of the latter to 230, of which 140 examples will be built under license in India. In conjunction with Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the indigenous Tejas, the Su-30MKI will eventually comprise the backbone of IAF combat capability.

In the meantime the IAF is reportedly seeking 50 additional Su-30MKIs which would form the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the foreseeable future to further enhance its combat potential.


After an extremely protracted development history, the indigenous Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) Tejas LCA appears to be moving closer to entry into service with the IAF. The manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has handed over three flying prototypes (PV-1, 2 and 3) to the IAF, along with the first of a planned total of eight Limited Series Production machines (LSP-1). LSP-2 was due to be handed over in early 2009, but PV-1 is not expected to undergo further flight tests. Current aircraft have the GE F404-IN20 engine, but it is expected that a choice will be made between the GE's F414 and the Eurojet EJ200 for future test aircraft and for production machines. The initial order will be for 80 powerplants, with an option for a further 80 to be licence-produced in India. It appears that the indigenous Kaveri engine will not be used.

In April 2010, it was revealed that the Tejas will replace the IAF's older fleet of MiG-21 'Fishbed' ground attack fighters, which are now in the process of being phased out of service. Upgraded MiG-21bis fighters will remain in service until at least 2017, but the remaining 80 or so MiG-21s will be phased out by 2012-13 as the Tejas enters service.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's Tejas light combat aircraft is to be fitted with the Rafael Litening AN/AAQ-28 advanced targeting pod according to reports from India. The order is for 20 systems to cover the initial batch of Tejas aircraft set to enter service in 2009-10. Contract value is believed to be in the region of USD30 million.

A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued on 28 August 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, of which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35. Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Given the complexity of offers, the potential problems involved in technology transfer, demands for substantial offset proposals, and bureaucratic inertia in Delhi, it is unlikely that the selection process will be completed before the end of 2010.


MiG-27

In January 2002, the IAF decided to undertake a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) for 40 of its MiG-27M aircraft which will be conducted jointly by HAL, Defense Avionics Research Establishment (DARE (DRDO)) and the IAF. Accordingly, an MoU was signed on 14 March 2002. It was decided to integrate new avionics common to other programmes such as the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, LCA, and MiG-21 upgrade in order to reduce cost and time for integration and maintenance. The HAL Aircraft Upgrade Research & Design Centre (AURDC) at Nasik prepared two prototype aircraft in 2004, of which the first (serial TS640) made its maiden flight on 25 March 2004, followed by the second on 4 November 2004 of the same year. These prototypes were certified in initial operational configuration in 2005 and the first 12 upgraded aircraft were due to be handed over to the IAF in 2006. In August 2007 Indian Defence Minister AK Antony announced that the programme was suffering due to delays in the design and development phase but no details of the extent of the delay were released. Flight tests of a proof-of-concept MiG-27 fitted with a new AL-31F-30S turbofan engine began in January 2008. At the beginning of January 2009, it was announced that all 38 production upgrades (now known as MiG-27UPGs) had been delivered, these serving with two squadrons at Jodhpur.

Previously, in a report to Parliament in April 2008, India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) voiced criticism of the MiG-27 upgrade programme, specifically referring to rising costs and the limited utility of the upgrade work given the service life that remained. Costs had doubled according to reports citing the CAG and only 20 aircraft had been upgraded by that time.

Attack Helicopters

In late May 2009, India's MoD re-issued the request for proposal (RfP) for 22 attack helicopters, estimated at around USD600 million. The RfP was sent to Bell-Textron for its AH-1Z Super Cobra, Boeing for its AH-64 Apache, Eurocopter for the Tiger and Russia's Mil for its Mi-28N.

This second RfP followed the withdrawal in March 2009 of the initial tender after Bell-Textron and Boeing pulled out in December 2008, claiming that the enhanced offset obligation of 50 per cent was "commercially unviable". Both companies also said they preferred the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme route. This was not allowed by the initial RfP, issued in May 2008, which stipulated the participation of only the original equipment manufacturer. This time, however, the modified RfP has reduced the offset obligation to the standard 30 per cent of the contract value and permitted the FMS route to enable Bell-Textron and Boeing to take part in the competition.

MoD officials said that the initial RfP cancellation would delay by at least three years the acquisition of attack helicopters, which are intended to replace an equal number of ageing Soviet-vintage Mi-25s and Mi-35s acquired by the IAF between 1984 and 1990.

The Indian attack helicopter requirement called for 2.5-ton twin-engine aircraft to conduct reconnaissance, escort, air-to-air combat, ground support and anti-tank missions, envisaged as part of the IAF's 'Transformation Process' in accordance with its revised doctrine propagating 'jointmanship' with the two other services.

Light Combat Helicopter

India successfully conducted the first test-flight of its locally designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Bangalore on 29 March 2010, over a year behind schedule and with its excessive weight problem unresolved.

Powered by the Ardiden 1H (Shakti) turboshaft engine - developed jointly by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France's Turbomeca - the LCH's Technology Demonstrator-1 (TD-1) flew for around 15 minutes, performing clockwise and anti-clockwise turns, hovering motionless and circling the airfield several times.

The LCH's excessive weight (580 kg more than the mandated 2.5 tonnes), which would greatly reduce its ordnance-carrying capacity at its required 20,000 ft operational ceiling, was the principal reason behind the aircraft's delayed first test-flight. HAL engineers plan to progressively reduce the LCH's weight by between 345 and 375 kg in the first three technology demonstrators, eventually leaving it some 200 kg heavier than planned: a prospect the IAF has accepted.

"The weight reduction [180-200 kg] that we had targeted for TD-1 has been met. The second prototype, which will make its first flight by September, will be lighter still," HAL Chairman Ashok Nayak said. R Srinivasan, who heads HAL's Helicopter Complex, said TD-2 would be 100 kg lighter, while TD-3 would drop another 65-75 kg.

Meanwhile, HAL expressed confidence in the LCH's performance, claiming that most of its key technologies - the Shakti engine, rotors and gearbox, which have previously been validated aboard the indigenously developed 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) - had functioned well during the test-flight. Production aircraft will also have a glass cockpit designed by the Helicopter Complex's Mission and Combat Systems Research and Development Centre in Bangalore.

The LCH is being developed to perform an anti-tank role, provide close air support to ground forces, for deployment in air-to-air combat, as a battlefield scout and for anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel warfare. Its 700 kg weapon suite will include a 20 mm turret gun from France's Nexter, four 70 mm anti-tank guided missiles supplied by FZ of Belgium and MBDA Mistral 2 air-defence missiles from France. India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation is also developing the Helina anti-tank missile, a derivative of the locally designed Nag (Snake) anti-tank missile with an extended 7 km range, for use by the aircraft.

The LCH is also due to have an array of subsystems such as missile warning receivers, flare and chaff dispensers, helmet pointing systems, datalinks and infrared jammers, many of which also equip the ALH.

The IAF has a requirement for 65 LCHs and the Army Aviation Corps for around 114 aircraft to replace ageing platforms. Military officials said that, if the LCH's development programme did not suffer any more delays, the aircraft would enter service around 2016.

Transport

C-130J-30

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that it expects to receive six Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 transport aircraft from the United States from December 2011. The MoD confirmed in a statement - dated 17 March 2008 - that the Indian government had signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US, adding that the estimated cost of the aircraft was USD962 million.

Under the terms of the deal, originally announced in May 2007, India will also receive four spare Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines; an unspecified number of AN/AAR-47 missile approach warning systems and AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers; as well as a variety of associated equipment. In addition, Lockheed Martin will need to outsource work worth at least 30 per cent of the value of the deal - or about USD300 million - to Indian defence companies in order to comply with India's offset policy.

US-based thermal-imaging specialist FLIR Systems has been awarded a USD7.2 million contract to equip the C-130Js with infrared multi-sensor surveillance systems, it was announced on 5 August 2009. The contracts, under the Foreign Military Sale framework, includes FLIR System's Star SAFIRE(R) III surveillance system, training and related services. Work will be performed at FLIR's facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011.

C-17 Globemaster III

In April 2010, India formally requested the sale of 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from the US government, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) confirmed.

The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is valued at USD5.8 billion and would include 45 Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines (40 installed and five spare), 10 AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensing systems, 10 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems, crew armour, personnel training and other ancillary hardware and support.

If approved by Washington, it would be India's biggest ever deal with the United States, surpassing the USD2.1 billion procurement of eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA) in January 2009 and the USD962 million acquisition of six Lockheed Martin-built C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft in March 2008. It would also make the IAF the second largest user of the C-17 after the US Air Force

The high-wing, T-tailed C-17 can carry large equipment including tanks, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain during day or night. It is operated with a two-man crew and one loadmaster and can seat two observers. It can also double as an aerial ambulance. The IAF is seeking to acquire the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76MDs, which entered service in 1985.

Medium-Lift Helicopters

Although India is acquiring six Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, this is likely to be only a mid-term solution to the need to update existing airlift resources. To satisfy this requirement, India had been pursuing the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) medium-lift helicopter project from 2001. In January 2007, the governments of India and Russia had formally signed a letter of intent covering a joint effort to develop and manufacture the MTA for service with the air arms of both countries, with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) partnering with Russia's Ilyushin Design Bureau in the USD600 million project.

However, in June 2009 the programme was cancelled after India changed the requirements of the helicopter. A tender will be automatically reissued at a later date under Indian procurement rules.

In March 2010 Jane's reported that the IAF had signed a EUR560 million (USD765 million) contract for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 medium-lift helicopters to transport VIPs.

The AW101, formerly known as the EH101, will replace Russian Mil Mi-8 'Hip' helicopters at the IAF's VIP squadron at Palam Airport on the outskirts of New Delhi. Official sources said the deal, which was delayed by over a year following objections from the federal finance ministry over the cost, requires the first two helicopters to be delivered within 24 months and the remaining 10 within the next year.

Eight of the AW101s will be utilised for VIP transportation, with a maximum load of 10 passengers each. The remaining four helicopters will ferry Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos as escorts and carry up to 30 passengers. The contract includes a five-year logistic support service and initial aircrew and technician training. The AW101's ability to operate at heights between about 14,500 ft to 18,000 ft was reportedly one of the decisive factors in securing the contract

Global tenders for the medium-lift helicopters were dispatched in September 2006 to Sikorsky for its S-92 and S-76, AgustaWestland and Kamov of Russia, which was eventually disqualified.

Heavy-Lift Helicopters

A RfP for 15 heavy-lift helicopters to replace the IAF's Mi-26 fleet was issued to Boeing for the Chinook CH-47, to Sikorsky for the CH-53 Sea Stallion and to Russia for the latest version of the Mi-26. IAF officials conceded that it would take at least three or four years for either contract to be inked, with deliveries beginning 24-36 months thereafter. The RfP was one of two RfPs issued in late May 2009, valued at a combined USD1.3 billion, to overseas vendors. The other RfP was for 22 attack helicopters.

Military A330 Multirole Tanker Transports

Boeing received an RfI in January 2010 from the Indian MoD with a view to meeting the air force's re-tendered requirement to procure six multirole tanker transports (MRTTs). Earlier that month the MoD cancelled a tender for the MRTTs, for which the Airbus Military A330 MRTT was the preferred choice, due to concerns over the competitiveness of the programme and its associated costs. As well as Boeing, the RfI is likely to have been despatched to EADS subsidiary Airbus and Russia's Ilyushin. The latter's Il-78 was also shortlisted under the original tender.

The new tankers are required to augment the IAF's existing fleet of six Il-78s that were purchased in 2004 for USD177 million.

Airlift

In July 2008 it was reported that Alenia Aeronautica is negotiating a marketing and industrial co-operation agreement with India's Tata to promote the possible sale of the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft to India. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding that will be converted into a contract if negotiations prove successful.

India is to purchase 80 Mi-17V-5s from Russia to replace the Mi-8 'Hip' fleet between 2010 and 2014 at a cost of around USD1 billion, including spares and weaponry. In August 2008 the then IAF chief said preparations for signing the contract were in their final stages; this was finally concluded in December 2008 and included offset obligations valued at around USD400 million.

Light Transport Aircraft

Between 2007 and 2010 the Indian Air Force placed contracts for 12 Dornier Do-228 light transport aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). All 12 are due to be delivered by the end of 2011.

Utility

Light Helicopters

The IAF is to buy 54 locally designed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) for INR140 billion (USD3.56 billion) following clearance in December 2007 by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Deliveries are to be completed by 2013-14. In February 2008 the then air force chief stated that the IAF would "shortly" float tenders to acquire two squadrons of attack helicopters and one squadron of heavy lift helicopters. At the same time, he also said that tenders for replacement of the army and air force's Chetak and Cheetah fleet were soon to be made official and would involve procurement of 317 multi-role light helicopters: 197 for the army, with the remainder going to the air force. Two months later, in April 2008, it was announced that a decision had been made to issue a Request for Proposals for 384 light helicopters, comprising 259 for the army and 125 for the air force.

Light Observation Helicopters

The first round of winter trials in support of the Indian military's long pending requirement for 197 light observation helicopters (LOHs) estimated at around USD750 million, concluded in February 2010.

Official sources said the three rival helicopters - AgustaWestland's AW119 Koala, Eurocopter's AS 550 Fennec, and Russia's Kamov Ka-26 - took part in the trials at Bhatinda in northern Punjab state and at Leh in northern Kashmir province: locations where the majority of the platforms would eventually be deployed.

The 197 LOHs - 133 for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and 64 for the IAF - would replace the AACs ageing Chetak (Alouette III) and Cheetah (SA 315B Lama) fleet. The contenders for the contest are due to undergo a second round of testing in June at the same locations before a selection is made and price negotiations opened.

AAC sources said all three competing models had performed "well" but maintained that, even under the most 'optimistic' circumstances, they did not envisage the helicopters would begin arriving before 2014-15 at the earliest.

The tender for the 197 helicopters, despatched in July 2008, followed the December 2007 cancellation of the Ministry of Defence's USD650-600 million order for Eurocopter AS 550C3 Fennec LoHs because of 'discrepancies' in the evaluation process.

Flight-testing for the LOHs originally scheduled for mid-2009 was delayed pending clearance from the MoD's Technical Oversight Committee instituted following a reported 'mismatch' between the stipulated qualitative requirements mandated in the tender and the declared capability of the rival platforms.

C4ISR

Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems

The IAF took delivery of the first of three Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in late May 2009. The aircraft - Ilyushin IL-76s upgraded with Phalcon AEW&C radar and mission systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - was formally inducted into the IAF during a ceremony at Palam Airport in New Delhi. The second has been delivered and the third is due to be delivered by December 2010.

The IAF will operate these aircraft from Agra airbase in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh under Central Air Command. Three crews of four plus 100 ground personnel have been in the United States training how to operate and support the aircraft and its systems.

The Phalcon's arrival makes India the only country in the region with an 'eye in the sky' capability, giving it a substantial edge over neighbours Pakistan and China, both of which are in the process of acquiring a similar capability. The Phalcon provides the Indian military an airborne network-centric battle management platform in addition to its basic early warning function. It will enable the IAF to effectively track up to 50-60 airborne targets including fighters and missiles over a 400-500 km range.

The agreement was signed after the US told Pakistan in May 2003 that it would not seek to prevent Israel from selling the Phalcon suite to India. Under the terms of the contract, Israel was to acquire the aircraft from Uzbekistan and send them to Russia for refurbishing at Taganrog, with this process including installation of new Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 turbofan engines, offering commonality with India's IL-78MKI 'Midas' aerial tankers. Following refurbishment, the aircraft were then to be sent to Israel for installation and integration of the Phalcon suite by IAI. The first complete system was initially expected to be delivered to India in early 2008, with finalisation of the contract anticipated by 2010. However, in November 2007, official sources advised Jane's that the timetable had been pushed back and that IAI would be delayed in fitting the Phalcon system, which is an L-band active phased-array radar mounted in a stationary radome developed by Raytheon Airborne Systems.

Despite these difficulties, in April 2008, the air force indicated its interest in obtaining a further three Phalcon aircraft, with an estimated in service date of 2012.

At the Aero India exhibition in February 2007, it was revealed that the IAF was planning to purchase two Embraer EMB-145 AWACS aircraft to augment the Phalcon system.

On 3 July 2008 Brazil's Embraer signed a deal with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to supply modified EMB-145 aircraft to carry India's indigenously developed AWACS - the Active Array Antenna Unit (AAAU). This system will be installed on three EMB-145s, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2011. According to the MoD, the DRDO and Indian Air Force are scheduled to flight test the modified EMB-145 - with the AWACS installed - from 2012.

Embraer and the DRDO work on AWACS integration began as early as 2005 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Aero India in February of that year. India's INR18 billion (USD400 million) AWACS project was approved in September 2004 for completion by 2011.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

In April 2010 Jane's reported that India's two largest state-owned defence groups, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), have been selected by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to assist in the development of a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The initial stage of the development programme is worth around INR4 billion (USD90 million).

Under the programme, named Rustom, BEL and HAL will partner the MoD's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to provide the UAV to all three Indian armed forces over the next decade. According to the DRDO, the Rustom MALE UAV will measure 20 m in diameter and weigh 1.8 tons. It will have a maximum speed of 225 km/h, a payload of 350 kg and will operate at an altitude of 30,000 ft. Its endurance is 24 hours.

Air Defence

India signed a contract with Rafael for the supply of an undisclosed number of Spyder surface-to-air missile systems in September 2008. Indian press reports predict an order for 18 systems due to be delivered between early 2011 and August 2012, with no requirements for the transfer of technology. Jane's reports from December 2007 indicate India was planning to buy the MR variant fitted with solid-propellant rocket boosters.

Radar Systems

Thales Air Systems is to deliver 19 Ground Smarter 100 radar systems to the IAF, the company announced at the Dubai Air Show in Novermber 2009. The IAF will use the mobile radar system to perform low-altitude target tracking. The radar system will be mounted on locally built trucks. Although the company would not confirm the in-service date for the Ground Smarter 100 or the value of the contract, it did state that it expects the radar to be operational within the next five years.

With a range of up to 180 km, the Ground Smarter 100 is a 2-D system that can track low-altitude targets performing complex manoeuvres. Thales plans to build six of the radars at its factory in Limours, located southwest of Paris. The balance of 13 systems will be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under a technology transfer agreement between the two companies. The company won the contract following a prolonged bidding process in which Elta Systems and Selex Galileo also submitted systems.

Barak

In April 2009 the Indian government announced it had signed a USD1.4 billion contract for the development and procurement of a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) system based on Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI's) Barak long-range naval air-defence system. Under the contract, IAI will develop jointly with the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) an air-defence system capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft, cruise missiles and surface-to-surface rockets at a range of 70-80 km.

The project will provide the Indian Air Force with nine air-defence squadrons, each equipped with two Barak MR-SAM firing units. Each of the units will consist of a fire control centre, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar and three launchers with eight missiles each. According to IAI, the deliveries will be conducted within 90 months of receiving the advance payment.

The first flight test of the Barak MR-SAM is expected in three years, with initial operational capability scheduled for 2013. The system is intended to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing Russian-made S-135 Pechora-1 (SA-3) air-defence systems. "While initially considering the Russian S-300 and Raytheon's Patriot Advanced Capability 3 [PAC-3] systems, India opted to develop its own system," said a source close to deal. "The Barak MR-SAM radar system will have significantly better capabilities than the PAC-3 radar, while the Barak interceptor has similar capabilities to the Patriot," the source told Jane's. The procurement could signal the termination of two indigenous Indian SAM programmes: the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) ballistic missile interceptor design programme and the Akash MR-SAM system.

The contract - Israel's largest export deal - was initially approved by the Indian Cabinet in July 2007, but corruption allegations relating to the INR11.25 billion (USD21.9 million) acquisition of seven IAI Barak-1 area air-defence missile systems for the Indian Navy in 2000 delayed the final signature until 27 February 2009.

Indian military sources said the DRDO would receive around 30 per cent of the total contract value, which it would use to develop the MR-SAM's rear frame, booster and various other associated components and subsystems. Indian company Nova Integrated Systems has been designated the overall missile system integrator for delivery to the Indian Air Force by 2012-13. Official sources indicated that the involvement of Nova, a USD50 million joint venture between IAI and Tata (one of India's largest industrial houses and emerging private defence contractors), would be used to meet the 30 per cent offset obligation mandatory for all Indian defence contracts over INR3 billion. Nova, 24 per cent of which is owned by IAI and 76 per cent by Tata Advanced Systems (in keeping with India's foreign direct investment policy in defence-related industries), is also to provide after-sales support to the MR-SAM system for around 22 years under contract, Indian military sources disclosed.

Rohini

In August 2008 Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) handed over the first 'Rohini' Multifunction Medium Range Surveillance Radar to the IAF. The system is mounted on a Tetra truck built by Bharat Earth Movers Limited and is said to be able to track multiple targets at a range of 170 km and altitude of 15 km. It has an integrated IFF system and ECCM, including jammer analysis. BEL stated that some 100 will be built and that the army has conducted missile detection trials of a variant.

India's Comptroller and Auditor General observed in a report in September 2008 that "Shortage of medium power radars needed for ground control and intercept was as high as 53 per cent of the projected requirement. IAF's holding of low-level transportable radars, which are assigned the role of providing early warning, was merely 24 per cent of the actual requirement of the IAF."

Missiles & Weapons Systems

In March 2010, the Indian MoD cleared a INR116 billion (USD2.57 billion) proposal to induct the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly with Russia, into the IAF to augment its firepower. Officials said the agreement with BrahMos Aerospace includes the development of a smaller version of the weapon for integration onto the IAF's Su-30MKI multirole fighters.

Official sources said the IAF is initially expected to equip one squadron with the BrahMos Block II: the advanced version of the missile fitted with a terminal guidance system that renders it capable of striking specific targets in a clustered environment. Military planners said inducting the 8.4 m-long, air-breathing BrahMos - which weighs 3.9 tonnes and is capable of carrying a 250-300 kg conventional warhead to a range of 290 km - will allow the IAF to strike targets such as enemy radar installations without endangering its combat aircraft.

The missile, which flies at an optimum speed of Mach 2.8, has performed well under a rigorous testing programme and is already in service with the Indian Army and deployed aboard Indian Navy warships.

Trainer

After a 21-year wait, in September 2003 India finally completed negotiations concerning the purchase of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) from Britain for USD1.65 billion. The contract stipulated that twenty-four aircraft be manufactured by BAE Systems in the UK and delivered to the IAF in flyaway condition, with the remaining 42 Hawks built under license by state-owned subcontractor Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, southern India. All 66 Hawks - which will bridge the gap between the more basic, locally built HPT-32 and Kiran trainers and supersonic combat aircraft - were originally scheduled to be operational by 2011. Moreover, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Hawk was signed in March 2004 confirming India's right to use the aircraft in any configuration it wishes without being penalised by withdrawal of support or spares. This, for example, permits employment as a combat aircraft in time of conflict, should the need arise.

Delivery began in late 2007 and the IAF formally inducted the first eight aircraft into service on 23 February 2008 at its Flying Training Establishment (FTE) at Bidar, southern India. Subsequently, one of the ten aircraft delivered crashed after taking off from the Bidar base on 29 April 2008, with the air force claiming that some parts were "rusted and appeared old and used". An examination did not appear to bear out the assertion; nevertheless, further deliveries of the UK-manufactured aircraft were delayed while a number of small technical issues relating to the aircraft already delivered were resolved. This dually delayed the start of license-production by HAL.

By April 2010, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said HAL had manufactured 12 aircraft, "three in the year 2008-2009 and nine in the year 2009-2010, including the first aircraft from [the] raw material phase." However, the minister said that HAL had found "various shortcomings" with the equipment supplied by BAE Systems upon commencement of production of the aircraft. Raju said: "The assembly jigs that were supplied did not meet the requirements; there was mismatch in the kits/components supplied; there were defects in major assemblies like the wing spar, etc. These problems took time to overcome and hence affected the production schedule at HAL."

Jane's understands that the Indian government demanded USD10 million in compensation from BAE Systems in 2009 but that the claim was rejected by the company because it believed that the requirements of the contract had been met. However, despite Minister Raju's April 2010 statements, the compensation claim has not been revived.

The IAF has spent INR1.20 billion (USD30 million) to prepare FTE Bidar for the Hawk by extending its two runways to 9,000 ft (2,745 m) and equipping them with an upgraded air traffic control system, additional hangars and armament and simulator complexes.

Furthermore, India's Ministry of Defence is in advanced negotiations for an additional 57 Hawk 132s: 40 for the IAF and 17 for the navy, but plans received a setback in July 2008 when the manufacturer, BAE Systems, was reported to have raised the aircraft's cost. Industry sources told Jane's in July 2008 that BAE Systems had quoted INR1 billion (USD23.2 million) for each of the new batch of Hawks, which would be built locally under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. In 2004, when HAL signed the original USD1 billion deal for 66 Hawks, the Indian MoD reserved the option to buy 33 more Hawks at the same price within a 12-month period. However, official sources said that as the 12-month deadline was long past, the 2004 price was no longer applicable. A BAE Systems spokesman told Jane's "Bidding elements to HAL, which is responsible for the bid to the government of India, cannot debate pricing in public. We can say, however, that our pricing properly reflects the effects of inflation, especially raw materials, since 2004." IAF headquarters in Delhi said it was not aware of the price change as all such matters are dealt with by the MoD, which declined to comment.

A requirement also exists for nearly 200 examples of the indigenous HAL HJT-36 Sitara, which made its first flight in March 2003, but which suffered a setback in February 2007 when the first prototype was badly damaged in an accident at Aero India 2007. Procurement has begun, with the initial batch consisting of a dozen Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft. These will be followed by 16 more examples that were the subject of a contract announcement made in February 2003. At present, the IAF anticipates receiving 187 HJT-36s, this quantity including 12 to be operated by the Surya Kiran formation aerobatic display team.

Modernisation

MiG-29

Following the issue of an RfP in early 2006 concerning the upgrade of its fleet of MiG-29 'Fulcrum' multirole fighter aircraft, it was revealed in March 2008 that Russian Aircraft Corporation RAC MiG and the Indian government had signed a contract worth USD850 million. Under this, it is planned to refurbish and modernise 57 single-seat MiG-29s as well as seven two-seat MiG-29UBs, thus extending their service life by between 15 and 20 years. The programme includes replacement of the existing N019 pulse-Doppler radar with the Phazotron Zhuk-ME radar and installation of an upgraded weapons suite, provision of air-to-air refuelling capability and new avionics. Thales will also provide an identification friend or foe (IFF1) Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM) for installation on the aircraft and will enable the aircraft to be interoperable with Western military aircraft and avoid any 'friendly fire' incidents. A total of six aircraft (four MiG-29s and two MiG-29UBs) will be returned to Russia for upgrading and trials, with the remainder to be modernised by the IAF's 11th Base Repair Depot at Ojhar in a programme extending to 2014, according to a statement by the defence minister in August 2008.

This repair scheme is also intended to resolve the tendency for the MiG-29s to develop cracks in their tail fins, a problem publicly confirmed in July 2009. This tendency underpinned the IAF's decision in March 2009 to ground its entire fleet of 67 MiG-29B/S fighters and MiG-29UB trainers, following the grounding of around 300 MiG-29s by the Russian Air Force. Moscow grounded the aircraft after two Russian MiG-29s crashed in Siberia in October and December 2008 as a result of tail fin corrosion.

Assault Helicopter

In May 2007 the then Indian Air Chief Marshall Fali Homi Major reportedly spoke of plans to upgrade the existing Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-17-1V tactical assault helicopter fleet to enable them to conduct operations in all weather conditions and at night. This would clearly deliver the Indian Armed Forces a considerable capability boost. The IAF currently operates 180-200 aircraft across the three variants. The upgrade would reportedly include night vision equipment, all-weather radars and displays. A limited number of aircraft will also be fitted with rocket pods, radar warning and missile warning receivers and electro-optic targeting systems. Other systems are expected to be added as the upgrade programme progresses. Dates have been estimated based on an upgrade rate of 36 aircraft per year which has been reported. HAL will perform the majority of the work with nine prototypes being constructed in Russia.

Jaguar

The IAF will integrate the Raytheon Munitions Control Unit (MCU) onto its Sepecat Jaguar IS and IM strike aircraft as part of its wider upgrade of the fleet. According to a company spokesperson, Raytheon held technical meetings with the IAF to upgrade about 120 aircraft, "although the final number is not yet fully defined". The plan is for one MCU per aircraft, although this has yet to be formally determined; a single MCU mounted in an avionics bay is capable of simultaneously controlling four air-to-ground and two air-to-air weapons. The upgrade of the aircraft will not begin until the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract has been finalised with the Indian government. This upgrade is part of a larger effort by the IAF to modernise its Jaguar fleet to bring the aircraft's avionics systems and weapons fit more into line with its Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft.

The MCU is a line-replaceable unit that enables legacy aircraft to integrate smart weaponry such as the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), EGBU Enhanced Paveway II/IV laser-guided bomb, AGM-65 Maverick laser-guided air-to-surface missile, and the AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile. A self-contained stores management system, the MCU has a non-intrusive fit and allows the weapon system to feed information back to the cockpit. An additional benefit is that there is no need to access the original manufacturer's software or source codes. The integration and testing work will be done in India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Flight testing will take place over a six-month period and work is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

In addition to the MCU, the IAF Jaguar fleet (which first entered service in 1979) will have its short-range air-to-air missile capability upgraded while a replacement for the out-of-production MBDA Matra BAE R550 Magic 1 is sought. MBDA and Raytheon are looking to fulfil this requirement with the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder respectively. The IAF has a long-running study to upgrade the Jaguar's HAL-built Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 811 turbofan engines; Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems are offering an improved Adour, the Mk 951, to meet this requirement, while Honeywell is offering its F125IN engine. Other planned upgrades include: new composite materials to reduce the aircraft's radar cross section (RCS); a new brake parachute; carbon brakes; Full-Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC); and new ejector seats to replace the incumbent Martin-Baker 9B Mk II seats.

An-32

The Indian government confirmed in July 2009 that it had signed a USD398 million contract with Ukrspetsexport, the Ukrainian state defence export agency, to upgrade the IAF's fleet of Antonov An-32 'Cline' transport aircraft. Defence Minister A K Antony said in parliament that the deal, which he said was signed in June 2009, will see the life of the IAF's An-32s enhanced from 25 to 40 years, with the programme scheduled for completion by 2017. About 100 An-32s remain in service with the IAF, having been in service with India from 1984.

It was reported on 18 January 2010 that the IAF had signed a USD110 million contract with Ukraine's Motor-Sich to upgrade the engines on its turboprop Antonov An-32 aircraft. The contract with Motor-Sich, which was signed in late December 2009, is set to last three years and will see 100 ZMKB Progress/Ivchenko AI-20D Series 5M turboprops upgraded (two per aircraft). Work will begin at the end of 2010. This contract covers only about half of the IAF's An-32 fleet; it is not known whether a follow-on contract for the remaining aircraft will be awarded.

Equipment in service

Fixed Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' MiG Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 70 57 1986
Mirage 2000H Dassault Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 46 38 1985
MiG-27M 'Flogger-J' MiG Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 165 97 1985
Jaguar IS SEPECAT Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 125 90 1979
Jaguar IM SEPECAT Fighter - Maritime Attack 14 10 1986
Su-30MKI Sukhoi Fighter - Multirole 2301 78 2002
MiG-21I (MiG-21bis-UPG) MiG Fighter - Multirole 125 1202 1999
MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L/M' MiG Fighter - Multirole 303 50 1977
MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 161 803 1973
MiG-21MF 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 38 n/a3, 4 1973
748M HAL/Avro Transport 67 40 1964
An-32 'Cline' Antonov Transport 118 100 1984
Il-76MD 'Candid' Ilyushin Transport 17 17 1985
DO-228 HAL/Dornier Transport 29 25 1987
EMB-135BJ Legacy Embraer Transport 4 4 2005
BBJ (737) Boeing VIP / Transport 3 3 2008
Il-78MKI 'Midas' Ilyushin Tanker / Transport 12 6 2003
Phalcon AEW&C Ilyushin / IAI Airborne Early Warning and Control 3 2 2009
737-2A8 Boeing Electronic Intelligence 6 3 1984
B707-337C Boeing Electronic Intelligence 2 1 1987
Hawk Mk 132 BAE Systems Trainer 66 365 2007
HPT-32 Deepak HAL Trainer 142 79 1985
HJT-16 Kiran I/IA/II HAL Trainer 250 130 1968
MiG-21U/UM 'Mongol' MiG Trainer 140 60 1966
MiG-23UB 'Flogger-C' MiG Trainer 40 20 1980
MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' MiG Trainer 10 7 1986
Jaguar IB SEPECAT Trainer 32 27 1979
Mirage 2000TH Dassault Trainer 13 11 1985
CH 701 STOL CZAW (Zenith) Glider 856 83 2000
HK 36TC Super Dimona Diamond Glider 12 12 2000

Notes:
Delivery in progress; total includes 140 Su-30MKIs being assembled in India by 2015.
MiG-21bis upgraded to MiG-21-93 standard with new radar, avionics and weapon systems. Further 50 conversions may follow.
Being phased out of service.
Included in total quoted for MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J'.
Delivery in progress.
Assigned to National Cadet Corps.


Rotary Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
Mi-25 'Hind-D' Mil Attack 12 8 1984
Mi-35 'Hind-E' Mil Attack 20 15 1990
Dhruv HAL Attack 150 30 2001
Mi-8 'Hip' Mil Assault 150 64 1971
Mi-17 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 100 78 1984
Mi-17-1V 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 120 74 2001
Mi-26 'Halo' Mil Transport 10 8 1986
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Observation n/a 25 1965
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Trainer n/a 10 1965
HSA 315B Cheetah HAL Trainer n/a 10 1973

Missiles

Type Manufacturer Role
R 550 Magic 1 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
R 550 Magic 2 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
Super 530 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
AA-2-2 Improved 'Atoll' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-7 'Apex' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-8 'Aphid' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-10 'Alamo' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-11 'Archer' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-12 'Adder' Vympel Air-to-Air
Sea Eagle Matra BAE Anti-Ship Attack
AM 39 Exocet Aerospatiale Matra Anti-Ship Attack
AT-2 'Swatter' Nudelman Anti-Armour
AT-3 'Sagger' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AT-6 'Spiral' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AS 30 Aerospatiale Matra Air-to-Surface
AS-7 'Kerry' Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-25MP (AS-12 'Kegler') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-29L (AS-14 'Kedge') Vympel Air-to-Surface
Kh-31A (AS-17 'Krypton') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt') Raduga Air-to-Surface
Kh-59M (AS-18 'Kazoo') Raduga Air-to-Surface
The 350 km range SS-350 version of the Prithvi SSM is operated by the IAF, apparently independently of the Indian Army Prithvi missile groups.

UPDATED - April-2010

 

[Indiarox]

Despite official Indian denials in April 2006, it appears that flights of combat aircraft, most likely MiG-29s, will be rotated through Farkhor.

Mig-29 squadron is already present there.

 

[JonAsad]

World air forces, India

Date Posted: 20-May-2010

Jane's World Air Forces

India - Air Force
Summary
Assessment
Deployments, tasks and operations
Role and Deployment
Recent and Current Operations
Command and control
Organisation
Order of Battle
Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine
Bases
Personnel
Demographics
Recruitment
Morale
Professionalism
Training
Training Areas
Military Exercises
Air Force procurement
Combat
Transport
Utility
C4ISR
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Air Defence
Missiles & Weapons Systems
Trainer
Modernisation
Equipment in service
Fixed Wing
Rotary Wing
Missiles

India - Air Force

Summary

STRENGTH
170,000

COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-29 'Fulcrum', MiG-27M 'Flogger-J', Jaguar, Mirage 2000

COMBAT HELICOPTER
Mi-25/35 'Hind', Dhruv

TRANSPORT
HAL/Avro 748M, An-32 'Cline', Il-76MD 'Candid', Il-78MKI 'Midas', HAL/Dornier 228


Assessment

The Indian Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena - IAF) is considered to be a competent, technology-intensive service, albeit one that faces a number of problems. A sharp shortfall in the number of pilots and a high accident rate, notably in the MiG-21 fleet, are of considerable concern, although reductions in MiG-21 numbers (and thus total flying hours) have reduced the accident rate. With the exception of the Su-30s, assets are ageing and it is essential that the IAF speedily refurbishes, upgrades and/or replaces fixed and rotary-wing combat and transport aircraft. The IAF operates some 500 fixed-wing combat aircraft, down from 850 in 2006, and although considerable efforts are being made extend the lives of current assets, the state of major replacement programmes (production of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and selection of a foreign-supplied Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) are such that serious attrition can be expected to continue for the foreseeable future. It may be that stop-gap measures, possibly including the purchase of further aircraft from Russia in a fly-away condition, will be necessary if the IAF is to maintain its diminishing numerical superiority over the Pakistan Air Force.

Between 1990 and 2003, the IAF lost over 100 pilots and 273 fighters (the equivalent of nearly 19 squadrons) in flying accidents. The high rate can be attributed to the obsolescence of aircraft, poor maintenance, inefficient rebuild programmes, a spares shortage, and inadequate pilot training due to the lack of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), although the latter shortcoming is being rectified with the gradual introduction of the Hawk. With a substantial number of MiG fighters (many MiG-21s and all MiG-23s and MiG-25s) being retired from service, the number of combat squadrons has fallen from the authorised strength of 39.5 to 29, although the number of 32 was quoted by the defence minister, Mr AK Antony, in February 2009, probably because the practice of 'number-plating' squadrons indicates a state of suspended animation and token operation rather than formal disbandment. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence noted that "the squadron strength of air force at the end of 10th, 11th and 12th [five year] plan period will be 29, 34 and 36 respectively." The 10th plan period was 2002-2007 and the 11th is 2008-2013. In a written statement to parliament in February 2009 Mr Antony forecast that, "During the period 2007-2022, the strength at the end of 11th, 12th and 13th Plan periods is expected to increase to 35.5, 35 [sic] and 42 squadrons respectively."

After a period of downward trend, annual flying hour rates have been restored to normal (180 to 200 hours). However, this seems to be largely due to the reduction in the number of MiG-21 and the phase-out of MiG-23 aircraft which was completed in March 2009. Pilot numbers are a major problem. The attractions of commercial flying over service life (mirrored in the other services, for similar reasons) are proving too great for well-trained aircrew. It has been made more difficult to quit the service before conventional retirement age, and this has created some resentment in the pilot stream. Between 2002 and 2004, 263 pilots took premature retirement, but in 2005 only eight pilots were allowed to leave, of a reported 200 who had applied to resign. The trend continues, however, and in 2006 there were 220 resignations and in 2007, 287 resignations. The overall shortfall in officer strength was 1,565 in August 2007. A year later, in August 2008, the then IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, stated that the air force had a pilot shortage and would take five years to fill the gap. He said that pilots "have to be trained over a period of time and there are no shortcuts. We are short of about 400 pilots but with the measures we are taking, we will make good the shortage in the next five years." In October 2008 a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General recorded that "The number of pilots trained in various streams during 2001-2006 was much lower than planned targets, indicating that either the training targets did not take into account constraints or IAF failed to ensure adequate intake of pilot trainees through an effective recruitment strategy." In 2008 the officer shortfall fell to 1,368 but, as with the army, it is probable that the slow-down was due to officers waiting to see the results of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Constraints such as the sanctions imposed by the US and others on India's technology trade between 1998 and 2005, following nuclear tests in 1998, forced the government to think more creatively and carefully regarding costs. As a result, the country produced a number of aircraft, with which it is also hoping to carve a niche in the global defence market. Among the projects are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv). Some of the latter have come into service, but the LCA project has experienced major difficulties and delays, and in October 2008 the defence minister stated that "final operational clearances for the indigenously developed aircraft will be given by 2010." The Dhruv suffered a setback when a crash in January 2006 grounded the fleet of 46; there was a further fatal crash in February 2007.

The IAF is placing the best possible face on its dwindling numbers and consequent reduction in capabilities. A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued in June 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, for which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35, Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, of which all but Rafale appeared at Aero India 2009 at Bangalore in February. It is estimated that even if acceptance of an RfP is agreed in 2009 it will not be possible for supply of aircraft to begin until 2012 at the earliest. Five combat squadrons of Su-30 multi-role aircraft are already in service and assembly of a further 140 aircraft is taking place. On 24 August 2007 the chairman of the board of directors of Irkut SPC stated that it was hoped to sign a contract with India in September to provide a further 40 Su-30MKI aircraft, but the state of negotiations is not clear.

In February 2008, the IAF invited bids to upgrade 30 of its airfields and Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems for an estimated USD1.5 billion. The project is part of the military's revised doctrine that seeks to prepare for future conflicts - expected to be short, swift and intense - by making the Indian Armed Forces more mobile and network centric. The IAF wants the 30 airfields in India's north, west and east, bordering nuclear rivals Pakistan and China, to receive new lighting, automated ATC management and instrument landing systems, distance measuring apparatus and a Doppler VHF omni-range navigation system capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft. The selected company will also be required to provide six mobile airfield lighting systems as a back-up measure and a mobile ATC system in addition to facilities for training personnel to operate and repair the equipment. All hardware would need to have a service life of 15 years.

AEW&C capabilities are being enhanced by acquisition of Israeli Phalcon systems, the first of which was delivered in early 2009, after a delay of 18 months, and a further two in 2009-2010. (There were incorrect media reports of delivery of a Phalcon in January 2009.)

The IAF is in a state of flux, and force structure decision-making is complicated by politics, sensitivity to past corruption in procurement projects, budget priorities, continuing problems with indigenous systems, bureaucratic delays in tendering processes and the entry of the US as a major commercial and political factor in procurement planning.


Deployments, tasks and operations

Role and Deployment

Until the late 1980s the primary role of the IAF was tactical and confined to supporting the army through a combination of fighter/ground attack capability and establishing local air superiority. Its role extended to interdiction but now involves a strategic capability, including nuclear delivery. The IAF has made a bid for a more independent role, arguing that air power has the capability to strike deep within enemy (namely Pakistani, or possibly Chinese) territory. It is deployed throughout the country, with main bases being in the west and north.

The air force undertakes normal combat and support tasks, from strike to natural disaster relief. Capabilities of the current fleet include maritime strike by the Jaguar S(I), deep strike by the Su-30MKI, close support by the various versions of the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Jaguar, and air superiority and interception by the Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000H, MiG-21, and MiG-29.

Cargo-passenger operations are undertaken largely by Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-26s, with Mi-25s and Mi-35s used as attack helicopters. Chetak helicopters (SE 3160 Alouette II) are used in the anti-tank role and for liaison, cargo-passenger carriage, and search and rescue operations. Mi-17s, Chetaks and Cheetahs (improved Chetak) are capable of high-altitude operations, providing logistics support to ground forces in the mountains of the north. Cheetah light helicopters are also used for liaison, forward air control, and high-altitude operations with minimal cargo.

Aerial refuelling capability is provided by six Il-78 tankers and was first publicly demonstrated at Pokhran in March 2004, when an Il-78 flew by with two Mirage 2000s ostensibly being refuelled. The advent of in-flight refuelling capability permits strike aircraft to be based further east, beyond the reach of Pakistani warplanes. Refuelling systems on the Il-78 were supplied and installed by Israel, which has gained a substantial market in aerospace activities in India.

A detachment of 100 IAF pilots and technicians is stationed at Malaysia's Gong Kedak Air Force Base, assisting with training of the Royal Malaysian Air Force in operation of its Su-30 fleet. It is expected to remain there until the end of 2010.

There is an Indian Air Force (and army) presence in Tajikistan, at Farkhor (Ayni) air base. There are no aircraft stationed here, however, and it appears the detachment is responsible for technical assistance. The base is located at 37o 32' N 69o 29' E, on the border with Afghanistan, some 100 miles south of the capital, Dushanbe.



Recent and Current Operations

In 1993-1994, Indian Air Force assets were deployed to a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time when two helicopters operated in support of a ground contingent in Somalia (UNOSOM). A further eight helicopters (including three Mi-35 'Hind' gunships) were deployed to UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone in 2000, with nine helicopters (including four gunships) being sent to the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

In October 2005, a 196-strong IAF contingent - including aircrew, technicians and ground support staff along with logistics, administration and medical personnel - was sent to Kadugli in Sudan as part of the UNMIS peacekeeping operation. Six Mi-17 assault transport helicopters currently participate in the deployment, providing close air support and airlift for army troops.

The IAF provided much assistance in flood disaster relief within India in 2008.

The IAF pilot training team has been training the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sukhoi Su-30MKM pilots and weapon system operators (WSOs) of No 11 Squadron at RMAF Gong Kedak airbase. In January 2010 they were asked to extend its training mission by another six months and conclude in August 2010 instead of February 2010 as scheduled. RMAF sources said that the request was now with the Indian Defence Ministry for approval and that it would probably be granted. The six-month extension was requested because a lack of aircraft availability meant that the planned training targets could not be met by the agreed February 2010 end date. Malaysia and India signed an agreement in January 2008 for the IAF to initiate a two-year training mission in Malaysia the following month. The training is focused upon creating a sufficient number of RMAF Su-30MKM pilots and WSOs capable of acting as instructors for the Su-30MKMs. The IAF team is also training RMAF ground crew for the Su-30MKMs, which has been unaffected by the delays and will be completed as scheduled in June 2010.

Command and control

Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Pradeep Naik

At Air Headquarters in New Delhi, the Chief of the Air Staff is assisted by a Vice Chief and a Deputy Chief of the Air Staff; air officers in charge of administration, maintenance, and personnel; and the Inspector General, who holds responsibility for flight safety and inspection. The Vice Chief is responsible for operational matters.


Organisation

The IAF is organised on a functional and geographical basis, with front-line combat forces grouped into five main operational commands, specifically:

Western Air Command (Subroto Park, New Delhi)
South Western Air Command (Ghandinagar, Gujarat)
Central Air Command (Bamrauli, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh)
Eastern Air Command (Shillong, Meghtalaya)
Southern Air Command (Tiruvettipuram (otherwise Trivandrum), Kerala)
Maintenance Command (HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra) and Training Command (HQ Bangalore, Karnataka) operate as functional commands.

Air force nuclear-delivery assets have been placed under command of the Strategic Forces Command, together with army delivery systems. The command answers to the Chiefs of Staff Committee, pending the possible creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

Order of Battle

Operational Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Central Air Command 1
4 Wing Agra
106 Squadron Agra HAL / Avro 748M Electronic Intelligence

15 Wing Bareilly
8 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
24 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
111 Helicopter Unit Bareilly Chetak Communications

17 Wing Gorakhpur
16 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
27 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
105 Helicopter Unit Gorakhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

29 Wing Allahabad-Bamrauli2

40 Wing Gwalior-Maharajpur
1 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
7 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-21 Tactics Training
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-27 Tactics Training

Eastern Air Command 3
5 Wing Kalaikunda
18 Squadron Kalaikunda MiG-27M Attack

10 Wing Jorhat
43 Squadron Jorhat An-32 Transport
129 Helicopter Unit Jorhat Mi-17 Assault / Transport

11 Wing Tezpur
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21UM Operational Training
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21US Operational Training
115 Helicopter Unit Tezpur Chetak Communications

14 Wing Chabua
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-8 Assault / Transport
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-17 Assault / Transport

16 Wing Hashimara
22 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack
222 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack

19 Wing Gauhati
59 Squadron Gauhati HAL / Avro 748M Transport
118 Helicopter Unit Det Gauhati Mi-8 Assault / Transport

20 Wing Bagdogra
142 SSS Flight Bagdogra Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

22 Wing Kumbhirgram
110 Helicopter Unit Kumbhirgram Mi-8 Assault / Transport

42 Wing Mohanbari
127 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport
128 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport

Southern Air Command 4
37 Wing Car Nicobar
121 Helicopter Unit Car Nicobar Mi-8 Assault / Transport

43 Wing Coimbatore-Sulur
33 Squadron Coimbatore-Sulur An-32 Transport
109 Helicopter Unit Coimbatore-Sulur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
122 Helicopter Unit Port Blair Mi-8 Assault / Transport

South-Western Air Command 5
2 Wing Pune/Lohegaon
20 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
30 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole

27 Wing Bhuj
15 Squadron Bhuj MiG-21bis Air Defence / Attack

32 Wing Jodhpur
10 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
29 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8S VIP / Transport
116 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Chetak Communications
119 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

33 Wing Jamnagar
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IM Maritime Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IS Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IB Continuation Training
28 Squadron Jamnagar MiG-29 Air Defence
141 SSS Flight Jamnagar Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

35 Wing Suratgarh
23 Squadron Suratgarh MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
104 Helicopter Unit Suratgarh Mi-35 Attack

36 Wing Vadodara
11 Squadron Vadodara HAL / Avro 748M Transport

41 Wing Jaisalmer

44 Wing Nagpur
44 Squadron Nagpur Il-76MD Transport

46 Wing Nal-Bikaner
5 Forward Base Support Unit Uttarlai
4 Squadron Uttarlai MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
12 Forward Base Support Unit Naliya
101 Squadron Naliya MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

Western Air Command 6
1 Wing Srinagar

3 Wing Palam
41 Squadron7 Palam HAL / Avro 748M Transport

7 Wing Ambala
3 Squadron Ambala MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
5 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack
14 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack

8 Wing Adampur
47 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence
223 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence

9 Wing Halwara

12 Wing Chandigarh
25 Squadron Chandigarh Il-76 Transport
25 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
48 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
126 Helicopter Flight Chandigarh Mi-26 Transport

18 Wing Pathankot
108 Squadron Pathankot MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack
125 Helicopter Unit Pathankot Mi-35 Attack

23 Wing Leh
114 Helicopter Unit Leh Cheetah Communications
130 Helicopter Unit Leh Mi-17 Assault / Transport

28 Wing Hindan
131 Forward Air Control Flight Hindan Cheetah Observation
181 Flight Hindan HAL / Avro 748M Transport / Communications

30 Wing Sarsawa
117 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Dhruv Attack / Utility
152 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Mi-17 Assault / Transport

34 Wing Bhatinda
17 Squadron Bhatinda MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

39 Wing Udhampur
132 Forward Air Control Flight Udhampur Cheetah Observation
153 Helicopter Unit Udhampur Mi-17 Assault / Transport

45 Wing Sirsa
21 Squadron Sirsa MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack

Notes:
Central Air Command also has air bases at Bihta and Nagpur under care and maintenance with no permanently resident units.
No operational forces stationed here, but base does accommodate training unit (see Training Command).
Eastern Air Command also has Forward Base Support Units (FBSUs) at Agartala, Calcuttta (Dum Dum), Panagarh and Shillong.
Southern Air Command has no combat forces permanently stationed here. Main air bases under Southern Air Command are at Bangalore (Yelahanka), Begumpet, Bidar, Dundigal, Hakimpet, Tambaram, Port Blair and Car Nicobar, with most accommodating training units (see Training Command). Also FBSUs at Madurai and Trivandrum (17 FBSU).
South-Western Air Command has control of new base constructed at Phalodi in 2004; also has FBSUs at Ahmedabad (4 FBSU) and Uttarlai (5 FBSU).
Western Air Command also has FBSUs at Amritsar (1 FBSU) and Awantipur (8 FBSU).
Supports air force headquarters in New Delhi.


Support Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Training Command HQ Bangalore, Karnataka

Air Force Academy1 Allahabad-Bamrauli HPT-32 Deepak Training
Air Force Academy1 Dundigal Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Bidar Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Hakimpet Kiran Training

Flying Instructors' School Tambaram HPT-32 Deepak Instructor Training
Flying Instructors' School Tambaram Kiran Instructor Training

Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Chetak Training
Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Cheetah Training

Navigation and Signals School Begumpet HAL / Avro 748M Navigation Training

Paratroop Training School Agra An-32 Paradrop Training

Test Pilots' School Yelahanka Various Training

Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka HAL / Avro 748M Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka An-32 Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka Dornier 228 Training

52 Squadron2 Bidar Kiran II Aerobatic Display Team

112 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Mi-8 Training
151 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Dhruv Training

Maintenance Command HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra
HQ Flight Nagpur HAL / Avro 748M Communications
1 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
2 Base Repair Depot Gwalior-Maharajpur Various Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-8 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-17 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-25 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-35 Overhaul
4 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
5 Base Repair Depot Coimbatore-Sulur Various Overhaul
11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar Various Overhaul
Base Repair Depot Jodhpur MiG-21 Overhaul

Notes:
Operates from several locations as shown. Dimona motor gliders attached to National Defence Academy. Hawk to be stationed at Bidar after delivery in November 2007.
Also known as 'Surya Kiran' (Sun Rays).


Direct Reporting Units

Unit Base Type Role

Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Boeing 737 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam HAL/Avro 748M VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam EMB-135BJ VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Dornier 228 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Mi-8S VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam An-32 VIP / Transport
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-29 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-27 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-21 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka HAL/Avro 748M Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Dhruv Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Cheetah1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 707-337C Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 737 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Gulfstream SRA-1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam An-32 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Il-76 Trials
Air Cadets Various CH 701 Air Experience

Note:
Loaned from the army.


Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine

IAF doctrine is believed to be centred on 'offensive-defence', terminology that implies both pre-emptive action and swift retaliation. It is not known whether this is compatible with the new army doctrine known as 'Cold Start', that involves multiple offensives by integrated battle groups and relies heavily on airspace domination and ground attack. There does not appear to be integrated planning for land-air warfare, even with regard to the employment of tactical nuclear weapons, as the IAF and the army operate Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) units independently.

Operational art and tactical doctrine are based on a combination of threat appreciation and its equipment, which, although predominantly of Russian origins, also includes French and British combat aircraft.

Bases

The following airfields are known to accommodate air force aircraft:

Adampur (31° 25' 59" N; 75° 45' 38" E)
Agartala (23° 53' 20" N; 91° 14' 27" E)
Agra (27° 09' 21" N; 77° 57' 39" E)
Ahmedabad (23° 04' 29" N; 72° 37' 54" E)
Allahabad-Bamrauli (25° 26' 21" N; 81° 44' 03" E)
Ambala (30° 22' 07" N; 76° 48' 54" E)
Amritsar (31° 42' 27" N; 74° 47' 57" E)
Awantipur (33° 52' 35" N; 74° 58' 32" E)
Bagdogra (26° 40' 53" N; 88° 19' 41" E)
Bakshi-Ka-Talab (26° 59' 18" N; 80° 53' 35" E)
Bareilly (28° 25' 20" N; 79° 26' 59" E)
Begumpet (17° 27' 08" N; 78° 27' 40" E)
Bhatinda (30° 16' 12" N; 74° 45' 20" E)
Bhuj (23° 17' 16" N; 69° 40' 12" E)
Bidar (17° 54' 28" N; 77° 29' 09" E)
Bihta (25° 35' 31" N; 84° 52' 54" E)
Calcutta-Dum Dum (22° 39' 17" N; 88° 26' 48" E)
Car Nicobar (09° 09' 11" N; 92° 49' 09" E)
Chabua (27° 27' 44" N; 95° 07' 03" E)
Chandigarh (30° 40' 24" N; 76° 47' 18" E)
Coimbatore-Sulur (11° 01' 53" N; 77° 02' 38" E)
Dundigal (17° 37' 45" N; 78° 24' 12" E)
Gauhati (26° 06' 17" N; 91° 35' 04" E)
Gorakhpur (26° 44' 22" N; 83° 26' 58" E)
Gwalior-Maharajpur (26° 17' 38" N; 78° 13' 40" E)
Hakimpet (17° 33' 12" N; 78° 31' 29" E)
Halwara (30° 44' 54" N; 75° 37' 47" E)
Hashimara (26° 42' 06" N; 89° 22' 04" E)
Hindan (28° 42' 27" N; 77° 21' 30" E)
Jaisalmer (26° 53' 21" N; 70° 51' 52" E)
Jamnagar (22° 27' 59" N; 70° 00' 41" E)
Jodhpur (26° 15' 05" N; 73° 02' 53" E)
Jorhat (26° 43' 50" N; 94° 10' 33" E)
Kalaikunda (22° 20' 22" N; 87° 12' 52" E)
Kanpur-Chakeri (26° 24' 15" N; 80° 24' 36" E)
Kumbhirgram (24° 54' 46" N; 92° 58' 43" E)
Leh (34° 08' 08" N; 77° 32' 44" E)
Madurai (09° 50' 04" N; 78° 05' 36" E)
Mohanbari (27° 29' 00" N; 95° 01' 03" E)
Nagpur (21° 05' 31" N; 79° 02' 49" E)
Nal-Bikaner (28° 04' 14" N; 73° 12' 25" E)
Naliya (23° 13' 18" N; 68° 53' 40" E)
Ojhar (20° 07' 14" N; 73° 54' 47" E)
Palam (28° 33' 59" N; 77° 06' 11" E)
Panagarh (23° 28' 28" N; 87° 25' 40" E)
Pathankot (32° 14' 01" N; 75° 38' 04" E)
Port Blair (11° 38' 53" N; 92° 44' 05" E)
Pune/Lohegaon (18° 34' 55" N; 73° 55' 10" E)
Sarsawa (29° 59' 38" N; 77° 25' 31" E)
Shillong (25° 42' 06" N; 91° 58' 41" E)
Sirsa (29° 33' 38" N; 75° 00' 21" E)
Srinagar (33° 59' 13" N; 74° 46' 27" E)
Suratgarh (29° 23' 15" N; 73° 54' 14" E)
Tambaram (12° 54' 24" N; 80° 07' 16" E)
Tezpur (26° 42' 36" N; 92° 47' 03" E)
Trivandrum (08° 28' 55" N; 76° 55' 05" E)
Udhampur (32° 54' 08" N; 75° 09' 18" E)
Uttarlai (25° 48' 46" N; 71° 28' 56" E)
Vadodara (22° 19' 54" N; 73° 13' 20" E)
Yelahanka (13° 08' 09" N; 77° 36' 20" E)

To implement current doctrine, the IAF has dispersed some of its strike aircraft away from the border with Pakistan, and has upgraded and hardened facilities, especially radars, at most forward operational bases.

India continues to increase its air presence further afield in order to enhance power projection capability and regional influence. It's base at Car Nicobar (known as 'Carnic') in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is being upgraded to support Su-30MKI operations, according to Indian officials in February 2010. Vice Admiral D K Joshi, who heads the joint Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), said the airstrips at Campbell Bay on Nicobar and Shibpur in the Andamans were being extended from 975 m to 3,657 m to support all types of combat aircraft, including fighters, and were also being upgraded for night flying operations.

Originally, the Car Nicobar base housed just a small contingent of approximately 200 personnel and five Mi-8 helicopters, but the growing strategic importance of the islands relative to China has prompted the gradual expansion of operations there. The IAF had planned to station two Su-30MKI strike aircraft at Car Nicobar, but following the Asian tsunami of December 2004, the positioning of strike aircraft at Car Nicobar was postponed and the first aircraft did not arrive until mid-2005. Before the February 2010 fortification announcement, the base already hosted a small army presence of a brigade, some dozen helicopters and Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft, a rotating flight of combat aircraft, and 15 patrol boats and other navy light vessels.

The IAF and the Indian Army have jointly established India's first overseas base at Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 km (80 miles) southeast of the capital city of Dushanbe. Although details are unclear, this action demonstrates minor expansion of Indian assets beyond its borders. It is not known by which overflight path Indian military aircraft access Tajikistan's airspace. Despite official Indian denials in April 2006, it appears that flights of combat aircraft, most likely MiG-29s, will be rotated through Farkhor. It is planned to station an Su-30 squadron (possibly 30 Squadron from Pune) at Tezpur Air Force Base in Assam in 2009. Tezpur is 500 km (310 miles) from the border with China and is at present the base of 11 Wing, with MiG-21 Operational Flying Training Units.

It was announced in February 2008 that India was planning upgrades for many of its 30 military airfields and their air traffic control systems.Thales, Lockheed Martin, Siemens, Celex, Terma, Tata Power and Mumbai-based NELCO were all invited to bid on the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) programme's first phase. The airfields include Adampur, Agra, Ambala, Bagdogra, Bareilly, Bhatinda, Bhuj, Bidar, Chabua, Chandigarh, Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Halwara, Hasimara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Nal, Naliya, Pathankot, Pune, Sirsa, Suratgarh, Tezpur, Uttarlai and Yelahanka.

The Mumbai-based Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED) eventually was awarded the estimated USD260 million upgrade programme, but the decision has been appealed by Italy's Selex Sistemi Integrati (Selex SI), part of the Finmeccanica group. Tata has been given approval to begin work on the project and, in January 2010, a court declined Selex SI's demand to stay the award of the contract. However, the case continues and IAF officials are concerned, as India's legal system is known for its in-built delays and vagaries. This, the IAF fears, could impinge on the long-delayed project to upgrade the military airfields, 24 of which are along the frontier with nuclear rivals China and Pakistan. The MoD has denied Selex's claims of procedural lapses in awarding the contract, maintaining in court that Tata Power SED's bid of USD238 million was lower than the Italian defence contractor's USD248 million submission.

Upgrading the airfields is vital for the IAF, not only to support frontline operations but also to accommodate new platforms. The MAFI programme involves the supply, integration and sustainment of instrument landing systems, distance measuring equipment, Doppler very high frequency omni-range navigation systems capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft, tactical air navigation systems, 24-hour automated air traffic control systems and Category II airfield lighting systems. All hardware needs to have a serviceable life of 15 years and the ability to function in temperatures ranging from well below 0 degrees Celsius in the northern Himalayan region to more than 50 degrees Celsius in the western Rajasthan desert area. The project is to be completed within 42 months of the contract being signed.

Personnel

Demographics

The IAF is an all-regular force of generally high calibre personnel, with no reserve component. There is a higher proportion of Sikh pilots than would be expected from the ratio of Sikhs to other groups in the country. There are 784 female officers, of whom some 40 are pilots, but in October 2008 the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Homi Major, stated that "There is no denying that the female staff have expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now."

Recruitment

As with the other armed services, there are difficulties in recruiting and retention, and major recruiting drives are conducted throughout the country, although mainly in areas considered as producing more highly educated school graduates. Accordingly, there is concentration on internet recruiting sites. The National Cadet Corps (Air Wing) is an important source of recruits, and entry standards for potential pilots are high, being "BSc with Physics and/or Maths or 4 year BE course. Age between 18-years-old and 22 years-old (relaxable up to 2 years for those having Commercial Pilot Licence). Unmarried, Widows (without any child) of service personnel killed on duty can also apply." The officer shortfall fell to 1,368 in 2008, from 1,565 the previous year, and it is likely, given the economic downturn, that applications for premature retirement (mainly in the pilot stream, to transfer to civil airlines), will decrease for the foreseeable future.

Morale

So far as can be determined from public sources, IAF morale is in general high, although there has been some disaffection in the pilot stream concerning reluctance to release those who wish to retire prematurely in order to take up civil flying appointments. Conditions of service are reasonable, and accommodation and facilities at IAF stations, especially in regard to education, are in general of good quality. As with the other services, there is discontent about salary levels, but given the economic downturn this is expected to diminish as it becomes apparent that many well qualified people in civilian life do not have the same degree of job security offered by the armed forces. There has been concern over the IAF's suicide rate which, at some 22 annually, is higher than that of the other services. A study in 2008 showed that causes were not in the main directly associated with conditions of service and were largely domestic in nature, but that "The study noticed that spouses of airmen earning more than their husbands led to acute depression."

Professionalism

The IAF is a professionally proud organisation that trains and operates efficiently. It has had no air-to-air combat experience since the 1971 war with Pakistan, and it is not possible to judge how effective it will be in the event of conflict. Exercises with foreign nations, notably the 2008 'Red Flag' exercise with the USAF, have not provided a realistic assessment frame, as security concerns militated against employment of classified systems, including some radars.

Training

Pre-flying training is conducted at Begumpet near Hyderabad, with all other basic officer training undertaken at the nearby Air Force Academy. This involves:

Stage I and II pilot training;
Training of Officer Cadets in non-technical ground duty branches; and
Training of officers in the basic radar and advanced air traffic control courses.
Following stages I and II at the academy, pilots are assigned to squadrons for continuation training on type, be that combat aircraft, transport or helicopter. Senior IAF officers have long argued that stage I and II should be followed by another pilot training course on the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) before a pilot joins an operational unit for type transition. With the procurement of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 AJTs from Britain now underway, the establishment of an advanced training stage is now a realistic proposition. The USD1.65 billion contract provides for Hawk training in the UK and around 70 IAF pilots have already attended an instructor's course at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in Anglesey. Induction of the Hawk into the IAF syllabus will improve the progression of trainee pilots from low-speed trainers to high-performance front-line fighters.

According to Group Captain Michael Fernandez, chief instructor at Flying Training Establishment (FTE) Bidar, around 40 fighter pilots are being trained each year from July 2008. Plans are for each pilot to fly around 160 hours on the AJTs in two semesters, in addition to training on advanced simulators in tactics and night flying, air combat manoeuvres and air-to-ground bombing before qualifying to operate the advanced fighters in the IAF's inventory.

However, these plans are in jeopardy after the IAF grounded its entire fleet of Hindustan Piston Trainer 32 (HPT-32) Deepak basic trainer aircraft in August 2009, following a series of fatal accidents (most recently in late July 2009) and over 100 emergency situations in recent years.

For nearly three decades 140-150 IAF cadets have trained annually on the HPT-32 before graduating to the HJT-16 Surya Kiran MKI intermediate flight and weapons training aircraft. Thereafter, fighter pilots move onto Surya Kiran MKIIs and the BAE Systems Hawk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which entered service in November 2007. With the HPT-32s grounded, a handful of AFA cadets are now beginning their training on the Surya Kiran MKI, a measure that not only contravenes the normal training regime but also places the aircraft under undue pressure.

The IAF is demanding the immediate procurement of 200 basic trainers from overseas to cope with the training crunch - a request under evaluation by the Ministry of Defence.

Training Areas

Tactical training and more complex operational requirements are designed and practised at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) at Gwalior. Bombing and other ordnance-related target practice is conducted at weapons ranges in Tilpat and Pokhran.

Military Exercises

With regard to operational training, India conducted a large exercise near the Indo-Pakistan border in May 2001, involving several thousand troops, armoured vehicles and over 100 combat aircraft. Scenarios are known to have included the simulation of a nuclear strike against Indian troop formations, as well as preparations for chemical and biological defence. The exercises also trained special forces units in seizing vital enemy assets and involved simulated deep-strike missions by combat aircraft.

In 2004-2005 the IAF conducted joint exercises with the air forces of the US, France and Singapore. While these have contributed to some aspects of training, one of the most significant recent exercises was "Vajra Shakti" in May 2005, when tightly-scripted but nonetheless valuable tactics were practised in support of the army's developing "cold start" doctrine which mirrors Pakistan's "riposte".

Despite the lack of tri-service doctrine and the non-existence of a joint HQ, it appears that efforts are being made to improve joint operations. Exercise 'Garuda II', with 'the French Air Force, was held in France in June 2005, and involved six Su-30s and an Il-78 refueller. Similar operations have been undertaken with the US Air Force, which deployed warplanes to India in 2005.

Recent exercises involving international co-operation have been undertaken with elements of the UK Royal Air Force. In the first, six Tornado F Mk 3 air defence fighters plus a VC10 tanker and an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft deployed to Gwalior in October 2006 for exercise "Indra Dhanush", during which they undertook missions with IAF combat aircraft. This was followed in July 2007 by "Indra Dhanush II", which brought six Su-30MKI fighters and an Il-78 'Midas' tanker to Waddington in the UK for operational training against Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado and Typhoon fighters.

In August 2008, the IAF took part in a 'Red Flag' air exercise mounted from Nellis AFB in the United States, with eight SU-30MKI aircraft, two IL-78 air refuellers and one IL-76 transport. During the air combat exercises, the main radars of the Su-30s were not used. This deployment was extremely expensive and there are questions as to whether another will take place in the near future.

In October 2009 the Indian and US air forces conducted the five-day 'Cope India-09' exercises at Agra, India. The exercised focused on airlift techniques, as well as aero-medical and disaster management procedures. The US Air Force contributed 150 personnel, three C-130Hs and one C-130J, as well as one C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft to the exercises. The Indian Air Force (IAF) fielded one Il-76 and four An-32s, as well as one 'Chetak' (Alouette III) and two Mi-17 helicopters.

Also in October 2009, India conducted its first-ever air exercise with Oman. According to published reports, the 'Eastern Bridge' exercises held at the Royal Air Force of Oman base in Thumrait focused on co-operation between the two countries' fleet of Jaguar aircraft and included drills over mixed desert terrain.

Air Force procurement

Realisation of the size and potential of the IAF procurement market has attracted much attention by western manufacturers, the majority of which were represented at the Aero India exhibition which took place at Bangalore in February 2009.

Most current aircraft are of Russian origin and for the foreseeable future this situation is unlikely to change, at least until entry into service of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the Multi-role Combat Aircraft (which conceivably could be Russian).

It is significant that in May 2007 the US Congress was informed of the possible intention to supply India with six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft worth USD1.059 billion (which have now been approved, for delivery beginning 2011). The wording of the notification provided an insight to likely US policy in regard to military supplies and co-operation in that "India and the United States are forging an important strategic partnership. The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by providing the Indian government with a credible special operations airlift capability that will deter aggression in the region, provide humanitarian airlift capability and ensure interoperability with US forces in coalition operations".

Indian Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed that joint development programmes with Russia to produce a multirole transport aircraft (MRTA) and a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will be funded equally by New Delhi and Moscow. On 15 March 2010, Antony said agreements to develop the aircraft were signed by governments of the two countries in October and November 2007 respectively. He added that the "percentage share of investment by the Indian side towards development will be 50 per cent each for both aircraft". The development and production of the aircraft would be carried out in both countries. Both platforms are expected to enter service during India's 13th five-year plan period, which commences in 2018. Jane's reported that a contract between the countries to signal the start of work has not yet been signed.

Combat

India and Russia concluded an agreement on 23 December 2008, under which the two countries would co-operate in the development and production of a new fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) for service with the air arms of both countries. Hindustan Aeronautics is prime contractor on the Indian side, with the United Aircraft Corporation representing Russia. Sukhoi is reported to have been engaged in development work on an FGFA for several years, with a first prototype said to already be under construction at Komsomolsk-na-Amur, this being based on the T-50 PAKFA. Delivery of production aircraft is expected to commence in 2014-15, with initial single-seat examples going to Russia's air arm; Indian machines will be in a dual-seat configuration, with delivery to begin about two years later.

Regarding current developments, some five squadrons are understood to have re-equipped or be in the process of receiving the Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter, of which close to 100 had been delivered by early 2009. At one point, it was expected that the original 18 Su-30K aircraft would be refurbished and upgraded to full Su-30MKI standard, but this plan has been abandoned in favour of procurement of an additional 18 Su-30MKIs, raising total procurement of the latter to 230, of which 140 examples will be built under license in India. In conjunction with Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the indigenous Tejas, the Su-30MKI will eventually comprise the backbone of IAF combat capability.

In the meantime the IAF is reportedly seeking 50 additional Su-30MKIs which would form the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the foreseeable future to further enhance its combat potential.


After an extremely protracted development history, the indigenous Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) Tejas LCA appears to be moving closer to entry into service with the IAF. The manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has handed over three flying prototypes (PV-1, 2 and 3) to the IAF, along with the first of a planned total of eight Limited Series Production machines (LSP-1). LSP-2 was due to be handed over in early 2009, but PV-1 is not expected to undergo further flight tests. Current aircraft have the GE F404-IN20 engine, but it is expected that a choice will be made between the GE's F414 and the Eurojet EJ200 for future test aircraft and for production machines. The initial order will be for 80 powerplants, with an option for a further 80 to be licence-produced in India. It appears that the indigenous Kaveri engine will not be used.

In April 2010, it was revealed that the Tejas will replace the IAF's older fleet of MiG-21 'Fishbed' ground attack fighters, which are now in the process of being phased out of service. Upgraded MiG-21bis fighters will remain in service until at least 2017, but the remaining 80 or so MiG-21s will be phased out by 2012-13 as the Tejas enters service.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's Tejas light combat aircraft is to be fitted with the Rafael Litening AN/AAQ-28 advanced targeting pod according to reports from India. The order is for 20 systems to cover the initial batch of Tejas aircraft set to enter service in 2009-10. Contract value is believed to be in the region of USD30 million.

A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued on 28 August 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, of which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35. Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Given the complexity of offers, the potential problems involved in technology transfer, demands for substantial offset proposals, and bureaucratic inertia in Delhi, it is unlikely that the selection process will be completed before the end of 2010.


MiG-27

In January 2002, the IAF decided to undertake a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) for 40 of its MiG-27M aircraft which will be conducted jointly by HAL, Defense Avionics Research Establishment (DARE (DRDO)) and the IAF. Accordingly, an MoU was signed on 14 March 2002. It was decided to integrate new avionics common to other programmes such as the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, LCA, and MiG-21 upgrade in order to reduce cost and time for integration and maintenance. The HAL Aircraft Upgrade Research & Design Centre (AURDC) at Nasik prepared two prototype aircraft in 2004, of which the first (serial TS640) made its maiden flight on 25 March 2004, followed by the second on 4 November 2004 of the same year. These prototypes were certified in initial operational configuration in 2005 and the first 12 upgraded aircraft were due to be handed over to the IAF in 2006. In August 2007 Indian Defence Minister AK Antony announced that the programme was suffering due to delays in the design and development phase but no details of the extent of the delay were released. Flight tests of a proof-of-concept MiG-27 fitted with a new AL-31F-30S turbofan engine began in January 2008. At the beginning of January 2009, it was announced that all 38 production upgrades (now known as MiG-27UPGs) had been delivered, these serving with two squadrons at Jodhpur.

Previously, in a report to Parliament in April 2008, India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) voiced criticism of the MiG-27 upgrade programme, specifically referring to rising costs and the limited utility of the upgrade work given the service life that remained. Costs had doubled according to reports citing the CAG and only 20 aircraft had been upgraded by that time.

Attack Helicopters

In late May 2009, India's MoD re-issued the request for proposal (RfP) for 22 attack helicopters, estimated at around USD600 million. The RfP was sent to Bell-Textron for its AH-1Z Super Cobra, Boeing for its AH-64 Apache, Eurocopter for the Tiger and Russia's Mil for its Mi-28N.

This second RfP followed the withdrawal in March 2009 of the initial tender after Bell-Textron and Boeing pulled out in December 2008, claiming that the enhanced offset obligation of 50 per cent was "commercially unviable". Both companies also said they preferred the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme route. This was not allowed by the initial RfP, issued in May 2008, which stipulated the participation of only the original equipment manufacturer. This time, however, the modified RfP has reduced the offset obligation to the standard 30 per cent of the contract value and permitted the FMS route to enable Bell-Textron and Boeing to take part in the competition.

MoD officials said that the initial RfP cancellation would delay by at least three years the acquisition of attack helicopters, which are intended to replace an equal number of ageing Soviet-vintage Mi-25s and Mi-35s acquired by the IAF between 1984 and 1990.

The Indian attack helicopter requirement called for 2.5-ton twin-engine aircraft to conduct reconnaissance, escort, air-to-air combat, ground support and anti-tank missions, envisaged as part of the IAF's 'Transformation Process' in accordance with its revised doctrine propagating 'jointmanship' with the two other services.

Light Combat Helicopter

India successfully conducted the first test-flight of its locally designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Bangalore on 29 March 2010, over a year behind schedule and with its excessive weight problem unresolved.

Powered by the Ardiden 1H (Shakti) turboshaft engine - developed jointly by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France's Turbomeca - the LCH's Technology Demonstrator-1 (TD-1) flew for around 15 minutes, performing clockwise and anti-clockwise turns, hovering motionless and circling the airfield several times.

The LCH's excessive weight (580 kg more than the mandated 2.5 tonnes), which would greatly reduce its ordnance-carrying capacity at its required 20,000 ft operational ceiling, was the principal reason behind the aircraft's delayed first test-flight. HAL engineers plan to progressively reduce the LCH's weight by between 345 and 375 kg in the first three technology demonstrators, eventually leaving it some 200 kg heavier than planned: a prospect the IAF has accepted.

"The weight reduction [180-200 kg] that we had targeted for TD-1 has been met. The second prototype, which will make its first flight by September, will be lighter still," HAL Chairman Ashok Nayak said. R Srinivasan, who heads HAL's Helicopter Complex, said TD-2 would be 100 kg lighter, while TD-3 would drop another 65-75 kg.

Meanwhile, HAL expressed confidence in the LCH's performance, claiming that most of its key technologies - the Shakti engine, rotors and gearbox, which have previously been validated aboard the indigenously developed 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) - had functioned well during the test-flight. Production aircraft will also have a glass cockpit designed by the Helicopter Complex's Mission and Combat Systems Research and Development Centre in Bangalore.

The LCH is being developed to perform an anti-tank role, provide close air support to ground forces, for deployment in air-to-air combat, as a battlefield scout and for anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel warfare. Its 700 kg weapon suite will include a 20 mm turret gun from France's Nexter, four 70 mm anti-tank guided missiles supplied by FZ of Belgium and MBDA Mistral 2 air-defence missiles from France. India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation is also developing the Helina anti-tank missile, a derivative of the locally designed Nag (Snake) anti-tank missile with an extended 7 km range, for use by the aircraft.

The LCH is also due to have an array of subsystems such as missile warning receivers, flare and chaff dispensers, helmet pointing systems, datalinks and infrared jammers, many of which also equip the ALH.

The IAF has a requirement for 65 LCHs and the Army Aviation Corps for around 114 aircraft to replace ageing platforms. Military officials said that, if the LCH's development programme did not suffer any more delays, the aircraft would enter service around 2016.

Transport

C-130J-30

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that it expects to receive six Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 transport aircraft from the United States from December 2011. The MoD confirmed in a statement - dated 17 March 2008 - that the Indian government had signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US, adding that the estimated cost of the aircraft was USD962 million.

Under the terms of the deal, originally announced in May 2007, India will also receive four spare Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines; an unspecified number of AN/AAR-47 missile approach warning systems and AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers; as well as a variety of associated equipment. In addition, Lockheed Martin will need to outsource work worth at least 30 per cent of the value of the deal - or about USD300 million - to Indian defence companies in order to comply with India's offset policy.

US-based thermal-imaging specialist FLIR Systems has been awarded a USD7.2 million contract to equip the C-130Js with infrared multi-sensor surveillance systems, it was announced on 5 August 2009. The contracts, under the Foreign Military Sale framework, includes FLIR System's Star SAFIRE(R) III surveillance system, training and related services. Work will be performed at FLIR's facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011.

C-17 Globemaster III

In April 2010, India formally requested the sale of 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from the US government, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) confirmed.

The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is valued at USD5.8 billion and would include 45 Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines (40 installed and five spare), 10 AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensing systems, 10 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems, crew armour, personnel training and other ancillary hardware and support.

If approved by Washington, it would be India's biggest ever deal with the United States, surpassing the USD2.1 billion procurement of eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA) in January 2009 and the USD962 million acquisition of six Lockheed Martin-built C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft in March 2008. It would also make the IAF the second largest user of the C-17 after the US Air Force

The high-wing, T-tailed C-17 can carry large equipment including tanks, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain during day or night. It is operated with a two-man crew and one loadmaster and can seat two observers. It can also double as an aerial ambulance. The IAF is seeking to acquire the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76MDs, which entered service in 1985.

Medium-Lift Helicopters

Although India is acquiring six Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, this is likely to be only a mid-term solution to the need to update existing airlift resources. To satisfy this requirement, India had been pursuing the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) medium-lift helicopter project from 2001. In January 2007, the governments of India and Russia had formally signed a letter of intent covering a joint effort to develop and manufacture the MTA for service with the air arms of both countries, with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) partnering with Russia's Ilyushin Design Bureau in the USD600 million project.

However, in June 2009 the programme was cancelled after India changed the requirements of the helicopter. A tender will be automatically reissued at a later date under Indian procurement rules.

In March 2010 Jane's reported that the IAF had signed a EUR560 million (USD765 million) contract for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 medium-lift helicopters to transport VIPs.

The AW101, formerly known as the EH101, will replace Russian Mil Mi-8 'Hip' helicopters at the IAF's VIP squadron at Palam Airport on the outskirts of New Delhi. Official sources said the deal, which was delayed by over a year following objections from the federal finance ministry over the cost, requires the first two helicopters to be delivered within 24 months and the remaining 10 within the next year.

Eight of the AW101s will be utilised for VIP transportation, with a maximum load of 10 passengers each. The remaining four helicopters will ferry Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos as escorts and carry up to 30 passengers. The contract includes a five-year logistic support service and initial aircrew and technician training. The AW101's ability to operate at heights between about 14,500 ft to 18,000 ft was reportedly one of the decisive factors in securing the contract

Global tenders for the medium-lift helicopters were dispatched in September 2006 to Sikorsky for its S-92 and S-76, AgustaWestland and Kamov of Russia, which was eventually disqualified.

Heavy-Lift Helicopters

A RfP for 15 heavy-lift helicopters to replace the IAF's Mi-26 fleet was issued to Boeing for the Chinook CH-47, to Sikorsky for the CH-53 Sea Stallion and to Russia for the latest version of the Mi-26. IAF officials conceded that it would take at least three or four years for either contract to be inked, with deliveries beginning 24-36 months thereafter. The RfP was one of two RfPs issued in late May 2009, valued at a combined USD1.3 billion, to overseas vendors. The other RfP was for 22 attack helicopters.

Military A330 Multirole Tanker Transports

Boeing received an RfI in January 2010 from the Indian MoD with a view to meeting the air force's re-tendered requirement to procure six multirole tanker transports (MRTTs). Earlier that month the MoD cancelled a tender for the MRTTs, for which the Airbus Military A330 MRTT was the preferred choice, due to concerns over the competitiveness of the programme and its associated costs. As well as Boeing, the RfI is likely to have been despatched to EADS subsidiary Airbus and Russia's Ilyushin. The latter's Il-78 was also shortlisted under the original tender.

The new tankers are required to augment the IAF's existing fleet of six Il-78s that were purchased in 2004 for USD177 million.

Airlift

In July 2008 it was reported that Alenia Aeronautica is negotiating a marketing and industrial co-operation agreement with India's Tata to promote the possible sale of the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft to India. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding that will be converted into a contract if negotiations prove successful.

India is to purchase 80 Mi-17V-5s from Russia to replace the Mi-8 'Hip' fleet between 2010 and 2014 at a cost of around USD1 billion, including spares and weaponry. In August 2008 the then IAF chief said preparations for signing the contract were in their final stages; this was finally concluded in December 2008 and included offset obligations valued at around USD400 million.

Light Transport Aircraft

Between 2007 and 2010 the Indian Air Force placed contracts for 12 Dornier Do-228 light transport aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). All 12 are due to be delivered by the end of 2011.

Utility

Light Helicopters

The IAF is to buy 54 locally designed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) for INR140 billion (USD3.56 billion) following clearance in December 2007 by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Deliveries are to be completed by 2013-14. In February 2008 the then air force chief stated that the IAF would "shortly" float tenders to acquire two squadrons of attack helicopters and one squadron of heavy lift helicopters. At the same time, he also said that tenders for replacement of the army and air force's Chetak and Cheetah fleet were soon to be made official and would involve procurement of 317 multi-role light helicopters: 197 for the army, with the remainder going to the air force. Two months later, in April 2008, it was announced that a decision had been made to issue a Request for Proposals for 384 light helicopters, comprising 259 for the army and 125 for the air force.

Light Observation Helicopters

The first round of winter trials in support of the Indian military's long pending requirement for 197 light observation helicopters (LOHs) estimated at around USD750 million, concluded in February 2010.

Official sources said the three rival helicopters - AgustaWestland's AW119 Koala, Eurocopter's AS 550 Fennec, and Russia's Kamov Ka-26 - took part in the trials at Bhatinda in northern Punjab state and at Leh in northern Kashmir province: locations where the majority of the platforms would eventually be deployed.

The 197 LOHs - 133 for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and 64 for the IAF - would replace the AACs ageing Chetak (Alouette III) and Cheetah (SA 315B Lama) fleet. The contenders for the contest are due to undergo a second round of testing in June at the same locations before a selection is made and price negotiations opened.

AAC sources said all three competing models had performed "well" but maintained that, even under the most 'optimistic' circumstances, they did not envisage the helicopters would begin arriving before 2014-15 at the earliest.

The tender for the 197 helicopters, despatched in July 2008, followed the December 2007 cancellation of the Ministry of Defence's USD650-600 million order for Eurocopter AS 550C3 Fennec LoHs because of 'discrepancies' in the evaluation process.

Flight-testing for the LOHs originally scheduled for mid-2009 was delayed pending clearance from the MoD's Technical Oversight Committee instituted following a reported 'mismatch' between the stipulated qualitative requirements mandated in the tender and the declared capability of the rival platforms.

C4ISR

Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems

The IAF took delivery of the first of three Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in late May 2009. The aircraft - Ilyushin IL-76s upgraded with Phalcon AEW&C radar and mission systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - was formally inducted into the IAF during a ceremony at Palam Airport in New Delhi. The second has been delivered and the third is due to be delivered by December 2010.

The IAF will operate these aircraft from Agra airbase in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh under Central Air Command. Three crews of four plus 100 ground personnel have been in the United States training how to operate and support the aircraft and its systems.

The Phalcon's arrival makes India the only country in the region with an 'eye in the sky' capability, giving it a substantial edge over neighbours Pakistan and China, both of which are in the process of acquiring a similar capability. The Phalcon provides the Indian military an airborne network-centric battle management platform in addition to its basic early warning function. It will enable the IAF to effectively track up to 50-60 airborne targets including fighters and missiles over a 400-500 km range.

The agreement was signed after the US told Pakistan in May 2003 that it would not seek to prevent Israel from selling the Phalcon suite to India. Under the terms of the contract, Israel was to acquire the aircraft from Uzbekistan and send them to Russia for refurbishing at Taganrog, with this process including installation of new Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 turbofan engines, offering commonality with India's IL-78MKI 'Midas' aerial tankers. Following refurbishment, the aircraft were then to be sent to Israel for installation and integration of the Phalcon suite by IAI. The first complete system was initially expected to be delivered to India in early 2008, with finalisation of the contract anticipated by 2010. However, in November 2007, official sources advised Jane's that the timetable had been pushed back and that IAI would be delayed in fitting the Phalcon system, which is an L-band active phased-array radar mounted in a stationary radome developed by Raytheon Airborne Systems.

Despite these difficulties, in April 2008, the air force indicated its interest in obtaining a further three Phalcon aircraft, with an estimated in service date of 2012.

At the Aero India exhibition in February 2007, it was revealed that the IAF was planning to purchase two Embraer EMB-145 AWACS aircraft to augment the Phalcon system.

On 3 July 2008 Brazil's Embraer signed a deal with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to supply modified EMB-145 aircraft to carry India's indigenously developed AWACS - the Active Array Antenna Unit (AAAU). This system will be installed on three EMB-145s, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2011. According to the MoD, the DRDO and Indian Air Force are scheduled to flight test the modified EMB-145 - with the AWACS installed - from 2012.

Embraer and the DRDO work on AWACS integration began as early as 2005 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Aero India in February of that year. India's INR18 billion (USD400 million) AWACS project was approved in September 2004 for completion by 2011.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

In April 2010 Jane's reported that India's two largest state-owned defence groups, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), have been selected by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to assist in the development of a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The initial stage of the development programme is worth around INR4 billion (USD90 million).

Under the programme, named Rustom, BEL and HAL will partner the MoD's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to provide the UAV to all three Indian armed forces over the next decade. According to the DRDO, the Rustom MALE UAV will measure 20 m in diameter and weigh 1.8 tons. It will have a maximum speed of 225 km/h, a payload of 350 kg and will operate at an altitude of 30,000 ft. Its endurance is 24 hours.

Air Defence

India signed a contract with Rafael for the supply of an undisclosed number of Spyder surface-to-air missile systems in September 2008. Indian press reports predict an order for 18 systems due to be delivered between early 2011 and August 2012, with no requirements for the transfer of technology. Jane's reports from December 2007 indicate India was planning to buy the MR variant fitted with solid-propellant rocket boosters.

Radar Systems

Thales Air Systems is to deliver 19 Ground Smarter 100 radar systems to the IAF, the company announced at the Dubai Air Show in Novermber 2009. The IAF will use the mobile radar system to perform low-altitude target tracking. The radar system will be mounted on locally built trucks. Although the company would not confirm the in-service date for the Ground Smarter 100 or the value of the contract, it did state that it expects the radar to be operational within the next five years.

With a range of up to 180 km, the Ground Smarter 100 is a 2-D system that can track low-altitude targets performing complex manoeuvres. Thales plans to build six of the radars at its factory in Limours, located southwest of Paris. The balance of 13 systems will be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under a technology transfer agreement between the two companies. The company won the contract following a prolonged bidding process in which Elta Systems and Selex Galileo also submitted systems.

Barak

In April 2009 the Indian government announced it had signed a USD1.4 billion contract for the development and procurement of a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) system based on Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI's) Barak long-range naval air-defence system. Under the contract, IAI will develop jointly with the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) an air-defence system capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft, cruise missiles and surface-to-surface rockets at a range of 70-80 km.

The project will provide the Indian Air Force with nine air-defence squadrons, each equipped with two Barak MR-SAM firing units. Each of the units will consist of a fire control centre, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar and three launchers with eight missiles each. According to IAI, the deliveries will be conducted within 90 months of receiving the advance payment.

The first flight test of the Barak MR-SAM is expected in three years, with initial operational capability scheduled for 2013. The system is intended to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing Russian-made S-135 Pechora-1 (SA-3) air-defence systems. "While initially considering the Russian S-300 and Raytheon's Patriot Advanced Capability 3 [PAC-3] systems, India opted to develop its own system," said a source close to deal. "The Barak MR-SAM radar system will have significantly better capabilities than the PAC-3 radar, while the Barak interceptor has similar capabilities to the Patriot," the source told Jane's. The procurement could signal the termination of two indigenous Indian SAM programmes: the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) ballistic missile interceptor design programme and the Akash MR-SAM system.

The contract - Israel's largest export deal - was initially approved by the Indian Cabinet in July 2007, but corruption allegations relating to the INR11.25 billion (USD21.9 million) acquisition of seven IAI Barak-1 area air-defence missile systems for the Indian Navy in 2000 delayed the final signature until 27 February 2009.

Indian military sources said the DRDO would receive around 30 per cent of the total contract value, which it would use to develop the MR-SAM's rear frame, booster and various other associated components and subsystems. Indian company Nova Integrated Systems has been designated the overall missile system integrator for delivery to the Indian Air Force by 2012-13. Official sources indicated that the involvement of Nova, a USD50 million joint venture between IAI and Tata (one of India's largest industrial houses and emerging private defence contractors), would be used to meet the 30 per cent offset obligation mandatory for all Indian defence contracts over INR3 billion. Nova, 24 per cent of which is owned by IAI and 76 per cent by Tata Advanced Systems (in keeping with India's foreign direct investment policy in defence-related industries), is also to provide after-sales support to the MR-SAM system for around 22 years under contract, Indian military sources disclosed.

Rohini

In August 2008 Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) handed over the first 'Rohini' Multifunction Medium Range Surveillance Radar to the IAF. The system is mounted on a Tetra truck built by Bharat Earth Movers Limited and is said to be able to track multiple targets at a range of 170 km and altitude of 15 km. It has an integrated IFF system and ECCM, including jammer analysis. BEL stated that some 100 will be built and that the army has conducted missile detection trials of a variant.

India's Comptroller and Auditor General observed in a report in September 2008 that "Shortage of medium power radars needed for ground control and intercept was as high as 53 per cent of the projected requirement. IAF's holding of low-level transportable radars, which are assigned the role of providing early warning, was merely 24 per cent of the actual requirement of the IAF."

Missiles & Weapons Systems

In March 2010, the Indian MoD cleared a INR116 billion (USD2.57 billion) proposal to induct the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly with Russia, into the IAF to augment its firepower. Officials said the agreement with BrahMos Aerospace includes the development of a smaller version of the weapon for integration onto the IAF's Su-30MKI multirole fighters.

Official sources said the IAF is initially expected to equip one squadron with the BrahMos Block II: the advanced version of the missile fitted with a terminal guidance system that renders it capable of striking specific targets in a clustered environment. Military planners said inducting the 8.4 m-long, air-breathing BrahMos - which weighs 3.9 tonnes and is capable of carrying a 250-300 kg conventional warhead to a range of 290 km - will allow the IAF to strike targets such as enemy radar installations without endangering its combat aircraft.

The missile, which flies at an optimum speed of Mach 2.8, has performed well under a rigorous testing programme and is already in service with the Indian Army and deployed aboard Indian Navy warships.

Trainer

After a 21-year wait, in September 2003 India finally completed negotiations concerning the purchase of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) from Britain for USD1.65 billion. The contract stipulated that twenty-four aircraft be manufactured by BAE Systems in the UK and delivered to the IAF in flyaway condition, with the remaining 42 Hawks built under license by state-owned subcontractor Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, southern India. All 66 Hawks - which will bridge the gap between the more basic, locally built HPT-32 and Kiran trainers and supersonic combat aircraft - were originally scheduled to be operational by 2011. Moreover, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Hawk was signed in March 2004 confirming India's right to use the aircraft in any configuration it wishes without being penalised by withdrawal of support or spares. This, for example, permits employment as a combat aircraft in time of conflict, should the need arise.

Delivery began in late 2007 and the IAF formally inducted the first eight aircraft into service on 23 February 2008 at its Flying Training Establishment (FTE) at Bidar, southern India. Subsequently, one of the ten aircraft delivered crashed after taking off from the Bidar base on 29 April 2008, with the air force claiming that some parts were "rusted and appeared old and used". An examination did not appear to bear out the assertion; nevertheless, further deliveries of the UK-manufactured aircraft were delayed while a number of small technical issues relating to the aircraft already delivered were resolved. This dually delayed the start of license-production by HAL.

By April 2010, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said HAL had manufactured 12 aircraft, "three in the year 2008-2009 and nine in the year 2009-2010, including the first aircraft from [the] raw material phase." However, the minister said that HAL had found "various shortcomings" with the equipment supplied by BAE Systems upon commencement of production of the aircraft. Raju said: "The assembly jigs that were supplied did not meet the requirements; there was mismatch in the kits/components supplied; there were defects in major assemblies like the wing spar, etc. These problems took time to overcome and hence affected the production schedule at HAL."

Jane's understands that the Indian government demanded USD10 million in compensation from BAE Systems in 2009 but that the claim was rejected by the company because it believed that the requirements of the contract had been met. However, despite Minister Raju's April 2010 statements, the compensation claim has not been revived.

The IAF has spent INR1.20 billion (USD30 million) to prepare FTE Bidar for the Hawk by extending its two runways to 9,000 ft (2,745 m) and equipping them with an upgraded air traffic control system, additional hangars and armament and simulator complexes.

Furthermore, India's Ministry of Defence is in advanced negotiations for an additional 57 Hawk 132s: 40 for the IAF and 17 for the navy, but plans received a setback in July 2008 when the manufacturer, BAE Systems, was reported to have raised the aircraft's cost. Industry sources told Jane's in July 2008 that BAE Systems had quoted INR1 billion (USD23.2 million) for each of the new batch of Hawks, which would be built locally under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. In 2004, when HAL signed the original USD1 billion deal for 66 Hawks, the Indian MoD reserved the option to buy 33 more Hawks at the same price within a 12-month period. However, official sources said that as the 12-month deadline was long past, the 2004 price was no longer applicable. A BAE Systems spokesman told Jane's "Bidding elements to HAL, which is responsible for the bid to the government of India, cannot debate pricing in public. We can say, however, that our pricing properly reflects the effects of inflation, especially raw materials, since 2004." IAF headquarters in Delhi said it was not aware of the price change as all such matters are dealt with by the MoD, which declined to comment.

A requirement also exists for nearly 200 examples of the indigenous HAL HJT-36 Sitara, which made its first flight in March 2003, but which suffered a setback in February 2007 when the first prototype was badly damaged in an accident at Aero India 2007. Procurement has begun, with the initial batch consisting of a dozen Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft. These will be followed by 16 more examples that were the subject of a contract announcement made in February 2003. At present, the IAF anticipates receiving 187 HJT-36s, this quantity including 12 to be operated by the Surya Kiran formation aerobatic display team.

Modernisation

MiG-29

Following the issue of an RfP in early 2006 concerning the upgrade of its fleet of MiG-29 'Fulcrum' multirole fighter aircraft, it was revealed in March 2008 that Russian Aircraft Corporation RAC MiG and the Indian government had signed a contract worth USD850 million. Under this, it is planned to refurbish and modernise 57 single-seat MiG-29s as well as seven two-seat MiG-29UBs, thus extending their service life by between 15 and 20 years. The programme includes replacement of the existing N019 pulse-Doppler radar with the Phazotron Zhuk-ME radar and installation of an upgraded weapons suite, provision of air-to-air refuelling capability and new avionics. Thales will also provide an identification friend or foe (IFF1) Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM) for installation on the aircraft and will enable the aircraft to be interoperable with Western military aircraft and avoid any 'friendly fire' incidents. A total of six aircraft (four MiG-29s and two MiG-29UBs) will be returned to Russia for upgrading and trials, with the remainder to be modernised by the IAF's 11th Base Repair Depot at Ojhar in a programme extending to 2014, according to a statement by the defence minister in August 2008.

This repair scheme is also intended to resolve the tendency for the MiG-29s to develop cracks in their tail fins, a problem publicly confirmed in July 2009. This tendency underpinned the IAF's decision in March 2009 to ground its entire fleet of 67 MiG-29B/S fighters and MiG-29UB trainers, following the grounding of around 300 MiG-29s by the Russian Air Force. Moscow grounded the aircraft after two Russian MiG-29s crashed in Siberia in October and December 2008 as a result of tail fin corrosion.

Assault Helicopter

In May 2007 the then Indian Air Chief Marshall Fali Homi Major reportedly spoke of plans to upgrade the existing Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-17-1V tactical assault helicopter fleet to enable them to conduct operations in all weather conditions and at night. This would clearly deliver the Indian Armed Forces a considerable capability boost. The IAF currently operates 180-200 aircraft across the three variants. The upgrade would reportedly include night vision equipment, all-weather radars and displays. A limited number of aircraft will also be fitted with rocket pods, radar warning and missile warning receivers and electro-optic targeting systems. Other systems are expected to be added as the upgrade programme progresses. Dates have been estimated based on an upgrade rate of 36 aircraft per year which has been reported. HAL will perform the majority of the work with nine prototypes being constructed in Russia.

Jaguar

The IAF will integrate the Raytheon Munitions Control Unit (MCU) onto its Sepecat Jaguar IS and IM strike aircraft as part of its wider upgrade of the fleet. According to a company spokesperson, Raytheon held technical meetings with the IAF to upgrade about 120 aircraft, "although the final number is not yet fully defined". The plan is for one MCU per aircraft, although this has yet to be formally determined; a single MCU mounted in an avionics bay is capable of simultaneously controlling four air-to-ground and two air-to-air weapons. The upgrade of the aircraft will not begin until the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract has been finalised with the Indian government. This upgrade is part of a larger effort by the IAF to modernise its Jaguar fleet to bring the aircraft's avionics systems and weapons fit more into line with its Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft.

The MCU is a line-replaceable unit that enables legacy aircraft to integrate smart weaponry such as the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), EGBU Enhanced Paveway II/IV laser-guided bomb, AGM-65 Maverick laser-guided air-to-surface missile, and the AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile. A self-contained stores management system, the MCU has a non-intrusive fit and allows the weapon system to feed information back to the cockpit. An additional benefit is that there is no need to access the original manufacturer's software or source codes. The integration and testing work will be done in India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Flight testing will take place over a six-month period and work is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

In addition to the MCU, the IAF Jaguar fleet (which first entered service in 1979) will have its short-range air-to-air missile capability upgraded while a replacement for the out-of-production MBDA Matra BAE R550 Magic 1 is sought. MBDA and Raytheon are looking to fulfil this requirement with the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder respectively. The IAF has a long-running study to upgrade the Jaguar's HAL-built Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 811 turbofan engines; Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems are offering an improved Adour, the Mk 951, to meet this requirement, while Honeywell is offering its F125IN engine. Other planned upgrades include: new composite materials to reduce the aircraft's radar cross section (RCS); a new brake parachute; carbon brakes; Full-Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC); and new ejector seats to replace the incumbent Martin-Baker 9B Mk II seats.

An-32

The Indian government confirmed in July 2009 that it had signed a USD398 million contract with Ukrspetsexport, the Ukrainian state defence export agency, to upgrade the IAF's fleet of Antonov An-32 'Cline' transport aircraft. Defence Minister A K Antony said in parliament that the deal, which he said was signed in June 2009, will see the life of the IAF's An-32s enhanced from 25 to 40 years, with the programme scheduled for completion by 2017. About 100 An-32s remain in service with the IAF, having been in service with India from 1984.

It was reported on 18 January 2010 that the IAF had signed a USD110 million contract with Ukraine's Motor-Sich to upgrade the engines on its turboprop Antonov An-32 aircraft. The contract with Motor-Sich, which was signed in late December 2009, is set to last three years and will see 100 ZMKB Progress/Ivchenko AI-20D Series 5M turboprops upgraded (two per aircraft). Work will begin at the end of 2010. This contract covers only about half of the IAF's An-32 fleet; it is not known whether a follow-on contract for the remaining aircraft will be awarded.

Equipment in service

Fixed Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' MiG Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 70 57 1986
Mirage 2000H Dassault Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 46 38 1985
MiG-27M 'Flogger-J' MiG Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 165 97 1985
Jaguar IS SEPECAT Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 125 90 1979
Jaguar IM SEPECAT Fighter - Maritime Attack 14 10 1986
Su-30MKI Sukhoi Fighter - Multirole 2301 78 2002
MiG-21I (MiG-21bis-UPG) MiG Fighter - Multirole 125 1202 1999
MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L/M' MiG Fighter - Multirole 303 50 1977
MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 161 803 1973
MiG-21MF 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 38 n/a3, 4 1973
748M HAL/Avro Transport 67 40 1964
An-32 'Cline' Antonov Transport 118 100 1984
Il-76MD 'Candid' Ilyushin Transport 17 17 1985
DO-228 HAL/Dornier Transport 29 25 1987
EMB-135BJ Legacy Embraer Transport 4 4 2005
BBJ (737) Boeing VIP / Transport 3 3 2008
Il-78MKI 'Midas' Ilyushin Tanker / Transport 12 6 2003
Phalcon AEW&C Ilyushin / IAI Airborne Early Warning and Control 3 2 2009
737-2A8 Boeing Electronic Intelligence 6 3 1984
B707-337C Boeing Electronic Intelligence 2 1 1987
Hawk Mk 132 BAE Systems Trainer 66 365 2007
HPT-32 Deepak HAL Trainer 142 79 1985
HJT-16 Kiran I/IA/II HAL Trainer 250 130 1968
MiG-21U/UM 'Mongol' MiG Trainer 140 60 1966
MiG-23UB 'Flogger-C' MiG Trainer 40 20 1980
MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' MiG Trainer 10 7 1986
Jaguar IB SEPECAT Trainer 32 27 1979
Mirage 2000TH Dassault Trainer 13 11 1985
CH 701 STOL CZAW (Zenith) Glider 856 83 2000
HK 36TC Super Dimona Diamond Glider 12 12 2000

Notes:
Delivery in progress; total includes 140 Su-30MKIs being assembled in India by 2015.
MiG-21bis upgraded to MiG-21-93 standard with new radar, avionics and weapon systems. Further 50 conversions may follow.
Being phased out of service.
Included in total quoted for MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J'.
Delivery in progress.
Assigned to National Cadet Corps.


Rotary Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
Mi-25 'Hind-D' Mil Attack 12 8 1984
Mi-35 'Hind-E' Mil Attack 20 15 1990
Dhruv HAL Attack 150 30 2001
Mi-8 'Hip' Mil Assault 150 64 1971
Mi-17 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 100 78 1984
Mi-17-1V 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 120 74 2001
Mi-26 'Halo' Mil Transport 10 8 1986
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Observation n/a 25 1965
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Trainer n/a 10 1965
HSA 315B Cheetah HAL Trainer n/a 10 1973

Missiles

Type Manufacturer Role
R 550 Magic 1 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
R 550 Magic 2 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
Super 530 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
AA-2-2 Improved 'Atoll' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-7 'Apex' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-8 'Aphid' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-10 'Alamo' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-11 'Archer' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-12 'Adder' Vympel Air-to-Air
Sea Eagle Matra BAE Anti-Ship Attack
AM 39 Exocet Aerospatiale Matra Anti-Ship Attack
AT-2 'Swatter' Nudelman Anti-Armour
AT-3 'Sagger' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AT-6 'Spiral' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AS 30 Aerospatiale Matra Air-to-Surface
AS-7 'Kerry' Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-25MP (AS-12 'Kegler') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-29L (AS-14 'Kedge') Vympel Air-to-Surface
Kh-31A (AS-17 'Krypton') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt') Raduga Air-to-Surface
Kh-59M (AS-18 'Kazoo') Raduga Air-to-Surface
The 350 km range SS-350 version of the Prithvi SSM is operated by the IAF, apparently independently of the Indian Army Prithvi missile groups.

UPDATED - April-2010

Haha just quoted it for fun

 

[KEETARP]

There are many errors , in the article . It would be long post to point out the mistakes , bcoz some are minor ones
But the most evident major ones are

Missile inventory
Am39 Exocet are not in Air-Force , not a single one . Only navy will have them that too as a part of Scorpene package.

Number of Aircrafts
Writer mentions 38 Mirage , while currently 51 Mirages are in Operational service in IAF

Look at the nos of mki written . Ahhhhhh

Mig27 - 97 is wrong , at this time more than 120 are in operation

Operation
Writer says that IAF has not seen operation since 71 , that's not correct .
IAF was envolved in Kargil war actively .

 

[satishkumarcsc]

And LCA is getting its IOC not the Final Operational clearance by the end of this year.

 

[Indiarox]

There are many errors , in the article . It would be long post to point out the mistakes , bcoz some are minor ones
But the most evident major ones are

Missile inventory
Am39 Exocet are not in Air-Force , not a single one . Only navy will have them that too as a part of Scorpene package.

Number of Aircrafts
Writer mentions 38 Mirage , while currently 51 Mirages are in Operational service in IAF

Look at the nos of mki written . Ahhhhhh

Mig27 - 97 is wrong , at this time more than 120 are in operation

Operation
Writer says that IAF has not seen operation since 71 , that's not correct .
IAF was envolved in Kargil war actively .

Look at the 19 squadrons lost comment

 

[HAWK73]

What was that?

 

[Indiarox]

What was that?

Whom or what are you refereeing to please be more specific

 

[mohit]

Thanks for posting this article. On subjective terms could you also post Pakistan Air Force report as well?

 

[WAQAS119]

World air forces, India

Date Posted: 20-May-2010

Jane's World Air Forces

India - Air Force
Summary
Assessment
Deployments, tasks and operations
Role and Deployment
Recent and Current Operations
Command and control
Organisation
Order of Battle
Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine
Bases
Personnel
Demographics
Recruitment
Morale
Professionalism
Training
Training Areas
Military Exercises
Air Force procurement
Combat
Transport
Utility
C4ISR
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Air Defence
Missiles & Weapons Systems
Trainer
Modernisation
Equipment in service
Fixed Wing
Rotary Wing
Missiles

India - Air Force

Summary

STRENGTH
170,000

COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-29 'Fulcrum', MiG-27M 'Flogger-J', Jaguar, Mirage 2000

COMBAT HELICOPTER
Mi-25/35 'Hind', Dhruv

TRANSPORT
HAL/Avro 748M, An-32 'Cline', Il-76MD 'Candid', Il-78MKI 'Midas', HAL/Dornier 228


Assessment

The Indian Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena - IAF) is considered to be a competent, technology-intensive service, albeit one that faces a number of problems. A sharp shortfall in the number of pilots and a high accident rate, notably in the MiG-21 fleet, are of considerable concern, although reductions in MiG-21 numbers (and thus total flying hours) have reduced the accident rate. With the exception of the Su-30s, assets are ageing and it is essential that the IAF speedily refurbishes, upgrades and/or replaces fixed and rotary-wing combat and transport aircraft. The IAF operates some 500 fixed-wing combat aircraft, down from 850 in 2006, and although considerable efforts are being made extend the lives of current assets, the state of major replacement programmes (production of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and selection of a foreign-supplied Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) are such that serious attrition can be expected to continue for the foreseeable future. It may be that stop-gap measures, possibly including the purchase of further aircraft from Russia in a fly-away condition, will be necessary if the IAF is to maintain its diminishing numerical superiority over the Pakistan Air Force.

Between 1990 and 2003, the IAF lost over 100 pilots and 273 fighters (the equivalent of nearly 19 squadrons) in flying accidents. The high rate can be attributed to the obsolescence of aircraft, poor maintenance, inefficient rebuild programmes, a spares shortage, and inadequate pilot training due to the lack of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), although the latter shortcoming is being rectified with the gradual introduction of the Hawk. With a substantial number of MiG fighters (many MiG-21s and all MiG-23s and MiG-25s) being retired from service, the number of combat squadrons has fallen from the authorised strength of 39.5 to 29, although the number of 32 was quoted by the defence minister, Mr AK Antony, in February 2009, probably because the practice of 'number-plating' squadrons indicates a state of suspended animation and token operation rather than formal disbandment. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence noted that "the squadron strength of air force at the end of 10th, 11th and 12th [five year] plan period will be 29, 34 and 36 respectively." The 10th plan period was 2002-2007 and the 11th is 2008-2013. In a written statement to parliament in February 2009 Mr Antony forecast that, "During the period 2007-2022, the strength at the end of 11th, 12th and 13th Plan periods is expected to increase to 35.5, 35 [sic] and 42 squadrons respectively."

After a period of downward trend, annual flying hour rates have been restored to normal (180 to 200 hours). However, this seems to be largely due to the reduction in the number of MiG-21 and the phase-out of MiG-23 aircraft which was completed in March 2009. Pilot numbers are a major problem. The attractions of commercial flying over service life (mirrored in the other services, for similar reasons) are proving too great for well-trained aircrew. It has been made more difficult to quit the service before conventional retirement age, and this has created some resentment in the pilot stream. Between 2002 and 2004, 263 pilots took premature retirement, but in 2005 only eight pilots were allowed to leave, of a reported 200 who had applied to resign. The trend continues, however, and in 2006 there were 220 resignations and in 2007, 287 resignations. The overall shortfall in officer strength was 1,565 in August 2007. A year later, in August 2008, the then IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, stated that the air force had a pilot shortage and would take five years to fill the gap. He said that pilots "have to be trained over a period of time and there are no shortcuts. We are short of about 400 pilots but with the measures we are taking, we will make good the shortage in the next five years." In October 2008 a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General recorded that "The number of pilots trained in various streams during 2001-2006 was much lower than planned targets, indicating that either the training targets did not take into account constraints or IAF failed to ensure adequate intake of pilot trainees through an effective recruitment strategy." In 2008 the officer shortfall fell to 1,368 but, as with the army, it is probable that the slow-down was due to officers waiting to see the results of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Constraints such as the sanctions imposed by the US and others on India's technology trade between 1998 and 2005, following nuclear tests in 1998, forced the government to think more creatively and carefully regarding costs. As a result, the country produced a number of aircraft, with which it is also hoping to carve a niche in the global defence market. Among the projects are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv). Some of the latter have come into service, but the LCA project has experienced major difficulties and delays, and in October 2008 the defence minister stated that "final operational clearances for the indigenously developed aircraft will be given by 2010." The Dhruv suffered a setback when a crash in January 2006 grounded the fleet of 46; there was a further fatal crash in February 2007.

The IAF is placing the best possible face on its dwindling numbers and consequent reduction in capabilities. A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued in June 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, for which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35, Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, of which all but Rafale appeared at Aero India 2009 at Bangalore in February. It is estimated that even if acceptance of an RfP is agreed in 2009 it will not be possible for supply of aircraft to begin until 2012 at the earliest. Five combat squadrons of Su-30 multi-role aircraft are already in service and assembly of a further 140 aircraft is taking place. On 24 August 2007 the chairman of the board of directors of Irkut SPC stated that it was hoped to sign a contract with India in September to provide a further 40 Su-30MKI aircraft, but the state of negotiations is not clear.

In February 2008, the IAF invited bids to upgrade 30 of its airfields and Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems for an estimated USD1.5 billion. The project is part of the military's revised doctrine that seeks to prepare for future conflicts - expected to be short, swift and intense - by making the Indian Armed Forces more mobile and network centric. The IAF wants the 30 airfields in India's north, west and east, bordering nuclear rivals Pakistan and China, to receive new lighting, automated ATC management and instrument landing systems, distance measuring apparatus and a Doppler VHF omni-range navigation system capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft. The selected company will also be required to provide six mobile airfield lighting systems as a back-up measure and a mobile ATC system in addition to facilities for training personnel to operate and repair the equipment. All hardware would need to have a service life of 15 years.

AEW&C capabilities are being enhanced by acquisition of Israeli Phalcon systems, the first of which was delivered in early 2009, after a delay of 18 months, and a further two in 2009-2010. (There were incorrect media reports of delivery of a Phalcon in January 2009.)

The IAF is in a state of flux, and force structure decision-making is complicated by politics, sensitivity to past corruption in procurement projects, budget priorities, continuing problems with indigenous systems, bureaucratic delays in tendering processes and the entry of the US as a major commercial and political factor in procurement planning.


Deployments, tasks and operations

Role and Deployment

Until the late 1980s the primary role of the IAF was tactical and confined to supporting the army through a combination of fighter/ground attack capability and establishing local air superiority. Its role extended to interdiction but now involves a strategic capability, including nuclear delivery. The IAF has made a bid for a more independent role, arguing that air power has the capability to strike deep within enemy (namely Pakistani, or possibly Chinese) territory. It is deployed throughout the country, with main bases being in the west and north.

The air force undertakes normal combat and support tasks, from strike to natural disaster relief. Capabilities of the current fleet include maritime strike by the Jaguar S(I), deep strike by the Su-30MKI, close support by the various versions of the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Jaguar, and air superiority and interception by the Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000H, MiG-21, and MiG-29.

Cargo-passenger operations are undertaken largely by Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-26s, with Mi-25s and Mi-35s used as attack helicopters. Chetak helicopters (SE 3160 Alouette II) are used in the anti-tank role and for liaison, cargo-passenger carriage, and search and rescue operations. Mi-17s, Chetaks and Cheetahs (improved Chetak) are capable of high-altitude operations, providing logistics support to ground forces in the mountains of the north. Cheetah light helicopters are also used for liaison, forward air control, and high-altitude operations with minimal cargo.

Aerial refuelling capability is provided by six Il-78 tankers and was first publicly demonstrated at Pokhran in March 2004, when an Il-78 flew by with two Mirage 2000s ostensibly being refuelled. The advent of in-flight refuelling capability permits strike aircraft to be based further east, beyond the reach of Pakistani warplanes. Refuelling systems on the Il-78 were supplied and installed by Israel, which has gained a substantial market in aerospace activities in India.

A detachment of 100 IAF pilots and technicians is stationed at Malaysia's Gong Kedak Air Force Base, assisting with training of the Royal Malaysian Air Force in operation of its Su-30 fleet. It is expected to remain there until the end of 2010.

There is an Indian Air Force (and army) presence in Tajikistan, at Farkhor (Ayni) air base. There are no aircraft stationed here, however, and it appears the detachment is responsible for technical assistance. The base is located at 37o 32' N 69o 29' E, on the border with Afghanistan, some 100 miles south of the capital, Dushanbe.



Recent and Current Operations

In 1993-1994, Indian Air Force assets were deployed to a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time when two helicopters operated in support of a ground contingent in Somalia (UNOSOM). A further eight helicopters (including three Mi-35 'Hind' gunships) were deployed to UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone in 2000, with nine helicopters (including four gunships) being sent to the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

In October 2005, a 196-strong IAF contingent - including aircrew, technicians and ground support staff along with logistics, administration and medical personnel - was sent to Kadugli in Sudan as part of the UNMIS peacekeeping operation. Six Mi-17 assault transport helicopters currently participate in the deployment, providing close air support and airlift for army troops.

The IAF provided much assistance in flood disaster relief within India in 2008.

The IAF pilot training team has been training the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sukhoi Su-30MKM pilots and weapon system operators (WSOs) of No 11 Squadron at RMAF Gong Kedak airbase. In January 2010 they were asked to extend its training mission by another six months and conclude in August 2010 instead of February 2010 as scheduled. RMAF sources said that the request was now with the Indian Defence Ministry for approval and that it would probably be granted. The six-month extension was requested because a lack of aircraft availability meant that the planned training targets could not be met by the agreed February 2010 end date. Malaysia and India signed an agreement in January 2008 for the IAF to initiate a two-year training mission in Malaysia the following month. The training is focused upon creating a sufficient number of RMAF Su-30MKM pilots and WSOs capable of acting as instructors for the Su-30MKMs. The IAF team is also training RMAF ground crew for the Su-30MKMs, which has been unaffected by the delays and will be completed as scheduled in June 2010.

Command and control

Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Pradeep Naik

At Air Headquarters in New Delhi, the Chief of the Air Staff is assisted by a Vice Chief and a Deputy Chief of the Air Staff; air officers in charge of administration, maintenance, and personnel; and the Inspector General, who holds responsibility for flight safety and inspection. The Vice Chief is responsible for operational matters.


Organisation

The IAF is organised on a functional and geographical basis, with front-line combat forces grouped into five main operational commands, specifically:

Western Air Command (Subroto Park, New Delhi)
South Western Air Command (Ghandinagar, Gujarat)
Central Air Command (Bamrauli, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh)
Eastern Air Command (Shillong, Meghtalaya)
Southern Air Command (Tiruvettipuram (otherwise Trivandrum), Kerala)
Maintenance Command (HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra) and Training Command (HQ Bangalore, Karnataka) operate as functional commands.

Air force nuclear-delivery assets have been placed under command of the Strategic Forces Command, together with army delivery systems. The command answers to the Chiefs of Staff Committee, pending the possible creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

Order of Battle

Operational Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Central Air Command 1
4 Wing Agra
106 Squadron Agra HAL / Avro 748M Electronic Intelligence

15 Wing Bareilly
8 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
24 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
111 Helicopter Unit Bareilly Chetak Communications

17 Wing Gorakhpur
16 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
27 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
105 Helicopter Unit Gorakhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

29 Wing Allahabad-Bamrauli2

40 Wing Gwalior-Maharajpur
1 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
7 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-21 Tactics Training
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-27 Tactics Training

Eastern Air Command 3
5 Wing Kalaikunda
18 Squadron Kalaikunda MiG-27M Attack

10 Wing Jorhat
43 Squadron Jorhat An-32 Transport
129 Helicopter Unit Jorhat Mi-17 Assault / Transport

11 Wing Tezpur
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21UM Operational Training
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21US Operational Training
115 Helicopter Unit Tezpur Chetak Communications

14 Wing Chabua
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-8 Assault / Transport
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-17 Assault / Transport

16 Wing Hashimara
22 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack
222 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack

19 Wing Gauhati
59 Squadron Gauhati HAL / Avro 748M Transport
118 Helicopter Unit Det Gauhati Mi-8 Assault / Transport

20 Wing Bagdogra
142 SSS Flight Bagdogra Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

22 Wing Kumbhirgram
110 Helicopter Unit Kumbhirgram Mi-8 Assault / Transport

42 Wing Mohanbari
127 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport
128 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport

Southern Air Command 4
37 Wing Car Nicobar
121 Helicopter Unit Car Nicobar Mi-8 Assault / Transport

43 Wing Coimbatore-Sulur
33 Squadron Coimbatore-Sulur An-32 Transport
109 Helicopter Unit Coimbatore-Sulur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
122 Helicopter Unit Port Blair Mi-8 Assault / Transport

South-Western Air Command 5
2 Wing Pune/Lohegaon
20 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
30 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole

27 Wing Bhuj
15 Squadron Bhuj MiG-21bis Air Defence / Attack

32 Wing Jodhpur
10 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
29 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8S VIP / Transport
116 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Chetak Communications
119 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

33 Wing Jamnagar
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IM Maritime Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IS Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IB Continuation Training
28 Squadron Jamnagar MiG-29 Air Defence
141 SSS Flight Jamnagar Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

35 Wing Suratgarh
23 Squadron Suratgarh MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
104 Helicopter Unit Suratgarh Mi-35 Attack

36 Wing Vadodara
11 Squadron Vadodara HAL / Avro 748M Transport

41 Wing Jaisalmer

44 Wing Nagpur
44 Squadron Nagpur Il-76MD Transport

46 Wing Nal-Bikaner
5 Forward Base Support Unit Uttarlai
4 Squadron Uttarlai MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
12 Forward Base Support Unit Naliya
101 Squadron Naliya MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

Western Air Command 6
1 Wing Srinagar

3 Wing Palam
41 Squadron7 Palam HAL / Avro 748M Transport

7 Wing Ambala
3 Squadron Ambala MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
5 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack
14 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack

8 Wing Adampur
47 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence
223 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence

9 Wing Halwara

12 Wing Chandigarh
25 Squadron Chandigarh Il-76 Transport
25 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
48 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
126 Helicopter Flight Chandigarh Mi-26 Transport

18 Wing Pathankot
108 Squadron Pathankot MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack
125 Helicopter Unit Pathankot Mi-35 Attack

23 Wing Leh
114 Helicopter Unit Leh Cheetah Communications
130 Helicopter Unit Leh Mi-17 Assault / Transport

28 Wing Hindan
131 Forward Air Control Flight Hindan Cheetah Observation
181 Flight Hindan HAL / Avro 748M Transport / Communications

30 Wing Sarsawa
117 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Dhruv Attack / Utility
152 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Mi-17 Assault / Transport

34 Wing Bhatinda
17 Squadron Bhatinda MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

39 Wing Udhampur
132 Forward Air Control Flight Udhampur Cheetah Observation
153 Helicopter Unit Udhampur Mi-17 Assault / Transport

45 Wing Sirsa
21 Squadron Sirsa MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack

Notes:
Central Air Command also has air bases at Bihta and Nagpur under care and maintenance with no permanently resident units.
No operational forces stationed here, but base does accommodate training unit (see Training Command).
Eastern Air Command also has Forward Base Support Units (FBSUs) at Agartala, Calcuttta (Dum Dum), Panagarh and Shillong.
Southern Air Command has no combat forces permanently stationed here. Main air bases under Southern Air Command are at Bangalore (Yelahanka), Begumpet, Bidar, Dundigal, Hakimpet, Tambaram, Port Blair and Car Nicobar, with most accommodating training units (see Training Command). Also FBSUs at Madurai and Trivandrum (17 FBSU).
South-Western Air Command has control of new base constructed at Phalodi in 2004; also has FBSUs at Ahmedabad (4 FBSU) and Uttarlai (5 FBSU).
Western Air Command also has FBSUs at Amritsar (1 FBSU) and Awantipur (8 FBSU).
Supports air force headquarters in New Delhi.


Support Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Training Command HQ Bangalore, Karnataka

Air Force Academy1 Allahabad-Bamrauli HPT-32 Deepak Training
Air Force Academy1 Dundigal Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Bidar Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Hakimpet Kiran Training

Flying Instructors' School Tambaram HPT-32 Deepak Instructor Training
Flying Instructors' School Tambaram Kiran Instructor Training

Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Chetak Training
Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Cheetah Training

Navigation and Signals School Begumpet HAL / Avro 748M Navigation Training

Paratroop Training School Agra An-32 Paradrop Training

Test Pilots' School Yelahanka Various Training

Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka HAL / Avro 748M Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka An-32 Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka Dornier 228 Training

52 Squadron2 Bidar Kiran II Aerobatic Display Team

112 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Mi-8 Training
151 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Dhruv Training

Maintenance Command HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra
HQ Flight Nagpur HAL / Avro 748M Communications
1 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
2 Base Repair Depot Gwalior-Maharajpur Various Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-8 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-17 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-25 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-35 Overhaul
4 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
5 Base Repair Depot Coimbatore-Sulur Various Overhaul
11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar Various Overhaul
Base Repair Depot Jodhpur MiG-21 Overhaul

Notes:
Operates from several locations as shown. Dimona motor gliders attached to National Defence Academy. Hawk to be stationed at Bidar after delivery in November 2007.
Also known as 'Surya Kiran' (Sun Rays).


Direct Reporting Units

Unit Base Type Role

Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Boeing 737 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam HAL/Avro 748M VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam EMB-135BJ VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Dornier 228 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Mi-8S VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam An-32 VIP / Transport
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-29 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-27 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-21 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka HAL/Avro 748M Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Dhruv Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Cheetah1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 707-337C Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 737 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Gulfstream SRA-1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam An-32 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Il-76 Trials
Air Cadets Various CH 701 Air Experience

Note:
Loaned from the army.


Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine

IAF doctrine is believed to be centred on 'offensive-defence', terminology that implies both pre-emptive action and swift retaliation. It is not known whether this is compatible with the new army doctrine known as 'Cold Start', that involves multiple offensives by integrated battle groups and relies heavily on airspace domination and ground attack. There does not appear to be integrated planning for land-air warfare, even with regard to the employment of tactical nuclear weapons, as the IAF and the army operate Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) units independently.

Operational art and tactical doctrine are based on a combination of threat appreciation and its equipment, which, although predominantly of Russian origins, also includes French and British combat aircraft.

Bases

The following airfields are known to accommodate air force aircraft:

Adampur (31° 25' 59" N; 75° 45' 38" E)
Agartala (23° 53' 20" N; 91° 14' 27" E)
Agra (27° 09' 21" N; 77° 57' 39" E)
Ahmedabad (23° 04' 29" N; 72° 37' 54" E)
Allahabad-Bamrauli (25° 26' 21" N; 81° 44' 03" E)
Ambala (30° 22' 07" N; 76° 48' 54" E)
Amritsar (31° 42' 27" N; 74° 47' 57" E)
Awantipur (33° 52' 35" N; 74° 58' 32" E)
Bagdogra (26° 40' 53" N; 88° 19' 41" E)
Bakshi-Ka-Talab (26° 59' 18" N; 80° 53' 35" E)
Bareilly (28° 25' 20" N; 79° 26' 59" E)
Begumpet (17° 27' 08" N; 78° 27' 40" E)
Bhatinda (30° 16' 12" N; 74° 45' 20" E)
Bhuj (23° 17' 16" N; 69° 40' 12" E)
Bidar (17° 54' 28" N; 77° 29' 09" E)
Bihta (25° 35' 31" N; 84° 52' 54" E)
Calcutta-Dum Dum (22° 39' 17" N; 88° 26' 48" E)
Car Nicobar (09° 09' 11" N; 92° 49' 09" E)
Chabua (27° 27' 44" N; 95° 07' 03" E)
Chandigarh (30° 40' 24" N; 76° 47' 18" E)
Coimbatore-Sulur (11° 01' 53" N; 77° 02' 38" E)
Dundigal (17° 37' 45" N; 78° 24' 12" E)
Gauhati (26° 06' 17" N; 91° 35' 04" E)
Gorakhpur (26° 44' 22" N; 83° 26' 58" E)
Gwalior-Maharajpur (26° 17' 38" N; 78° 13' 40" E)
Hakimpet (17° 33' 12" N; 78° 31' 29" E)
Halwara (30° 44' 54" N; 75° 37' 47" E)
Hashimara (26° 42' 06" N; 89° 22' 04" E)
Hindan (28° 42' 27" N; 77° 21' 30" E)
Jaisalmer (26° 53' 21" N; 70° 51' 52" E)
Jamnagar (22° 27' 59" N; 70° 00' 41" E)
Jodhpur (26° 15' 05" N; 73° 02' 53" E)
Jorhat (26° 43' 50" N; 94° 10' 33" E)
Kalaikunda (22° 20' 22" N; 87° 12' 52" E)
Kanpur-Chakeri (26° 24' 15" N; 80° 24' 36" E)
Kumbhirgram (24° 54' 46" N; 92° 58' 43" E)
Leh (34° 08' 08" N; 77° 32' 44" E)
Madurai (09° 50' 04" N; 78° 05' 36" E)
Mohanbari (27° 29' 00" N; 95° 01' 03" E)
Nagpur (21° 05' 31" N; 79° 02' 49" E)
Nal-Bikaner (28° 04' 14" N; 73° 12' 25" E)
Naliya (23° 13' 18" N; 68° 53' 40" E)
Ojhar (20° 07' 14" N; 73° 54' 47" E)
Palam (28° 33' 59" N; 77° 06' 11" E)
Panagarh (23° 28' 28" N; 87° 25' 40" E)
Pathankot (32° 14' 01" N; 75° 38' 04" E)
Port Blair (11° 38' 53" N; 92° 44' 05" E)
Pune/Lohegaon (18° 34' 55" N; 73° 55' 10" E)
Sarsawa (29° 59' 38" N; 77° 25' 31" E)
Shillong (25° 42' 06" N; 91° 58' 41" E)
Sirsa (29° 33' 38" N; 75° 00' 21" E)
Srinagar (33° 59' 13" N; 74° 46' 27" E)
Suratgarh (29° 23' 15" N; 73° 54' 14" E)
Tambaram (12° 54' 24" N; 80° 07' 16" E)
Tezpur (26° 42' 36" N; 92° 47' 03" E)
Trivandrum (08° 28' 55" N; 76° 55' 05" E)
Udhampur (32° 54' 08" N; 75° 09' 18" E)
Uttarlai (25° 48' 46" N; 71° 28' 56" E)
Vadodara (22° 19' 54" N; 73° 13' 20" E)
Yelahanka (13° 08' 09" N; 77° 36' 20" E)

To implement current doctrine, the IAF has dispersed some of its strike aircraft away from the border with Pakistan, and has upgraded and hardened facilities, especially radars, at most forward operational bases.

India continues to increase its air presence further afield in order to enhance power projection capability and regional influence. It's base at Car Nicobar (known as 'Carnic') in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is being upgraded to support Su-30MKI operations, according to Indian officials in February 2010. Vice Admiral D K Joshi, who heads the joint Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), said the airstrips at Campbell Bay on Nicobar and Shibpur in the Andamans were being extended from 975 m to 3,657 m to support all types of combat aircraft, including fighters, and were also being upgraded for night flying operations.

Originally, the Car Nicobar base housed just a small contingent of approximately 200 personnel and five Mi-8 helicopters, but the growing strategic importance of the islands relative to China has prompted the gradual expansion of operations there. The IAF had planned to station two Su-30MKI strike aircraft at Car Nicobar, but following the Asian tsunami of December 2004, the positioning of strike aircraft at Car Nicobar was postponed and the first aircraft did not arrive until mid-2005. Before the February 2010 fortification announcement, the base already hosted a small army presence of a brigade, some dozen helicopters and Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft, a rotating flight of combat aircraft, and 15 patrol boats and other navy light vessels.

The IAF and the Indian Army have jointly established India's first overseas base at Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 km (80 miles) southeast of the capital city of Dushanbe. Although details are unclear, this action demonstrates minor expansion of Indian assets beyond its borders. It is not known by which overflight path Indian military aircraft access Tajikistan's airspace. Despite official Indian denials in April 2006, it appears that flights of combat aircraft, most likely MiG-29s, will be rotated through Farkhor. It is planned to station an Su-30 squadron (possibly 30 Squadron from Pune) at Tezpur Air Force Base in Assam in 2009. Tezpur is 500 km (310 miles) from the border with China and is at present the base of 11 Wing, with MiG-21 Operational Flying Training Units.

It was announced in February 2008 that India was planning upgrades for many of its 30 military airfields and their air traffic control systems.Thales, Lockheed Martin, Siemens, Celex, Terma, Tata Power and Mumbai-based NELCO were all invited to bid on the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) programme's first phase. The airfields include Adampur, Agra, Ambala, Bagdogra, Bareilly, Bhatinda, Bhuj, Bidar, Chabua, Chandigarh, Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Halwara, Hasimara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Nal, Naliya, Pathankot, Pune, Sirsa, Suratgarh, Tezpur, Uttarlai and Yelahanka.

The Mumbai-based Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED) eventually was awarded the estimated USD260 million upgrade programme, but the decision has been appealed by Italy's Selex Sistemi Integrati (Selex SI), part of the Finmeccanica group. Tata has been given approval to begin work on the project and, in January 2010, a court declined Selex SI's demand to stay the award of the contract. However, the case continues and IAF officials are concerned, as India's legal system is known for its in-built delays and vagaries. This, the IAF fears, could impinge on the long-delayed project to upgrade the military airfields, 24 of which are along the frontier with nuclear rivals China and Pakistan. The MoD has denied Selex's claims of procedural lapses in awarding the contract, maintaining in court that Tata Power SED's bid of USD238 million was lower than the Italian defence contractor's USD248 million submission.

Upgrading the airfields is vital for the IAF, not only to support frontline operations but also to accommodate new platforms. The MAFI programme involves the supply, integration and sustainment of instrument landing systems, distance measuring equipment, Doppler very high frequency omni-range navigation systems capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft, tactical air navigation systems, 24-hour automated air traffic control systems and Category II airfield lighting systems. All hardware needs to have a serviceable life of 15 years and the ability to function in temperatures ranging from well below 0 degrees Celsius in the northern Himalayan region to more than 50 degrees Celsius in the western Rajasthan desert area. The project is to be completed within 42 months of the contract being signed.

Personnel

Demographics

The IAF is an all-regular force of generally high calibre personnel, with no reserve component. There is a higher proportion of Sikh pilots than would be expected from the ratio of Sikhs to other groups in the country. There are 784 female officers, of whom some 40 are pilots, but in October 2008 the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Homi Major, stated that "There is no denying that the female staff have expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now."

Recruitment

As with the other armed services, there are difficulties in recruiting and retention, and major recruiting drives are conducted throughout the country, although mainly in areas considered as producing more highly educated school graduates. Accordingly, there is concentration on internet recruiting sites. The National Cadet Corps (Air Wing) is an important source of recruits, and entry standards for potential pilots are high, being "BSc with Physics and/or Maths or 4 year BE course. Age between 18-years-old and 22 years-old (relaxable up to 2 years for those having Commercial Pilot Licence). Unmarried, Widows (without any child) of service personnel killed on duty can also apply." The officer shortfall fell to 1,368 in 2008, from 1,565 the previous year, and it is likely, given the economic downturn, that applications for premature retirement (mainly in the pilot stream, to transfer to civil airlines), will decrease for the foreseeable future.

Morale

So far as can be determined from public sources, IAF morale is in general high, although there has been some disaffection in the pilot stream concerning reluctance to release those who wish to retire prematurely in order to take up civil flying appointments. Conditions of service are reasonable, and accommodation and facilities at IAF stations, especially in regard to education, are in general of good quality. As with the other services, there is discontent about salary levels, but given the economic downturn this is expected to diminish as it becomes apparent that many well qualified people in civilian life do not have the same degree of job security offered by the armed forces. There has been concern over the IAF's suicide rate which, at some 22 annually, is higher than that of the other services. A study in 2008 showed that causes were not in the main directly associated with conditions of service and were largely domestic in nature, but that "The study noticed that spouses of airmen earning more than their husbands led to acute depression."

Professionalism

The IAF is a professionally proud organisation that trains and operates efficiently. It has had no air-to-air combat experience since the 1971 war with Pakistan, and it is not possible to judge how effective it will be in the event of conflict. Exercises with foreign nations, notably the 2008 'Red Flag' exercise with the USAF, have not provided a realistic assessment frame, as security concerns militated against employment of classified systems, including some radars.

Training

Pre-flying training is conducted at Begumpet near Hyderabad, with all other basic officer training undertaken at the nearby Air Force Academy. This involves:

Stage I and II pilot training;
Training of Officer Cadets in non-technical ground duty branches; and
Training of officers in the basic radar and advanced air traffic control courses.
Following stages I and II at the academy, pilots are assigned to squadrons for continuation training on type, be that combat aircraft, transport or helicopter. Senior IAF officers have long argued that stage I and II should be followed by another pilot training course on the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) before a pilot joins an operational unit for type transition. With the procurement of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 AJTs from Britain now underway, the establishment of an advanced training stage is now a realistic proposition. The USD1.65 billion contract provides for Hawk training in the UK and around 70 IAF pilots have already attended an instructor's course at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in Anglesey. Induction of the Hawk into the IAF syllabus will improve the progression of trainee pilots from low-speed trainers to high-performance front-line fighters.

According to Group Captain Michael Fernandez, chief instructor at Flying Training Establishment (FTE) Bidar, around 40 fighter pilots are being trained each year from July 2008. Plans are for each pilot to fly around 160 hours on the AJTs in two semesters, in addition to training on advanced simulators in tactics and night flying, air combat manoeuvres and air-to-ground bombing before qualifying to operate the advanced fighters in the IAF's inventory.

However, these plans are in jeopardy after the IAF grounded its entire fleet of Hindustan Piston Trainer 32 (HPT-32) Deepak basic trainer aircraft in August 2009, following a series of fatal accidents (most recently in late July 2009) and over 100 emergency situations in recent years.

For nearly three decades 140-150 IAF cadets have trained annually on the HPT-32 before graduating to the HJT-16 Surya Kiran MKI intermediate flight and weapons training aircraft. Thereafter, fighter pilots move onto Surya Kiran MKIIs and the BAE Systems Hawk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which entered service in November 2007. With the HPT-32s grounded, a handful of AFA cadets are now beginning their training on the Surya Kiran MKI, a measure that not only contravenes the normal training regime but also places the aircraft under undue pressure.

The IAF is demanding the immediate procurement of 200 basic trainers from overseas to cope with the training crunch - a request under evaluation by the Ministry of Defence.

Training Areas

Tactical training and more complex operational requirements are designed and practised at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) at Gwalior. Bombing and other ordnance-related target practice is conducted at weapons ranges in Tilpat and Pokhran.

Military Exercises

With regard to operational training, India conducted a large exercise near the Indo-Pakistan border in May 2001, involving several thousand troops, armoured vehicles and over 100 combat aircraft. Scenarios are known to have included the simulation of a nuclear strike against Indian troop formations, as well as preparations for chemical and biological defence. The exercises also trained special forces units in seizing vital enemy assets and involved simulated deep-strike missions by combat aircraft.

In 2004-2005 the IAF conducted joint exercises with the air forces of the US, France and Singapore. While these have contributed to some aspects of training, one of the most significant recent exercises was "Vajra Shakti" in May 2005, when tightly-scripted but nonetheless valuable tactics were practised in support of the army's developing "cold start" doctrine which mirrors Pakistan's "riposte".

Despite the lack of tri-service doctrine and the non-existence of a joint HQ, it appears that efforts are being made to improve joint operations. Exercise 'Garuda II', with 'the French Air Force, was held in France in June 2005, and involved six Su-30s and an Il-78 refueller. Similar operations have been undertaken with the US Air Force, which deployed warplanes to India in 2005.

Recent exercises involving international co-operation have been undertaken with elements of the UK Royal Air Force. In the first, six Tornado F Mk 3 air defence fighters plus a VC10 tanker and an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft deployed to Gwalior in October 2006 for exercise "Indra Dhanush", during which they undertook missions with IAF combat aircraft. This was followed in July 2007 by "Indra Dhanush II", which brought six Su-30MKI fighters and an Il-78 'Midas' tanker to Waddington in the UK for operational training against Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado and Typhoon fighters.

In August 2008, the IAF took part in a 'Red Flag' air exercise mounted from Nellis AFB in the United States, with eight SU-30MKI aircraft, two IL-78 air refuellers and one IL-76 transport. During the air combat exercises, the main radars of the Su-30s were not used. This deployment was extremely expensive and there are questions as to whether another will take place in the near future.

In October 2009 the Indian and US air forces conducted the five-day 'Cope India-09' exercises at Agra, India. The exercised focused on airlift techniques, as well as aero-medical and disaster management procedures. The US Air Force contributed 150 personnel, three C-130Hs and one C-130J, as well as one C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft to the exercises. The Indian Air Force (IAF) fielded one Il-76 and four An-32s, as well as one 'Chetak' (Alouette III) and two Mi-17 helicopters.

Also in October 2009, India conducted its first-ever air exercise with Oman. According to published reports, the 'Eastern Bridge' exercises held at the Royal Air Force of Oman base in Thumrait focused on co-operation between the two countries' fleet of Jaguar aircraft and included drills over mixed desert terrain.

Air Force procurement

Realisation of the size and potential of the IAF procurement market has attracted much attention by western manufacturers, the majority of which were represented at the Aero India exhibition which took place at Bangalore in February 2009.

Most current aircraft are of Russian origin and for the foreseeable future this situation is unlikely to change, at least until entry into service of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the Multi-role Combat Aircraft (which conceivably could be Russian).

It is significant that in May 2007 the US Congress was informed of the possible intention to supply India with six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft worth USD1.059 billion (which have now been approved, for delivery beginning 2011). The wording of the notification provided an insight to likely US policy in regard to military supplies and co-operation in that "India and the United States are forging an important strategic partnership. The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by providing the Indian government with a credible special operations airlift capability that will deter aggression in the region, provide humanitarian airlift capability and ensure interoperability with US forces in coalition operations".

Indian Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed that joint development programmes with Russia to produce a multirole transport aircraft (MRTA) and a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will be funded equally by New Delhi and Moscow. On 15 March 2010, Antony said agreements to develop the aircraft were signed by governments of the two countries in October and November 2007 respectively. He added that the "percentage share of investment by the Indian side towards development will be 50 per cent each for both aircraft". The development and production of the aircraft would be carried out in both countries. Both platforms are expected to enter service during India's 13th five-year plan period, which commences in 2018. Jane's reported that a contract between the countries to signal the start of work has not yet been signed.

Combat

India and Russia concluded an agreement on 23 December 2008, under which the two countries would co-operate in the development and production of a new fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) for service with the air arms of both countries. Hindustan Aeronautics is prime contractor on the Indian side, with the United Aircraft Corporation representing Russia. Sukhoi is reported to have been engaged in development work on an FGFA for several years, with a first prototype said to already be under construction at Komsomolsk-na-Amur, this being based on the T-50 PAKFA. Delivery of production aircraft is expected to commence in 2014-15, with initial single-seat examples going to Russia's air arm; Indian machines will be in a dual-seat configuration, with delivery to begin about two years later.

Regarding current developments, some five squadrons are understood to have re-equipped or be in the process of receiving the Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter, of which close to 100 had been delivered by early 2009. At one point, it was expected that the original 18 Su-30K aircraft would be refurbished and upgraded to full Su-30MKI standard, but this plan has been abandoned in favour of procurement of an additional 18 Su-30MKIs, raising total procurement of the latter to 230, of which 140 examples will be built under license in India. In conjunction with Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the indigenous Tejas, the Su-30MKI will eventually comprise the backbone of IAF combat capability.

In the meantime the IAF is reportedly seeking 50 additional Su-30MKIs which would form the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the foreseeable future to further enhance its combat potential.


After an extremely protracted development history, the indigenous Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) Tejas LCA appears to be moving closer to entry into service with the IAF. The manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has handed over three flying prototypes (PV-1, 2 and 3) to the IAF, along with the first of a planned total of eight Limited Series Production machines (LSP-1). LSP-2 was due to be handed over in early 2009, but PV-1 is not expected to undergo further flight tests. Current aircraft have the GE F404-IN20 engine, but it is expected that a choice will be made between the GE's F414 and the Eurojet EJ200 for future test aircraft and for production machines. The initial order will be for 80 powerplants, with an option for a further 80 to be licence-produced in India. It appears that the indigenous Kaveri engine will not be used.

In April 2010, it was revealed that the Tejas will replace the IAF's older fleet of MiG-21 'Fishbed' ground attack fighters, which are now in the process of being phased out of service. Upgraded MiG-21bis fighters will remain in service until at least 2017, but the remaining 80 or so MiG-21s will be phased out by 2012-13 as the Tejas enters service.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's Tejas light combat aircraft is to be fitted with the Rafael Litening AN/AAQ-28 advanced targeting pod according to reports from India. The order is for 20 systems to cover the initial batch of Tejas aircraft set to enter service in 2009-10. Contract value is believed to be in the region of USD30 million.

A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued on 28 August 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, of which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35. Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Given the complexity of offers, the potential problems involved in technology transfer, demands for substantial offset proposals, and bureaucratic inertia in Delhi, it is unlikely that the selection process will be completed before the end of 2010.


MiG-27

In January 2002, the IAF decided to undertake a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) for 40 of its MiG-27M aircraft which will be conducted jointly by HAL, Defense Avionics Research Establishment (DARE (DRDO)) and the IAF. Accordingly, an MoU was signed on 14 March 2002. It was decided to integrate new avionics common to other programmes such as the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, LCA, and MiG-21 upgrade in order to reduce cost and time for integration and maintenance. The HAL Aircraft Upgrade Research & Design Centre (AURDC) at Nasik prepared two prototype aircraft in 2004, of which the first (serial TS640) made its maiden flight on 25 March 2004, followed by the second on 4 November 2004 of the same year. These prototypes were certified in initial operational configuration in 2005 and the first 12 upgraded aircraft were due to be handed over to the IAF in 2006. In August 2007 Indian Defence Minister AK Antony announced that the programme was suffering due to delays in the design and development phase but no details of the extent of the delay were released. Flight tests of a proof-of-concept MiG-27 fitted with a new AL-31F-30S turbofan engine began in January 2008. At the beginning of January 2009, it was announced that all 38 production upgrades (now known as MiG-27UPGs) had been delivered, these serving with two squadrons at Jodhpur.

Previously, in a report to Parliament in April 2008, India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) voiced criticism of the MiG-27 upgrade programme, specifically referring to rising costs and the limited utility of the upgrade work given the service life that remained. Costs had doubled according to reports citing the CAG and only 20 aircraft had been upgraded by that time.

Attack Helicopters

In late May 2009, India's MoD re-issued the request for proposal (RfP) for 22 attack helicopters, estimated at around USD600 million. The RfP was sent to Bell-Textron for its AH-1Z Super Cobra, Boeing for its AH-64 Apache, Eurocopter for the Tiger and Russia's Mil for its Mi-28N.

This second RfP followed the withdrawal in March 2009 of the initial tender after Bell-Textron and Boeing pulled out in December 2008, claiming that the enhanced offset obligation of 50 per cent was "commercially unviable". Both companies also said they preferred the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme route. This was not allowed by the initial RfP, issued in May 2008, which stipulated the participation of only the original equipment manufacturer. This time, however, the modified RfP has reduced the offset obligation to the standard 30 per cent of the contract value and permitted the FMS route to enable Bell-Textron and Boeing to take part in the competition.

MoD officials said that the initial RfP cancellation would delay by at least three years the acquisition of attack helicopters, which are intended to replace an equal number of ageing Soviet-vintage Mi-25s and Mi-35s acquired by the IAF between 1984 and 1990.

The Indian attack helicopter requirement called for 2.5-ton twin-engine aircraft to conduct reconnaissance, escort, air-to-air combat, ground support and anti-tank missions, envisaged as part of the IAF's 'Transformation Process' in accordance with its revised doctrine propagating 'jointmanship' with the two other services.

Light Combat Helicopter

India successfully conducted the first test-flight of its locally designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Bangalore on 29 March 2010, over a year behind schedule and with its excessive weight problem unresolved.

Powered by the Ardiden 1H (Shakti) turboshaft engine - developed jointly by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France's Turbomeca - the LCH's Technology Demonstrator-1 (TD-1) flew for around 15 minutes, performing clockwise and anti-clockwise turns, hovering motionless and circling the airfield several times.

The LCH's excessive weight (580 kg more than the mandated 2.5 tonnes), which would greatly reduce its ordnance-carrying capacity at its required 20,000 ft operational ceiling, was the principal reason behind the aircraft's delayed first test-flight. HAL engineers plan to progressively reduce the LCH's weight by between 345 and 375 kg in the first three technology demonstrators, eventually leaving it some 200 kg heavier than planned: a prospect the IAF has accepted.

"The weight reduction [180-200 kg] that we had targeted for TD-1 has been met. The second prototype, which will make its first flight by September, will be lighter still," HAL Chairman Ashok Nayak said. R Srinivasan, who heads HAL's Helicopter Complex, said TD-2 would be 100 kg lighter, while TD-3 would drop another 65-75 kg.

Meanwhile, HAL expressed confidence in the LCH's performance, claiming that most of its key technologies - the Shakti engine, rotors and gearbox, which have previously been validated aboard the indigenously developed 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) - had functioned well during the test-flight. Production aircraft will also have a glass cockpit designed by the Helicopter Complex's Mission and Combat Systems Research and Development Centre in Bangalore.

The LCH is being developed to perform an anti-tank role, provide close air support to ground forces, for deployment in air-to-air combat, as a battlefield scout and for anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel warfare. Its 700 kg weapon suite will include a 20 mm turret gun from France's Nexter, four 70 mm anti-tank guided missiles supplied by FZ of Belgium and MBDA Mistral 2 air-defence missiles from France. India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation is also developing the Helina anti-tank missile, a derivative of the locally designed Nag (Snake) anti-tank missile with an extended 7 km range, for use by the aircraft.

The LCH is also due to have an array of subsystems such as missile warning receivers, flare and chaff dispensers, helmet pointing systems, datalinks and infrared jammers, many of which also equip the ALH.

The IAF has a requirement for 65 LCHs and the Army Aviation Corps for around 114 aircraft to replace ageing platforms. Military officials said that, if the LCH's development programme did not suffer any more delays, the aircraft would enter service around 2016.

Transport

C-130J-30

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that it expects to receive six Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 transport aircraft from the United States from December 2011. The MoD confirmed in a statement - dated 17 March 2008 - that the Indian government had signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US, adding that the estimated cost of the aircraft was USD962 million.

Under the terms of the deal, originally announced in May 2007, India will also receive four spare Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines; an unspecified number of AN/AAR-47 missile approach warning systems and AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers; as well as a variety of associated equipment. In addition, Lockheed Martin will need to outsource work worth at least 30 per cent of the value of the deal - or about USD300 million - to Indian defence companies in order to comply with India's offset policy.

US-based thermal-imaging specialist FLIR Systems has been awarded a USD7.2 million contract to equip the C-130Js with infrared multi-sensor surveillance systems, it was announced on 5 August 2009. The contracts, under the Foreign Military Sale framework, includes FLIR System's Star SAFIRE(R) III surveillance system, training and related services. Work will be performed at FLIR's facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011.

C-17 Globemaster III

In April 2010, India formally requested the sale of 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from the US government, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) confirmed.

The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is valued at USD5.8 billion and would include 45 Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines (40 installed and five spare), 10 AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensing systems, 10 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems, crew armour, personnel training and other ancillary hardware and support.

If approved by Washington, it would be India's biggest ever deal with the United States, surpassing the USD2.1 billion procurement of eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA) in January 2009 and the USD962 million acquisition of six Lockheed Martin-built C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft in March 2008. It would also make the IAF the second largest user of the C-17 after the US Air Force

The high-wing, T-tailed C-17 can carry large equipment including tanks, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain during day or night. It is operated with a two-man crew and one loadmaster and can seat two observers. It can also double as an aerial ambulance. The IAF is seeking to acquire the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76MDs, which entered service in 1985.

Medium-Lift Helicopters

Although India is acquiring six Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, this is likely to be only a mid-term solution to the need to update existing airlift resources. To satisfy this requirement, India had been pursuing the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) medium-lift helicopter project from 2001. In January 2007, the governments of India and Russia had formally signed a letter of intent covering a joint effort to develop and manufacture the MTA for service with the air arms of both countries, with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) partnering with Russia's Ilyushin Design Bureau in the USD600 million project.

However, in June 2009 the programme was cancelled after India changed the requirements of the helicopter. A tender will be automatically reissued at a later date under Indian procurement rules.

In March 2010 Jane's reported that the IAF had signed a EUR560 million (USD765 million) contract for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 medium-lift helicopters to transport VIPs.

The AW101, formerly known as the EH101, will replace Russian Mil Mi-8 'Hip' helicopters at the IAF's VIP squadron at Palam Airport on the outskirts of New Delhi. Official sources said the deal, which was delayed by over a year following objections from the federal finance ministry over the cost, requires the first two helicopters to be delivered within 24 months and the remaining 10 within the next year.

Eight of the AW101s will be utilised for VIP transportation, with a maximum load of 10 passengers each. The remaining four helicopters will ferry Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos as escorts and carry up to 30 passengers. The contract includes a five-year logistic support service and initial aircrew and technician training. The AW101's ability to operate at heights between about 14,500 ft to 18,000 ft was reportedly one of the decisive factors in securing the contract

Global tenders for the medium-lift helicopters were dispatched in September 2006 to Sikorsky for its S-92 and S-76, AgustaWestland and Kamov of Russia, which was eventually disqualified.

Heavy-Lift Helicopters

A RfP for 15 heavy-lift helicopters to replace the IAF's Mi-26 fleet was issued to Boeing for the Chinook CH-47, to Sikorsky for the CH-53 Sea Stallion and to Russia for the latest version of the Mi-26. IAF officials conceded that it would take at least three or four years for either contract to be inked, with deliveries beginning 24-36 months thereafter. The RfP was one of two RfPs issued in late May 2009, valued at a combined USD1.3 billion, to overseas vendors. The other RfP was for 22 attack helicopters.

Military A330 Multirole Tanker Transports

Boeing received an RfI in January 2010 from the Indian MoD with a view to meeting the air force's re-tendered requirement to procure six multirole tanker transports (MRTTs). Earlier that month the MoD cancelled a tender for the MRTTs, for which the Airbus Military A330 MRTT was the preferred choice, due to concerns over the competitiveness of the programme and its associated costs. As well as Boeing, the RfI is likely to have been despatched to EADS subsidiary Airbus and Russia's Ilyushin. The latter's Il-78 was also shortlisted under the original tender.

The new tankers are required to augment the IAF's existing fleet of six Il-78s that were purchased in 2004 for USD177 million.

Airlift

In July 2008 it was reported that Alenia Aeronautica is negotiating a marketing and industrial co-operation agreement with India's Tata to promote the possible sale of the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft to India. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding that will be converted into a contract if negotiations prove successful.

India is to purchase 80 Mi-17V-5s from Russia to replace the Mi-8 'Hip' fleet between 2010 and 2014 at a cost of around USD1 billion, including spares and weaponry. In August 2008 the then IAF chief said preparations for signing the contract were in their final stages; this was finally concluded in December 2008 and included offset obligations valued at around USD400 million.

Light Transport Aircraft

Between 2007 and 2010 the Indian Air Force placed contracts for 12 Dornier Do-228 light transport aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). All 12 are due to be delivered by the end of 2011.

Utility

Light Helicopters

The IAF is to buy 54 locally designed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) for INR140 billion (USD3.56 billion) following clearance in December 2007 by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Deliveries are to be completed by 2013-14. In February 2008 the then air force chief stated that the IAF would "shortly" float tenders to acquire two squadrons of attack helicopters and one squadron of heavy lift helicopters. At the same time, he also said that tenders for replacement of the army and air force's Chetak and Cheetah fleet were soon to be made official and would involve procurement of 317 multi-role light helicopters: 197 for the army, with the remainder going to the air force. Two months later, in April 2008, it was announced that a decision had been made to issue a Request for Proposals for 384 light helicopters, comprising 259 for the army and 125 for the air force.

Light Observation Helicopters

The first round of winter trials in support of the Indian military's long pending requirement for 197 light observation helicopters (LOHs) estimated at around USD750 million, concluded in February 2010.

Official sources said the three rival helicopters - AgustaWestland's AW119 Koala, Eurocopter's AS 550 Fennec, and Russia's Kamov Ka-26 - took part in the trials at Bhatinda in northern Punjab state and at Leh in northern Kashmir province: locations where the majority of the platforms would eventually be deployed.

The 197 LOHs - 133 for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and 64 for the IAF - would replace the AACs ageing Chetak (Alouette III) and Cheetah (SA 315B Lama) fleet. The contenders for the contest are due to undergo a second round of testing in June at the same locations before a selection is made and price negotiations opened.

AAC sources said all three competing models had performed "well" but maintained that, even under the most 'optimistic' circumstances, they did not envisage the helicopters would begin arriving before 2014-15 at the earliest.

The tender for the 197 helicopters, despatched in July 2008, followed the December 2007 cancellation of the Ministry of Defence's USD650-600 million order for Eurocopter AS 550C3 Fennec LoHs because of 'discrepancies' in the evaluation process.

Flight-testing for the LOHs originally scheduled for mid-2009 was delayed pending clearance from the MoD's Technical Oversight Committee instituted following a reported 'mismatch' between the stipulated qualitative requirements mandated in the tender and the declared capability of the rival platforms.

C4ISR

Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems

The IAF took delivery of the first of three Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in late May 2009. The aircraft - Ilyushin IL-76s upgraded with Phalcon AEW&C radar and mission systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - was formally inducted into the IAF during a ceremony at Palam Airport in New Delhi. The second has been delivered and the third is due to be delivered by December 2010.

The IAF will operate these aircraft from Agra airbase in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh under Central Air Command. Three crews of four plus 100 ground personnel have been in the United States training how to operate and support the aircraft and its systems.

The Phalcon's arrival makes India the only country in the region with an 'eye in the sky' capability, giving it a substantial edge over neighbours Pakistan and China, both of which are in the process of acquiring a similar capability. The Phalcon provides the Indian military an airborne network-centric battle management platform in addition to its basic early warning function. It will enable the IAF to effectively track up to 50-60 airborne targets including fighters and missiles over a 400-500 km range.

The agreement was signed after the US told Pakistan in May 2003 that it would not seek to prevent Israel from selling the Phalcon suite to India. Under the terms of the contract, Israel was to acquire the aircraft from Uzbekistan and send them to Russia for refurbishing at Taganrog, with this process including installation of new Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 turbofan engines, offering commonality with India's IL-78MKI 'Midas' aerial tankers. Following refurbishment, the aircraft were then to be sent to Israel for installation and integration of the Phalcon suite by IAI. The first complete system was initially expected to be delivered to India in early 2008, with finalisation of the contract anticipated by 2010. However, in November 2007, official sources advised Jane's that the timetable had been pushed back and that IAI would be delayed in fitting the Phalcon system, which is an L-band active phased-array radar mounted in a stationary radome developed by Raytheon Airborne Systems.

Despite these difficulties, in April 2008, the air force indicated its interest in obtaining a further three Phalcon aircraft, with an estimated in service date of 2012.

At the Aero India exhibition in February 2007, it was revealed that the IAF was planning to purchase two Embraer EMB-145 AWACS aircraft to augment the Phalcon system.

On 3 July 2008 Brazil's Embraer signed a deal with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to supply modified EMB-145 aircraft to carry India's indigenously developed AWACS - the Active Array Antenna Unit (AAAU). This system will be installed on three EMB-145s, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2011. According to the MoD, the DRDO and Indian Air Force are scheduled to flight test the modified EMB-145 - with the AWACS installed - from 2012.

Embraer and the DRDO work on AWACS integration began as early as 2005 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Aero India in February of that year. India's INR18 billion (USD400 million) AWACS project was approved in September 2004 for completion by 2011.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

In April 2010 Jane's reported that India's two largest state-owned defence groups, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), have been selected by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to assist in the development of a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The initial stage of the development programme is worth around INR4 billion (USD90 million).

Under the programme, named Rustom, BEL and HAL will partner the MoD's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to provide the UAV to all three Indian armed forces over the next decade. According to the DRDO, the Rustom MALE UAV will measure 20 m in diameter and weigh 1.8 tons. It will have a maximum speed of 225 km/h, a payload of 350 kg and will operate at an altitude of 30,000 ft. Its endurance is 24 hours.

Air Defence

India signed a contract with Rafael for the supply of an undisclosed number of Spyder surface-to-air missile systems in September 2008. Indian press reports predict an order for 18 systems due to be delivered between early 2011 and August 2012, with no requirements for the transfer of technology. Jane's reports from December 2007 indicate India was planning to buy the MR variant fitted with solid-propellant rocket boosters.

Radar Systems

Thales Air Systems is to deliver 19 Ground Smarter 100 radar systems to the IAF, the company announced at the Dubai Air Show in Novermber 2009. The IAF will use the mobile radar system to perform low-altitude target tracking. The radar system will be mounted on locally built trucks. Although the company would not confirm the in-service date for the Ground Smarter 100 or the value of the contract, it did state that it expects the radar to be operational within the next five years.

With a range of up to 180 km, the Ground Smarter 100 is a 2-D system that can track low-altitude targets performing complex manoeuvres. Thales plans to build six of the radars at its factory in Limours, located southwest of Paris. The balance of 13 systems will be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under a technology transfer agreement between the two companies. The company won the contract following a prolonged bidding process in which Elta Systems and Selex Galileo also submitted systems.

Barak

In April 2009 the Indian government announced it had signed a USD1.4 billion contract for the development and procurement of a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) system based on Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI's) Barak long-range naval air-defence system. Under the contract, IAI will develop jointly with the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) an air-defence system capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft, cruise missiles and surface-to-surface rockets at a range of 70-80 km.

The project will provide the Indian Air Force with nine air-defence squadrons, each equipped with two Barak MR-SAM firing units. Each of the units will consist of a fire control centre, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar and three launchers with eight missiles each. According to IAI, the deliveries will be conducted within 90 months of receiving the advance payment.

The first flight test of the Barak MR-SAM is expected in three years, with initial operational capability scheduled for 2013. The system is intended to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing Russian-made S-135 Pechora-1 (SA-3) air-defence systems. "While initially considering the Russian S-300 and Raytheon's Patriot Advanced Capability 3 [PAC-3] systems, India opted to develop its own system," said a source close to deal. "The Barak MR-SAM radar system will have significantly better capabilities than the PAC-3 radar, while the Barak interceptor has similar capabilities to the Patriot," the source told Jane's. The procurement could signal the termination of two indigenous Indian SAM programmes: the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) ballistic missile interceptor design programme and the Akash MR-SAM system.

The contract - Israel's largest export deal - was initially approved by the Indian Cabinet in July 2007, but corruption allegations relating to the INR11.25 billion (USD21.9 million) acquisition of seven IAI Barak-1 area air-defence missile systems for the Indian Navy in 2000 delayed the final signature until 27 February 2009.

Indian military sources said the DRDO would receive around 30 per cent of the total contract value, which it would use to develop the MR-SAM's rear frame, booster and various other associated components and subsystems. Indian company Nova Integrated Systems has been designated the overall missile system integrator for delivery to the Indian Air Force by 2012-13. Official sources indicated that the involvement of Nova, a USD50 million joint venture between IAI and Tata (one of India's largest industrial houses and emerging private defence contractors), would be used to meet the 30 per cent offset obligation mandatory for all Indian defence contracts over INR3 billion. Nova, 24 per cent of which is owned by IAI and 76 per cent by Tata Advanced Systems (in keeping with India's foreign direct investment policy in defence-related industries), is also to provide after-sales support to the MR-SAM system for around 22 years under contract, Indian military sources disclosed.

Rohini

In August 2008 Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) handed over the first 'Rohini' Multifunction Medium Range Surveillance Radar to the IAF. The system is mounted on a Tetra truck built by Bharat Earth Movers Limited and is said to be able to track multiple targets at a range of 170 km and altitude of 15 km. It has an integrated IFF system and ECCM, including jammer analysis. BEL stated that some 100 will be built and that the army has conducted missile detection trials of a variant.

India's Comptroller and Auditor General observed in a report in September 2008 that "Shortage of medium power radars needed for ground control and intercept was as high as 53 per cent of the projected requirement. IAF's holding of low-level transportable radars, which are assigned the role of providing early warning, was merely 24 per cent of the actual requirement of the IAF."

Missiles & Weapons Systems

In March 2010, the Indian MoD cleared a INR116 billion (USD2.57 billion) proposal to induct the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly with Russia, into the IAF to augment its firepower. Officials said the agreement with BrahMos Aerospace includes the development of a smaller version of the weapon for integration onto the IAF's Su-30MKI multirole fighters.

Official sources said the IAF is initially expected to equip one squadron with the BrahMos Block II: the advanced version of the missile fitted with a terminal guidance system that renders it capable of striking specific targets in a clustered environment. Military planners said inducting the 8.4 m-long, air-breathing BrahMos - which weighs 3.9 tonnes and is capable of carrying a 250-300 kg conventional warhead to a range of 290 km - will allow the IAF to strike targets such as enemy radar installations without endangering its combat aircraft.

The missile, which flies at an optimum speed of Mach 2.8, has performed well under a rigorous testing programme and is already in service with the Indian Army and deployed aboard Indian Navy warships.

Trainer

After a 21-year wait, in September 2003 India finally completed negotiations concerning the purchase of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) from Britain for USD1.65 billion. The contract stipulated that twenty-four aircraft be manufactured by BAE Systems in the UK and delivered to the IAF in flyaway condition, with the remaining 42 Hawks built under license by state-owned subcontractor Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, southern India. All 66 Hawks - which will bridge the gap between the more basic, locally built HPT-32 and Kiran trainers and supersonic combat aircraft - were originally scheduled to be operational by 2011. Moreover, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Hawk was signed in March 2004 confirming India's right to use the aircraft in any configuration it wishes without being penalised by withdrawal of support or spares. This, for example, permits employment as a combat aircraft in time of conflict, should the need arise.

Delivery began in late 2007 and the IAF formally inducted the first eight aircraft into service on 23 February 2008 at its Flying Training Establishment (FTE) at Bidar, southern India. Subsequently, one of the ten aircraft delivered crashed after taking off from the Bidar base on 29 April 2008, with the air force claiming that some parts were "rusted and appeared old and used". An examination did not appear to bear out the assertion; nevertheless, further deliveries of the UK-manufactured aircraft were delayed while a number of small technical issues relating to the aircraft already delivered were resolved. This dually delayed the start of license-production by HAL.

By April 2010, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said HAL had manufactured 12 aircraft, "three in the year 2008-2009 and nine in the year 2009-2010, including the first aircraft from [the] raw material phase." However, the minister said that HAL had found "various shortcomings" with the equipment supplied by BAE Systems upon commencement of production of the aircraft. Raju said: "The assembly jigs that were supplied did not meet the requirements; there was mismatch in the kits/components supplied; there were defects in major assemblies like the wing spar, etc. These problems took time to overcome and hence affected the production schedule at HAL."

Jane's understands that the Indian government demanded USD10 million in compensation from BAE Systems in 2009 but that the claim was rejected by the company because it believed that the requirements of the contract had been met. However, despite Minister Raju's April 2010 statements, the compensation claim has not been revived.

The IAF has spent INR1.20 billion (USD30 million) to prepare FTE Bidar for the Hawk by extending its two runways to 9,000 ft (2,745 m) and equipping them with an upgraded air traffic control system, additional hangars and armament and simulator complexes.

Furthermore, India's Ministry of Defence is in advanced negotiations for an additional 57 Hawk 132s: 40 for the IAF and 17 for the navy, but plans received a setback in July 2008 when the manufacturer, BAE Systems, was reported to have raised the aircraft's cost. Industry sources told Jane's in July 2008 that BAE Systems had quoted INR1 billion (USD23.2 million) for each of the new batch of Hawks, which would be built locally under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. In 2004, when HAL signed the original USD1 billion deal for 66 Hawks, the Indian MoD reserved the option to buy 33 more Hawks at the same price within a 12-month period. However, official sources said that as the 12-month deadline was long past, the 2004 price was no longer applicable. A BAE Systems spokesman told Jane's "Bidding elements to HAL, which is responsible for the bid to the government of India, cannot debate pricing in public. We can say, however, that our pricing properly reflects the effects of inflation, especially raw materials, since 2004." IAF headquarters in Delhi said it was not aware of the price change as all such matters are dealt with by the MoD, which declined to comment.

A requirement also exists for nearly 200 examples of the indigenous HAL HJT-36 Sitara, which made its first flight in March 2003, but which suffered a setback in February 2007 when the first prototype was badly damaged in an accident at Aero India 2007. Procurement has begun, with the initial batch consisting of a dozen Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft. These will be followed by 16 more examples that were the subject of a contract announcement made in February 2003. At present, the IAF anticipates receiving 187 HJT-36s, this quantity including 12 to be operated by the Surya Kiran formation aerobatic display team.

Modernisation

MiG-29

Following the issue of an RfP in early 2006 concerning the upgrade of its fleet of MiG-29 'Fulcrum' multirole fighter aircraft, it was revealed in March 2008 that Russian Aircraft Corporation RAC MiG and the Indian government had signed a contract worth USD850 million. Under this, it is planned to refurbish and modernise 57 single-seat MiG-29s as well as seven two-seat MiG-29UBs, thus extending their service life by between 15 and 20 years. The programme includes replacement of the existing N019 pulse-Doppler radar with the Phazotron Zhuk-ME radar and installation of an upgraded weapons suite, provision of air-to-air refuelling capability and new avionics. Thales will also provide an identification friend or foe (IFF1) Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM) for installation on the aircraft and will enable the aircraft to be interoperable with Western military aircraft and avoid any 'friendly fire' incidents. A total of six aircraft (four MiG-29s and two MiG-29UBs) will be returned to Russia for upgrading and trials, with the remainder to be modernised by the IAF's 11th Base Repair Depot at Ojhar in a programme extending to 2014, according to a statement by the defence minister in August 2008.

This repair scheme is also intended to resolve the tendency for the MiG-29s to develop cracks in their tail fins, a problem publicly confirmed in July 2009. This tendency underpinned the IAF's decision in March 2009 to ground its entire fleet of 67 MiG-29B/S fighters and MiG-29UB trainers, following the grounding of around 300 MiG-29s by the Russian Air Force. Moscow grounded the aircraft after two Russian MiG-29s crashed in Siberia in October and December 2008 as a result of tail fin corrosion.

Assault Helicopter

In May 2007 the then Indian Air Chief Marshall Fali Homi Major reportedly spoke of plans to upgrade the existing Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-17-1V tactical assault helicopter fleet to enable them to conduct operations in all weather conditions and at night. This would clearly deliver the Indian Armed Forces a considerable capability boost. The IAF currently operates 180-200 aircraft across the three variants. The upgrade would reportedly include night vision equipment, all-weather radars and displays. A limited number of aircraft will also be fitted with rocket pods, radar warning and missile warning receivers and electro-optic targeting systems. Other systems are expected to be added as the upgrade programme progresses. Dates have been estimated based on an upgrade rate of 36 aircraft per year which has been reported. HAL will perform the majority of the work with nine prototypes being constructed in Russia.

Jaguar

The IAF will integrate the Raytheon Munitions Control Unit (MCU) onto its Sepecat Jaguar IS and IM strike aircraft as part of its wider upgrade of the fleet. According to a company spokesperson, Raytheon held technical meetings with the IAF to upgrade about 120 aircraft, "although the final number is not yet fully defined". The plan is for one MCU per aircraft, although this has yet to be formally determined; a single MCU mounted in an avionics bay is capable of simultaneously controlling four air-to-ground and two air-to-air weapons. The upgrade of the aircraft will not begin until the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract has been finalised with the Indian government. This upgrade is part of a larger effort by the IAF to modernise its Jaguar fleet to bring the aircraft's avionics systems and weapons fit more into line with its Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft.

The MCU is a line-replaceable unit that enables legacy aircraft to integrate smart weaponry such as the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), EGBU Enhanced Paveway II/IV laser-guided bomb, AGM-65 Maverick laser-guided air-to-surface missile, and the AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile. A self-contained stores management system, the MCU has a non-intrusive fit and allows the weapon system to feed information back to the cockpit. An additional benefit is that there is no need to access the original manufacturer's software or source codes. The integration and testing work will be done in India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Flight testing will take place over a six-month period and work is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

In addition to the MCU, the IAF Jaguar fleet (which first entered service in 1979) will have its short-range air-to-air missile capability upgraded while a replacement for the out-of-production MBDA Matra BAE R550 Magic 1 is sought. MBDA and Raytheon are looking to fulfil this requirement with the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder respectively. The IAF has a long-running study to upgrade the Jaguar's HAL-built Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 811 turbofan engines; Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems are offering an improved Adour, the Mk 951, to meet this requirement, while Honeywell is offering its F125IN engine. Other planned upgrades include: new composite materials to reduce the aircraft's radar cross section (RCS); a new brake parachute; carbon brakes; Full-Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC); and new ejector seats to replace the incumbent Martin-Baker 9B Mk II seats.

An-32

The Indian government confirmed in July 2009 that it had signed a USD398 million contract with Ukrspetsexport, the Ukrainian state defence export agency, to upgrade the IAF's fleet of Antonov An-32 'Cline' transport aircraft. Defence Minister A K Antony said in parliament that the deal, which he said was signed in June 2009, will see the life of the IAF's An-32s enhanced from 25 to 40 years, with the programme scheduled for completion by 2017. About 100 An-32s remain in service with the IAF, having been in service with India from 1984.

It was reported on 18 January 2010 that the IAF had signed a USD110 million contract with Ukraine's Motor-Sich to upgrade the engines on its turboprop Antonov An-32 aircraft. The contract with Motor-Sich, which was signed in late December 2009, is set to last three years and will see 100 ZMKB Progress/Ivchenko AI-20D Series 5M turboprops upgraded (two per aircraft). Work will begin at the end of 2010. This contract covers only about half of the IAF's An-32 fleet; it is not known whether a follow-on contract for the remaining aircraft will be awarded.

Equipment in service

Fixed Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' MiG Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 70 57 1986
Mirage 2000H Dassault Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 46 38 1985
MiG-27M 'Flogger-J' MiG Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 165 97 1985
Jaguar IS SEPECAT Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 125 90 1979
Jaguar IM SEPECAT Fighter - Maritime Attack 14 10 1986
Su-30MKI Sukhoi Fighter - Multirole 2301 78 2002
MiG-21I (MiG-21bis-UPG) MiG Fighter - Multirole 125 1202 1999
MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L/M' MiG Fighter - Multirole 303 50 1977
MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 161 803 1973
MiG-21MF 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 38 n/a3, 4 1973
748M HAL/Avro Transport 67 40 1964
An-32 'Cline' Antonov Transport 118 100 1984
Il-76MD 'Candid' Ilyushin Transport 17 17 1985
DO-228 HAL/Dornier Transport 29 25 1987
EMB-135BJ Legacy Embraer Transport 4 4 2005
BBJ (737) Boeing VIP / Transport 3 3 2008
Il-78MKI 'Midas' Ilyushin Tanker / Transport 12 6 2003
Phalcon AEW&C Ilyushin / IAI Airborne Early Warning and Control 3 2 2009
737-2A8 Boeing Electronic Intelligence 6 3 1984
B707-337C Boeing Electronic Intelligence 2 1 1987
Hawk Mk 132 BAE Systems Trainer 66 365 2007
HPT-32 Deepak HAL Trainer 142 79 1985
HJT-16 Kiran I/IA/II HAL Trainer 250 130 1968
MiG-21U/UM 'Mongol' MiG Trainer 140 60 1966
MiG-23UB 'Flogger-C' MiG Trainer 40 20 1980
MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' MiG Trainer 10 7 1986
Jaguar IB SEPECAT Trainer 32 27 1979
Mirage 2000TH Dassault Trainer 13 11 1985
CH 701 STOL CZAW (Zenith) Glider 856 83 2000
HK 36TC Super Dimona Diamond Glider 12 12 2000

Notes:
Delivery in progress; total includes 140 Su-30MKIs being assembled in India by 2015.
MiG-21bis upgraded to MiG-21-93 standard with new radar, avionics and weapon systems. Further 50 conversions may follow.
Being phased out of service.
Included in total quoted for MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J'.
Delivery in progress.
Assigned to National Cadet Corps.


Rotary Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
Mi-25 'Hind-D' Mil Attack 12 8 1984
Mi-35 'Hind-E' Mil Attack 20 15 1990
Dhruv HAL Attack 150 30 2001
Mi-8 'Hip' Mil Assault 150 64 1971
Mi-17 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 100 78 1984
Mi-17-1V 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 120 74 2001
Mi-26 'Halo' Mil Transport 10 8 1986
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Observation n/a 25 1965
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Trainer n/a 10 1965
HSA 315B Cheetah HAL Trainer n/a 10 1973

Missiles

Type Manufacturer Role
R 550 Magic 1 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
R 550 Magic 2 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
Super 530 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
AA-2-2 Improved 'Atoll' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-7 'Apex' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-8 'Aphid' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-10 'Alamo' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-11 'Archer' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-12 'Adder' Vympel Air-to-Air
Sea Eagle Matra BAE Anti-Ship Attack
AM 39 Exocet Aerospatiale Matra Anti-Ship Attack
AT-2 'Swatter' Nudelman Anti-Armour
AT-3 'Sagger' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AT-6 'Spiral' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AS 30 Aerospatiale Matra Air-to-Surface
AS-7 'Kerry' Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-25MP (AS-12 'Kegler') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-29L (AS-14 'Kedge') Vympel Air-to-Surface
Kh-31A (AS-17 'Krypton') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt') Raduga Air-to-Surface
Kh-59M (AS-18 'Kazoo') Raduga Air-to-Surface
The 350 km range SS-350 version of the Prithvi SSM is operated by the IAF, apparently independently of the Indian Army Prithvi missile groups.

UPDATED - April-2010

Jonasad brother I followed you

 

[Archie]

whose going to read through all that , i might as well read the annual report of my company

 

[fatman17]

whose going to read through all that , i might as well read the annual report of my company

not you obviously!

 

[Jazzbot]

World air forces, India

Date Posted: 20-May-2010

Jane's World Air Forces

India - Air Force
Summary
Assessment
Deployments, tasks and operations
Role and Deployment
Recent and Current Operations
Command and control
Organisation
Order of Battle
Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine
Bases
Personnel
Demographics
Recruitment
Morale
Professionalism
Training
Training Areas
Military Exercises
Air Force procurement
Combat
Transport
Utility
C4ISR
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Air Defence
Missiles & Weapons Systems
Trainer
Modernisation
Equipment in service
Fixed Wing
Rotary Wing
Missiles

India - Air Force

Summary

STRENGTH
170,000

COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-29 'Fulcrum', MiG-27M 'Flogger-J', Jaguar, Mirage 2000

COMBAT HELICOPTER
Mi-25/35 'Hind', Dhruv

TRANSPORT
HAL/Avro 748M, An-32 'Cline', Il-76MD 'Candid', Il-78MKI 'Midas', HAL/Dornier 228


Assessment

The Indian Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena - IAF) is considered to be a competent, technology-intensive service, albeit one that faces a number of problems. A sharp shortfall in the number of pilots and a high accident rate, notably in the MiG-21 fleet, are of considerable concern, although reductions in MiG-21 numbers (and thus total flying hours) have reduced the accident rate. With the exception of the Su-30s, assets are ageing and it is essential that the IAF speedily refurbishes, upgrades and/or replaces fixed and rotary-wing combat and transport aircraft. The IAF operates some 500 fixed-wing combat aircraft, down from 850 in 2006, and although considerable efforts are being made extend the lives of current assets, the state of major replacement programmes (production of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and selection of a foreign-supplied Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) are such that serious attrition can be expected to continue for the foreseeable future. It may be that stop-gap measures, possibly including the purchase of further aircraft from Russia in a fly-away condition, will be necessary if the IAF is to maintain its diminishing numerical superiority over the Pakistan Air Force.

Between 1990 and 2003, the IAF lost over 100 pilots and 273 fighters (the equivalent of nearly 19 squadrons) in flying accidents. The high rate can be attributed to the obsolescence of aircraft, poor maintenance, inefficient rebuild programmes, a spares shortage, and inadequate pilot training due to the lack of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), although the latter shortcoming is being rectified with the gradual introduction of the Hawk. With a substantial number of MiG fighters (many MiG-21s and all MiG-23s and MiG-25s) being retired from service, the number of combat squadrons has fallen from the authorised strength of 39.5 to 29, although the number of 32 was quoted by the defence minister, Mr AK Antony, in February 2009, probably because the practice of 'number-plating' squadrons indicates a state of suspended animation and token operation rather than formal disbandment. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence noted that "the squadron strength of air force at the end of 10th, 11th and 12th [five year] plan period will be 29, 34 and 36 respectively." The 10th plan period was 2002-2007 and the 11th is 2008-2013. In a written statement to parliament in February 2009 Mr Antony forecast that, "During the period 2007-2022, the strength at the end of 11th, 12th and 13th Plan periods is expected to increase to 35.5, 35 [sic] and 42 squadrons respectively."

After a period of downward trend, annual flying hour rates have been restored to normal (180 to 200 hours). However, this seems to be largely due to the reduction in the number of MiG-21 and the phase-out of MiG-23 aircraft which was completed in March 2009. Pilot numbers are a major problem. The attractions of commercial flying over service life (mirrored in the other services, for similar reasons) are proving too great for well-trained aircrew. It has been made more difficult to quit the service before conventional retirement age, and this has created some resentment in the pilot stream. Between 2002 and 2004, 263 pilots took premature retirement, but in 2005 only eight pilots were allowed to leave, of a reported 200 who had applied to resign. The trend continues, however, and in 2006 there were 220 resignations and in 2007, 287 resignations. The overall shortfall in officer strength was 1,565 in August 2007. A year later, in August 2008, the then IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, stated that the air force had a pilot shortage and would take five years to fill the gap. He said that pilots "have to be trained over a period of time and there are no shortcuts. We are short of about 400 pilots but with the measures we are taking, we will make good the shortage in the next five years." In October 2008 a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General recorded that "The number of pilots trained in various streams during 2001-2006 was much lower than planned targets, indicating that either the training targets did not take into account constraints or IAF failed to ensure adequate intake of pilot trainees through an effective recruitment strategy." In 2008 the officer shortfall fell to 1,368 but, as with the army, it is probable that the slow-down was due to officers waiting to see the results of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Constraints such as the sanctions imposed by the US and others on India's technology trade between 1998 and 2005, following nuclear tests in 1998, forced the government to think more creatively and carefully regarding costs. As a result, the country produced a number of aircraft, with which it is also hoping to carve a niche in the global defence market. Among the projects are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv). Some of the latter have come into service, but the LCA project has experienced major difficulties and delays, and in October 2008 the defence minister stated that "final operational clearances for the indigenously developed aircraft will be given by 2010." The Dhruv suffered a setback when a crash in January 2006 grounded the fleet of 46; there was a further fatal crash in February 2007.

The IAF is placing the best possible face on its dwindling numbers and consequent reduction in capabilities. A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued in June 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, for which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35, Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, of which all but Rafale appeared at Aero India 2009 at Bangalore in February. It is estimated that even if acceptance of an RfP is agreed in 2009 it will not be possible for supply of aircraft to begin until 2012 at the earliest. Five combat squadrons of Su-30 multi-role aircraft are already in service and assembly of a further 140 aircraft is taking place. On 24 August 2007 the chairman of the board of directors of Irkut SPC stated that it was hoped to sign a contract with India in September to provide a further 40 Su-30MKI aircraft, but the state of negotiations is not clear.

In February 2008, the IAF invited bids to upgrade 30 of its airfields and Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems for an estimated USD1.5 billion. The project is part of the military's revised doctrine that seeks to prepare for future conflicts - expected to be short, swift and intense - by making the Indian Armed Forces more mobile and network centric. The IAF wants the 30 airfields in India's north, west and east, bordering nuclear rivals Pakistan and China, to receive new lighting, automated ATC management and instrument landing systems, distance measuring apparatus and a Doppler VHF omni-range navigation system capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft. The selected company will also be required to provide six mobile airfield lighting systems as a back-up measure and a mobile ATC system in addition to facilities for training personnel to operate and repair the equipment. All hardware would need to have a service life of 15 years.

AEW&C capabilities are being enhanced by acquisition of Israeli Phalcon systems, the first of which was delivered in early 2009, after a delay of 18 months, and a further two in 2009-2010. (There were incorrect media reports of delivery of a Phalcon in January 2009.)

The IAF is in a state of flux, and force structure decision-making is complicated by politics, sensitivity to past corruption in procurement projects, budget priorities, continuing problems with indigenous systems, bureaucratic delays in tendering processes and the entry of the US as a major commercial and political factor in procurement planning.


Deployments, tasks and operations

Role and Deployment

Until the late 1980s the primary role of the IAF was tactical and confined to supporting the army through a combination of fighter/ground attack capability and establishing local air superiority. Its role extended to interdiction but now involves a strategic capability, including nuclear delivery. The IAF has made a bid for a more independent role, arguing that air power has the capability to strike deep within enemy (namely Pakistani, or possibly Chinese) territory. It is deployed throughout the country, with main bases being in the west and north.

The air force undertakes normal combat and support tasks, from strike to natural disaster relief. Capabilities of the current fleet include maritime strike by the Jaguar S(I), deep strike by the Su-30MKI, close support by the various versions of the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Jaguar, and air superiority and interception by the Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000H, MiG-21, and MiG-29.

Cargo-passenger operations are undertaken largely by Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-26s, with Mi-25s and Mi-35s used as attack helicopters. Chetak helicopters (SE 3160 Alouette II) are used in the anti-tank role and for liaison, cargo-passenger carriage, and search and rescue operations. Mi-17s, Chetaks and Cheetahs (improved Chetak) are capable of high-altitude operations, providing logistics support to ground forces in the mountains of the north. Cheetah light helicopters are also used for liaison, forward air control, and high-altitude operations with minimal cargo.

Aerial refuelling capability is provided by six Il-78 tankers and was first publicly demonstrated at Pokhran in March 2004, when an Il-78 flew by with two Mirage 2000s ostensibly being refuelled. The advent of in-flight refuelling capability permits strike aircraft to be based further east, beyond the reach of Pakistani warplanes. Refuelling systems on the Il-78 were supplied and installed by Israel, which has gained a substantial market in aerospace activities in India.

A detachment of 100 IAF pilots and technicians is stationed at Malaysia's Gong Kedak Air Force Base, assisting with training of the Royal Malaysian Air Force in operation of its Su-30 fleet. It is expected to remain there until the end of 2010.

There is an Indian Air Force (and army) presence in Tajikistan, at Farkhor (Ayni) air base. There are no aircraft stationed here, however, and it appears the detachment is responsible for technical assistance. The base is located at 37o 32' N 69o 29' E, on the border with Afghanistan, some 100 miles south of the capital, Dushanbe.



Recent and Current Operations

In 1993-1994, Indian Air Force assets were deployed to a UN peacekeeping mission for the first time when two helicopters operated in support of a ground contingent in Somalia (UNOSOM). A further eight helicopters (including three Mi-35 'Hind' gunships) were deployed to UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone in 2000, with nine helicopters (including four gunships) being sent to the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

In October 2005, a 196-strong IAF contingent - including aircrew, technicians and ground support staff along with logistics, administration and medical personnel - was sent to Kadugli in Sudan as part of the UNMIS peacekeeping operation. Six Mi-17 assault transport helicopters currently participate in the deployment, providing close air support and airlift for army troops.

The IAF provided much assistance in flood disaster relief within India in 2008.

The IAF pilot training team has been training the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Sukhoi Su-30MKM pilots and weapon system operators (WSOs) of No 11 Squadron at RMAF Gong Kedak airbase. In January 2010 they were asked to extend its training mission by another six months and conclude in August 2010 instead of February 2010 as scheduled. RMAF sources said that the request was now with the Indian Defence Ministry for approval and that it would probably be granted. The six-month extension was requested because a lack of aircraft availability meant that the planned training targets could not be met by the agreed February 2010 end date. Malaysia and India signed an agreement in January 2008 for the IAF to initiate a two-year training mission in Malaysia the following month. The training is focused upon creating a sufficient number of RMAF Su-30MKM pilots and WSOs capable of acting as instructors for the Su-30MKMs. The IAF team is also training RMAF ground crew for the Su-30MKMs, which has been unaffected by the delays and will be completed as scheduled in June 2010.

Command and control

Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Pradeep Naik

At Air Headquarters in New Delhi, the Chief of the Air Staff is assisted by a Vice Chief and a Deputy Chief of the Air Staff; air officers in charge of administration, maintenance, and personnel; and the Inspector General, who holds responsibility for flight safety and inspection. The Vice Chief is responsible for operational matters.


Organisation

The IAF is organised on a functional and geographical basis, with front-line combat forces grouped into five main operational commands, specifically:

Western Air Command (Subroto Park, New Delhi)
South Western Air Command (Ghandinagar, Gujarat)
Central Air Command (Bamrauli, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh)
Eastern Air Command (Shillong, Meghtalaya)
Southern Air Command (Tiruvettipuram (otherwise Trivandrum), Kerala)
Maintenance Command (HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra) and Training Command (HQ Bangalore, Karnataka) operate as functional commands.

Air force nuclear-delivery assets have been placed under command of the Strategic Forces Command, together with army delivery systems. The command answers to the Chiefs of Staff Committee, pending the possible creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

Order of Battle

Operational Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Central Air Command 1
4 Wing Agra
106 Squadron Agra HAL / Avro 748M Electronic Intelligence

15 Wing Bareilly
8 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
24 Squadron Bareilly Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
111 Helicopter Unit Bareilly Chetak Communications

17 Wing Gorakhpur
16 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
27 Squadron Gorakhpur Jaguar IS Attack
105 Helicopter Unit Gorakhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

29 Wing Allahabad-Bamrauli2

40 Wing Gwalior-Maharajpur
1 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
7 Squadron Gwalior-Maharajpur Mirage 2000H Air Defence
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-21 Tactics Training
Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment Gwalior-Maharajpur MiG-27 Tactics Training

Eastern Air Command 3
5 Wing Kalaikunda
18 Squadron Kalaikunda MiG-27M Attack

10 Wing Jorhat
43 Squadron Jorhat An-32 Transport
129 Helicopter Unit Jorhat Mi-17 Assault / Transport

11 Wing Tezpur
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21UM Operational Training
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit Tezpur MiG-21US Operational Training
115 Helicopter Unit Tezpur Chetak Communications

14 Wing Chabua
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-8 Assault / Transport
Helicopter Unit Chabua Mi-17 Assault / Transport

16 Wing Hashimara
22 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack
222 Squadron Hashimara MiG-27M Attack

19 Wing Gauhati
59 Squadron Gauhati HAL / Avro 748M Transport
118 Helicopter Unit Det Gauhati Mi-8 Assault / Transport

20 Wing Bagdogra
142 SSS Flight Bagdogra Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

22 Wing Kumbhirgram
110 Helicopter Unit Kumbhirgram Mi-8 Assault / Transport

42 Wing Mohanbari
127 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport
128 Helicopter Unit Mohanbari Mi-17 Assault / Transport

Southern Air Command 4
37 Wing Car Nicobar
121 Helicopter Unit Car Nicobar Mi-8 Assault / Transport

43 Wing Coimbatore-Sulur
33 Squadron Coimbatore-Sulur An-32 Transport
109 Helicopter Unit Coimbatore-Sulur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
122 Helicopter Unit Port Blair Mi-8 Assault / Transport

South-Western Air Command 5
2 Wing Pune/Lohegaon
20 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole
30 Squadron Pune/Lohegaon Su-30MKI Fighter - Multirole

27 Wing Bhuj
15 Squadron Bhuj MiG-21bis Air Defence / Attack

32 Wing Jodhpur
10 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
29 Squadron Jodhpur MiG-27UPG Attack
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport
107 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8S VIP / Transport
116 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Chetak Communications
119 Helicopter Unit Jodhpur Mi-8 Assault / Transport

33 Wing Jamnagar
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IM Maritime Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IS Attack
6 Squadron Jamnagar Jaguar IB Continuation Training
28 Squadron Jamnagar MiG-29 Air Defence
141 SSS Flight Jamnagar Chetak Search & Rescue / Communications

35 Wing Suratgarh
23 Squadron Suratgarh MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
104 Helicopter Unit Suratgarh Mi-35 Attack

36 Wing Vadodara
11 Squadron Vadodara HAL / Avro 748M Transport

41 Wing Jaisalmer

44 Wing Nagpur
44 Squadron Nagpur Il-76MD Transport

46 Wing Nal-Bikaner
5 Forward Base Support Unit Uttarlai
4 Squadron Uttarlai MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
12 Forward Base Support Unit Naliya
101 Squadron Naliya MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

Western Air Command 6
1 Wing Srinagar

3 Wing Palam
41 Squadron7 Palam HAL / Avro 748M Transport

7 Wing Ambala
3 Squadron Ambala MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack
5 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack
14 Squadron Ambala Jaguar IS Attack

8 Wing Adampur
47 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence
223 Squadron Adampur MiG-29 Air Defence

9 Wing Halwara

12 Wing Chandigarh
25 Squadron Chandigarh Il-76 Transport
25 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
48 Squadron Chandigarh An-32 Transport
126 Helicopter Flight Chandigarh Mi-26 Transport

18 Wing Pathankot
108 Squadron Pathankot MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack
125 Helicopter Unit Pathankot Mi-35 Attack

23 Wing Leh
114 Helicopter Unit Leh Cheetah Communications
130 Helicopter Unit Leh Mi-17 Assault / Transport

28 Wing Hindan
131 Forward Air Control Flight Hindan Cheetah Observation
181 Flight Hindan HAL / Avro 748M Transport / Communications

30 Wing Sarsawa
117 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Dhruv Attack / Utility
152 Helicopter Unit Sarsawa Mi-17 Assault / Transport

34 Wing Bhatinda
17 Squadron Bhatinda MiG-21M Air Defence / Attack

39 Wing Udhampur
132 Forward Air Control Flight Udhampur Cheetah Observation
153 Helicopter Unit Udhampur Mi-17 Assault / Transport

45 Wing Sirsa
21 Squadron Sirsa MiG-21I Air Defence / Attack

Notes:
Central Air Command also has air bases at Bihta and Nagpur under care and maintenance with no permanently resident units.
No operational forces stationed here, but base does accommodate training unit (see Training Command).
Eastern Air Command also has Forward Base Support Units (FBSUs) at Agartala, Calcuttta (Dum Dum), Panagarh and Shillong.
Southern Air Command has no combat forces permanently stationed here. Main air bases under Southern Air Command are at Bangalore (Yelahanka), Begumpet, Bidar, Dundigal, Hakimpet, Tambaram, Port Blair and Car Nicobar, with most accommodating training units (see Training Command). Also FBSUs at Madurai and Trivandrum (17 FBSU).
South-Western Air Command has control of new base constructed at Phalodi in 2004; also has FBSUs at Ahmedabad (4 FBSU) and Uttarlai (5 FBSU).
Western Air Command also has FBSUs at Amritsar (1 FBSU) and Awantipur (8 FBSU).
Supports air force headquarters in New Delhi.


Support Forces

Unit Base Type Role

Training Command HQ Bangalore, Karnataka

Air Force Academy1 Allahabad-Bamrauli HPT-32 Deepak Training
Air Force Academy1 Dundigal Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Bidar Kiran Training
Air Force Academy1 Hakimpet Kiran Training

Flying Instructors' School Tambaram HPT-32 Deepak Instructor Training
Flying Instructors' School Tambaram Kiran Instructor Training

Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Chetak Training
Helicopter Training Squadron Hakimpet Cheetah Training

Navigation and Signals School Begumpet HAL / Avro 748M Navigation Training

Paratroop Training School Agra An-32 Paradrop Training

Test Pilots' School Yelahanka Various Training

Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka HAL / Avro 748M Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka An-32 Training
Fixed Wing Training Flight Yelahanka Dornier 228 Training

52 Squadron2 Bidar Kiran II Aerobatic Display Team

112 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Mi-8 Training
151 Helicopter Unit Yelahanka Dhruv Training

Maintenance Command HQ Nagpur, Maharashtra
HQ Flight Nagpur HAL / Avro 748M Communications
1 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
2 Base Repair Depot Gwalior-Maharajpur Various Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-8 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-17 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-25 Overhaul
3 Base Repair Depot Chandigarh Mi-35 Overhaul
4 Base Repair Depot Kanpur-Chakeri Various Overhaul
5 Base Repair Depot Coimbatore-Sulur Various Overhaul
11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar Various Overhaul
Base Repair Depot Jodhpur MiG-21 Overhaul

Notes:
Operates from several locations as shown. Dimona motor gliders attached to National Defence Academy. Hawk to be stationed at Bidar after delivery in November 2007.
Also known as 'Surya Kiran' (Sun Rays).


Direct Reporting Units

Unit Base Type Role

Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Boeing 737 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam HAL/Avro 748M VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam EMB-135BJ VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Dornier 228 VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam Mi-8S VIP / Transport
Air Headquarters Communications Squadron Palam An-32 VIP / Transport
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-29 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-27 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka MiG-21 Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka HAL/Avro 748M Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Dhruv Trials
Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment Yelahanka Cheetah1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 707-337C Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Boeing 737 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Gulfstream SRA-1 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam An-32 Trials
Air Research Centre, Research and Analysis Wing Palam Il-76 Trials
Air Cadets Various CH 701 Air Experience

Note:
Loaned from the army.


Operational Art and Tactical Doctrine

IAF doctrine is believed to be centred on 'offensive-defence', terminology that implies both pre-emptive action and swift retaliation. It is not known whether this is compatible with the new army doctrine known as 'Cold Start', that involves multiple offensives by integrated battle groups and relies heavily on airspace domination and ground attack. There does not appear to be integrated planning for land-air warfare, even with regard to the employment of tactical nuclear weapons, as the IAF and the army operate Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) units independently.

Operational art and tactical doctrine are based on a combination of threat appreciation and its equipment, which, although predominantly of Russian origins, also includes French and British combat aircraft.

Bases

The following airfields are known to accommodate air force aircraft:

Adampur (31° 25' 59" N; 75° 45' 38" E)
Agartala (23° 53' 20" N; 91° 14' 27" E)
Agra (27° 09' 21" N; 77° 57' 39" E)
Ahmedabad (23° 04' 29" N; 72° 37' 54" E)
Allahabad-Bamrauli (25° 26' 21" N; 81° 44' 03" E)
Ambala (30° 22' 07" N; 76° 48' 54" E)
Amritsar (31° 42' 27" N; 74° 47' 57" E)
Awantipur (33° 52' 35" N; 74° 58' 32" E)
Bagdogra (26° 40' 53" N; 88° 19' 41" E)
Bakshi-Ka-Talab (26° 59' 18" N; 80° 53' 35" E)
Bareilly (28° 25' 20" N; 79° 26' 59" E)
Begumpet (17° 27' 08" N; 78° 27' 40" E)
Bhatinda (30° 16' 12" N; 74° 45' 20" E)
Bhuj (23° 17' 16" N; 69° 40' 12" E)
Bidar (17° 54' 28" N; 77° 29' 09" E)
Bihta (25° 35' 31" N; 84° 52' 54" E)
Calcutta-Dum Dum (22° 39' 17" N; 88° 26' 48" E)
Car Nicobar (09° 09' 11" N; 92° 49' 09" E)
Chabua (27° 27' 44" N; 95° 07' 03" E)
Chandigarh (30° 40' 24" N; 76° 47' 18" E)
Coimbatore-Sulur (11° 01' 53" N; 77° 02' 38" E)
Dundigal (17° 37' 45" N; 78° 24' 12" E)
Gauhati (26° 06' 17" N; 91° 35' 04" E)
Gorakhpur (26° 44' 22" N; 83° 26' 58" E)
Gwalior-Maharajpur (26° 17' 38" N; 78° 13' 40" E)
Hakimpet (17° 33' 12" N; 78° 31' 29" E)
Halwara (30° 44' 54" N; 75° 37' 47" E)
Hashimara (26° 42' 06" N; 89° 22' 04" E)
Hindan (28° 42' 27" N; 77° 21' 30" E)
Jaisalmer (26° 53' 21" N; 70° 51' 52" E)
Jamnagar (22° 27' 59" N; 70° 00' 41" E)
Jodhpur (26° 15' 05" N; 73° 02' 53" E)
Jorhat (26° 43' 50" N; 94° 10' 33" E)
Kalaikunda (22° 20' 22" N; 87° 12' 52" E)
Kanpur-Chakeri (26° 24' 15" N; 80° 24' 36" E)
Kumbhirgram (24° 54' 46" N; 92° 58' 43" E)
Leh (34° 08' 08" N; 77° 32' 44" E)
Madurai (09° 50' 04" N; 78° 05' 36" E)
Mohanbari (27° 29' 00" N; 95° 01' 03" E)
Nagpur (21° 05' 31" N; 79° 02' 49" E)
Nal-Bikaner (28° 04' 14" N; 73° 12' 25" E)
Naliya (23° 13' 18" N; 68° 53' 40" E)
Ojhar (20° 07' 14" N; 73° 54' 47" E)
Palam (28° 33' 59" N; 77° 06' 11" E)
Panagarh (23° 28' 28" N; 87° 25' 40" E)
Pathankot (32° 14' 01" N; 75° 38' 04" E)
Port Blair (11° 38' 53" N; 92° 44' 05" E)
Pune/Lohegaon (18° 34' 55" N; 73° 55' 10" E)
Sarsawa (29° 59' 38" N; 77° 25' 31" E)
Shillong (25° 42' 06" N; 91° 58' 41" E)
Sirsa (29° 33' 38" N; 75° 00' 21" E)
Srinagar (33° 59' 13" N; 74° 46' 27" E)
Suratgarh (29° 23' 15" N; 73° 54' 14" E)
Tambaram (12° 54' 24" N; 80° 07' 16" E)
Tezpur (26° 42' 36" N; 92° 47' 03" E)
Trivandrum (08° 28' 55" N; 76° 55' 05" E)
Udhampur (32° 54' 08" N; 75° 09' 18" E)
Uttarlai (25° 48' 46" N; 71° 28' 56" E)
Vadodara (22° 19' 54" N; 73° 13' 20" E)
Yelahanka (13° 08' 09" N; 77° 36' 20" E)

To implement current doctrine, the IAF has dispersed some of its strike aircraft away from the border with Pakistan, and has upgraded and hardened facilities, especially radars, at most forward operational bases.

India continues to increase its air presence further afield in order to enhance power projection capability and regional influence. It's base at Car Nicobar (known as 'Carnic') in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is being upgraded to support Su-30MKI operations, according to Indian officials in February 2010. Vice Admiral D K Joshi, who heads the joint Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), said the airstrips at Campbell Bay on Nicobar and Shibpur in the Andamans were being extended from 975 m to 3,657 m to support all types of combat aircraft, including fighters, and were also being upgraded for night flying operations.

Originally, the Car Nicobar base housed just a small contingent of approximately 200 personnel and five Mi-8 helicopters, but the growing strategic importance of the islands relative to China has prompted the gradual expansion of operations there. The IAF had planned to station two Su-30MKI strike aircraft at Car Nicobar, but following the Asian tsunami of December 2004, the positioning of strike aircraft at Car Nicobar was postponed and the first aircraft did not arrive until mid-2005. Before the February 2010 fortification announcement, the base already hosted a small army presence of a brigade, some dozen helicopters and Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft, a rotating flight of combat aircraft, and 15 patrol boats and other navy light vessels.

The IAF and the Indian Army have jointly established India's first overseas base at Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 km (80 miles) southeast of the capital city of Dushanbe. Although details are unclear, this action demonstrates minor expansion of Indian assets beyond its borders. It is not known by which overflight path Indian military aircraft access Tajikistan's airspace. Despite official Indian denials in April 2006, it appears that flights of combat aircraft, most likely MiG-29s, will be rotated through Farkhor. It is planned to station an Su-30 squadron (possibly 30 Squadron from Pune) at Tezpur Air Force Base in Assam in 2009. Tezpur is 500 km (310 miles) from the border with China and is at present the base of 11 Wing, with MiG-21 Operational Flying Training Units.

It was announced in February 2008 that India was planning upgrades for many of its 30 military airfields and their air traffic control systems.Thales, Lockheed Martin, Siemens, Celex, Terma, Tata Power and Mumbai-based NELCO were all invited to bid on the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) programme's first phase. The airfields include Adampur, Agra, Ambala, Bagdogra, Bareilly, Bhatinda, Bhuj, Bidar, Chabua, Chandigarh, Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Halwara, Hasimara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Nal, Naliya, Pathankot, Pune, Sirsa, Suratgarh, Tezpur, Uttarlai and Yelahanka.

The Mumbai-based Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED) eventually was awarded the estimated USD260 million upgrade programme, but the decision has been appealed by Italy's Selex Sistemi Integrati (Selex SI), part of the Finmeccanica group. Tata has been given approval to begin work on the project and, in January 2010, a court declined Selex SI's demand to stay the award of the contract. However, the case continues and IAF officials are concerned, as India's legal system is known for its in-built delays and vagaries. This, the IAF fears, could impinge on the long-delayed project to upgrade the military airfields, 24 of which are along the frontier with nuclear rivals China and Pakistan. The MoD has denied Selex's claims of procedural lapses in awarding the contract, maintaining in court that Tata Power SED's bid of USD238 million was lower than the Italian defence contractor's USD248 million submission.

Upgrading the airfields is vital for the IAF, not only to support frontline operations but also to accommodate new platforms. The MAFI programme involves the supply, integration and sustainment of instrument landing systems, distance measuring equipment, Doppler very high frequency omni-range navigation systems capable of operating up to an altitude of 15,000 ft, tactical air navigation systems, 24-hour automated air traffic control systems and Category II airfield lighting systems. All hardware needs to have a serviceable life of 15 years and the ability to function in temperatures ranging from well below 0 degrees Celsius in the northern Himalayan region to more than 50 degrees Celsius in the western Rajasthan desert area. The project is to be completed within 42 months of the contract being signed.

Personnel

Demographics

The IAF is an all-regular force of generally high calibre personnel, with no reserve component. There is a higher proportion of Sikh pilots than would be expected from the ratio of Sikhs to other groups in the country. There are 784 female officers, of whom some 40 are pilots, but in October 2008 the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Homi Major, stated that "There is no denying that the female staff have expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now."

Recruitment

As with the other armed services, there are difficulties in recruiting and retention, and major recruiting drives are conducted throughout the country, although mainly in areas considered as producing more highly educated school graduates. Accordingly, there is concentration on internet recruiting sites. The National Cadet Corps (Air Wing) is an important source of recruits, and entry standards for potential pilots are high, being "BSc with Physics and/or Maths or 4 year BE course. Age between 18-years-old and 22 years-old (relaxable up to 2 years for those having Commercial Pilot Licence). Unmarried, Widows (without any child) of service personnel killed on duty can also apply." The officer shortfall fell to 1,368 in 2008, from 1,565 the previous year, and it is likely, given the economic downturn, that applications for premature retirement (mainly in the pilot stream, to transfer to civil airlines), will decrease for the foreseeable future.

Morale

So far as can be determined from public sources, IAF morale is in general high, although there has been some disaffection in the pilot stream concerning reluctance to release those who wish to retire prematurely in order to take up civil flying appointments. Conditions of service are reasonable, and accommodation and facilities at IAF stations, especially in regard to education, are in general of good quality. As with the other services, there is discontent about salary levels, but given the economic downturn this is expected to diminish as it becomes apparent that many well qualified people in civilian life do not have the same degree of job security offered by the armed forces. There has been concern over the IAF's suicide rate which, at some 22 annually, is higher than that of the other services. A study in 2008 showed that causes were not in the main directly associated with conditions of service and were largely domestic in nature, but that "The study noticed that spouses of airmen earning more than their husbands led to acute depression."

Professionalism

The IAF is a professionally proud organisation that trains and operates efficiently. It has had no air-to-air combat experience since the 1971 war with Pakistan, and it is not possible to judge how effective it will be in the event of conflict. Exercises with foreign nations, notably the 2008 'Red Flag' exercise with the USAF, have not provided a realistic assessment frame, as security concerns militated against employment of classified systems, including some radars.

Training

Pre-flying training is conducted at Begumpet near Hyderabad, with all other basic officer training undertaken at the nearby Air Force Academy. This involves:

Stage I and II pilot training;
Training of Officer Cadets in non-technical ground duty branches; and
Training of officers in the basic radar and advanced air traffic control courses.
Following stages I and II at the academy, pilots are assigned to squadrons for continuation training on type, be that combat aircraft, transport or helicopter. Senior IAF officers have long argued that stage I and II should be followed by another pilot training course on the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) before a pilot joins an operational unit for type transition. With the procurement of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 AJTs from Britain now underway, the establishment of an advanced training stage is now a realistic proposition. The USD1.65 billion contract provides for Hawk training in the UK and around 70 IAF pilots have already attended an instructor's course at Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley in Anglesey. Induction of the Hawk into the IAF syllabus will improve the progression of trainee pilots from low-speed trainers to high-performance front-line fighters.

According to Group Captain Michael Fernandez, chief instructor at Flying Training Establishment (FTE) Bidar, around 40 fighter pilots are being trained each year from July 2008. Plans are for each pilot to fly around 160 hours on the AJTs in two semesters, in addition to training on advanced simulators in tactics and night flying, air combat manoeuvres and air-to-ground bombing before qualifying to operate the advanced fighters in the IAF's inventory.

However, these plans are in jeopardy after the IAF grounded its entire fleet of Hindustan Piston Trainer 32 (HPT-32) Deepak basic trainer aircraft in August 2009, following a series of fatal accidents (most recently in late July 2009) and over 100 emergency situations in recent years.

For nearly three decades 140-150 IAF cadets have trained annually on the HPT-32 before graduating to the HJT-16 Surya Kiran MKI intermediate flight and weapons training aircraft. Thereafter, fighter pilots move onto Surya Kiran MKIIs and the BAE Systems Hawk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which entered service in November 2007. With the HPT-32s grounded, a handful of AFA cadets are now beginning their training on the Surya Kiran MKI, a measure that not only contravenes the normal training regime but also places the aircraft under undue pressure.

The IAF is demanding the immediate procurement of 200 basic trainers from overseas to cope with the training crunch - a request under evaluation by the Ministry of Defence.

Training Areas

Tactical training and more complex operational requirements are designed and practised at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) at Gwalior. Bombing and other ordnance-related target practice is conducted at weapons ranges in Tilpat and Pokhran.

Military Exercises

With regard to operational training, India conducted a large exercise near the Indo-Pakistan border in May 2001, involving several thousand troops, armoured vehicles and over 100 combat aircraft. Scenarios are known to have included the simulation of a nuclear strike against Indian troop formations, as well as preparations for chemical and biological defence. The exercises also trained special forces units in seizing vital enemy assets and involved simulated deep-strike missions by combat aircraft.

In 2004-2005 the IAF conducted joint exercises with the air forces of the US, France and Singapore. While these have contributed to some aspects of training, one of the most significant recent exercises was "Vajra Shakti" in May 2005, when tightly-scripted but nonetheless valuable tactics were practised in support of the army's developing "cold start" doctrine which mirrors Pakistan's "riposte".

Despite the lack of tri-service doctrine and the non-existence of a joint HQ, it appears that efforts are being made to improve joint operations. Exercise 'Garuda II', with 'the French Air Force, was held in France in June 2005, and involved six Su-30s and an Il-78 refueller. Similar operations have been undertaken with the US Air Force, which deployed warplanes to India in 2005.

Recent exercises involving international co-operation have been undertaken with elements of the UK Royal Air Force. In the first, six Tornado F Mk 3 air defence fighters plus a VC10 tanker and an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft deployed to Gwalior in October 2006 for exercise "Indra Dhanush", during which they undertook missions with IAF combat aircraft. This was followed in July 2007 by "Indra Dhanush II", which brought six Su-30MKI fighters and an Il-78 'Midas' tanker to Waddington in the UK for operational training against Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado and Typhoon fighters.

In August 2008, the IAF took part in a 'Red Flag' air exercise mounted from Nellis AFB in the United States, with eight SU-30MKI aircraft, two IL-78 air refuellers and one IL-76 transport. During the air combat exercises, the main radars of the Su-30s were not used. This deployment was extremely expensive and there are questions as to whether another will take place in the near future.

In October 2009 the Indian and US air forces conducted the five-day 'Cope India-09' exercises at Agra, India. The exercised focused on airlift techniques, as well as aero-medical and disaster management procedures. The US Air Force contributed 150 personnel, three C-130Hs and one C-130J, as well as one C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft to the exercises. The Indian Air Force (IAF) fielded one Il-76 and four An-32s, as well as one 'Chetak' (Alouette III) and two Mi-17 helicopters.

Also in October 2009, India conducted its first-ever air exercise with Oman. According to published reports, the 'Eastern Bridge' exercises held at the Royal Air Force of Oman base in Thumrait focused on co-operation between the two countries' fleet of Jaguar aircraft and included drills over mixed desert terrain.

Air Force procurement

Realisation of the size and potential of the IAF procurement market has attracted much attention by western manufacturers, the majority of which were represented at the Aero India exhibition which took place at Bangalore in February 2009.

Most current aircraft are of Russian origin and for the foreseeable future this situation is unlikely to change, at least until entry into service of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the Multi-role Combat Aircraft (which conceivably could be Russian).

It is significant that in May 2007 the US Congress was informed of the possible intention to supply India with six C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft worth USD1.059 billion (which have now been approved, for delivery beginning 2011). The wording of the notification provided an insight to likely US policy in regard to military supplies and co-operation in that "India and the United States are forging an important strategic partnership. The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by providing the Indian government with a credible special operations airlift capability that will deter aggression in the region, provide humanitarian airlift capability and ensure interoperability with US forces in coalition operations".

Indian Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed that joint development programmes with Russia to produce a multirole transport aircraft (MRTA) and a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will be funded equally by New Delhi and Moscow. On 15 March 2010, Antony said agreements to develop the aircraft were signed by governments of the two countries in October and November 2007 respectively. He added that the "percentage share of investment by the Indian side towards development will be 50 per cent each for both aircraft". The development and production of the aircraft would be carried out in both countries. Both platforms are expected to enter service during India's 13th five-year plan period, which commences in 2018. Jane's reported that a contract between the countries to signal the start of work has not yet been signed.

Combat

India and Russia concluded an agreement on 23 December 2008, under which the two countries would co-operate in the development and production of a new fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) for service with the air arms of both countries. Hindustan Aeronautics is prime contractor on the Indian side, with the United Aircraft Corporation representing Russia. Sukhoi is reported to have been engaged in development work on an FGFA for several years, with a first prototype said to already be under construction at Komsomolsk-na-Amur, this being based on the T-50 PAKFA. Delivery of production aircraft is expected to commence in 2014-15, with initial single-seat examples going to Russia's air arm; Indian machines will be in a dual-seat configuration, with delivery to begin about two years later.

Regarding current developments, some five squadrons are understood to have re-equipped or be in the process of receiving the Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter, of which close to 100 had been delivered by early 2009. At one point, it was expected that the original 18 Su-30K aircraft would be refurbished and upgraded to full Su-30MKI standard, but this plan has been abandoned in favour of procurement of an additional 18 Su-30MKIs, raising total procurement of the latter to 230, of which 140 examples will be built under license in India. In conjunction with Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the indigenous Tejas, the Su-30MKI will eventually comprise the backbone of IAF combat capability.

In the meantime the IAF is reportedly seeking 50 additional Su-30MKIs which would form the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the foreseeable future to further enhance its combat potential.


After an extremely protracted development history, the indigenous Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) Tejas LCA appears to be moving closer to entry into service with the IAF. The manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, has handed over three flying prototypes (PV-1, 2 and 3) to the IAF, along with the first of a planned total of eight Limited Series Production machines (LSP-1). LSP-2 was due to be handed over in early 2009, but PV-1 is not expected to undergo further flight tests. Current aircraft have the GE F404-IN20 engine, but it is expected that a choice will be made between the GE's F414 and the Eurojet EJ200 for future test aircraft and for production machines. The initial order will be for 80 powerplants, with an option for a further 80 to be licence-produced in India. It appears that the indigenous Kaveri engine will not be used.

In April 2010, it was revealed that the Tejas will replace the IAF's older fleet of MiG-21 'Fishbed' ground attack fighters, which are now in the process of being phased out of service. Upgraded MiG-21bis fighters will remain in service until at least 2017, but the remaining 80 or so MiG-21s will be phased out by 2012-13 as the Tejas enters service.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's Tejas light combat aircraft is to be fitted with the Rafael Litening AN/AAQ-28 advanced targeting pod according to reports from India. The order is for 20 systems to cover the initial batch of Tejas aircraft set to enter service in 2009-10. Contract value is believed to be in the region of USD30 million.

A Request for Proposals (RfP) was issued on 28 August 2007 for selection of 126 multirole combat aircraft, of which the contenders are Rafale from France, the US F-16 and F/A-18, the Russian MiG-35. Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Given the complexity of offers, the potential problems involved in technology transfer, demands for substantial offset proposals, and bureaucratic inertia in Delhi, it is unlikely that the selection process will be completed before the end of 2010.


MiG-27

In January 2002, the IAF decided to undertake a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) for 40 of its MiG-27M aircraft which will be conducted jointly by HAL, Defense Avionics Research Establishment (DARE (DRDO)) and the IAF. Accordingly, an MoU was signed on 14 March 2002. It was decided to integrate new avionics common to other programmes such as the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, LCA, and MiG-21 upgrade in order to reduce cost and time for integration and maintenance. The HAL Aircraft Upgrade Research & Design Centre (AURDC) at Nasik prepared two prototype aircraft in 2004, of which the first (serial TS640) made its maiden flight on 25 March 2004, followed by the second on 4 November 2004 of the same year. These prototypes were certified in initial operational configuration in 2005 and the first 12 upgraded aircraft were due to be handed over to the IAF in 2006. In August 2007 Indian Defence Minister AK Antony announced that the programme was suffering due to delays in the design and development phase but no details of the extent of the delay were released. Flight tests of a proof-of-concept MiG-27 fitted with a new AL-31F-30S turbofan engine began in January 2008. At the beginning of January 2009, it was announced that all 38 production upgrades (now known as MiG-27UPGs) had been delivered, these serving with two squadrons at Jodhpur.

Previously, in a report to Parliament in April 2008, India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) voiced criticism of the MiG-27 upgrade programme, specifically referring to rising costs and the limited utility of the upgrade work given the service life that remained. Costs had doubled according to reports citing the CAG and only 20 aircraft had been upgraded by that time.

Attack Helicopters

In late May 2009, India's MoD re-issued the request for proposal (RfP) for 22 attack helicopters, estimated at around USD600 million. The RfP was sent to Bell-Textron for its AH-1Z Super Cobra, Boeing for its AH-64 Apache, Eurocopter for the Tiger and Russia's Mil for its Mi-28N.

This second RfP followed the withdrawal in March 2009 of the initial tender after Bell-Textron and Boeing pulled out in December 2008, claiming that the enhanced offset obligation of 50 per cent was "commercially unviable". Both companies also said they preferred the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme route. This was not allowed by the initial RfP, issued in May 2008, which stipulated the participation of only the original equipment manufacturer. This time, however, the modified RfP has reduced the offset obligation to the standard 30 per cent of the contract value and permitted the FMS route to enable Bell-Textron and Boeing to take part in the competition.

MoD officials said that the initial RfP cancellation would delay by at least three years the acquisition of attack helicopters, which are intended to replace an equal number of ageing Soviet-vintage Mi-25s and Mi-35s acquired by the IAF between 1984 and 1990.

The Indian attack helicopter requirement called for 2.5-ton twin-engine aircraft to conduct reconnaissance, escort, air-to-air combat, ground support and anti-tank missions, envisaged as part of the IAF's 'Transformation Process' in accordance with its revised doctrine propagating 'jointmanship' with the two other services.

Light Combat Helicopter

India successfully conducted the first test-flight of its locally designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Bangalore on 29 March 2010, over a year behind schedule and with its excessive weight problem unresolved.

Powered by the Ardiden 1H (Shakti) turboshaft engine - developed jointly by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France's Turbomeca - the LCH's Technology Demonstrator-1 (TD-1) flew for around 15 minutes, performing clockwise and anti-clockwise turns, hovering motionless and circling the airfield several times.

The LCH's excessive weight (580 kg more than the mandated 2.5 tonnes), which would greatly reduce its ordnance-carrying capacity at its required 20,000 ft operational ceiling, was the principal reason behind the aircraft's delayed first test-flight. HAL engineers plan to progressively reduce the LCH's weight by between 345 and 375 kg in the first three technology demonstrators, eventually leaving it some 200 kg heavier than planned: a prospect the IAF has accepted.

"The weight reduction [180-200 kg] that we had targeted for TD-1 has been met. The second prototype, which will make its first flight by September, will be lighter still," HAL Chairman Ashok Nayak said. R Srinivasan, who heads HAL's Helicopter Complex, said TD-2 would be 100 kg lighter, while TD-3 would drop another 65-75 kg.

Meanwhile, HAL expressed confidence in the LCH's performance, claiming that most of its key technologies - the Shakti engine, rotors and gearbox, which have previously been validated aboard the indigenously developed 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) - had functioned well during the test-flight. Production aircraft will also have a glass cockpit designed by the Helicopter Complex's Mission and Combat Systems Research and Development Centre in Bangalore.

The LCH is being developed to perform an anti-tank role, provide close air support to ground forces, for deployment in air-to-air combat, as a battlefield scout and for anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel warfare. Its 700 kg weapon suite will include a 20 mm turret gun from France's Nexter, four 70 mm anti-tank guided missiles supplied by FZ of Belgium and MBDA Mistral 2 air-defence missiles from France. India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation is also developing the Helina anti-tank missile, a derivative of the locally designed Nag (Snake) anti-tank missile with an extended 7 km range, for use by the aircraft.

The LCH is also due to have an array of subsystems such as missile warning receivers, flare and chaff dispensers, helmet pointing systems, datalinks and infrared jammers, many of which also equip the ALH.

The IAF has a requirement for 65 LCHs and the Army Aviation Corps for around 114 aircraft to replace ageing platforms. Military officials said that, if the LCH's development programme did not suffer any more delays, the aircraft would enter service around 2016.

Transport

C-130J-30

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that it expects to receive six Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 transport aircraft from the United States from December 2011. The MoD confirmed in a statement - dated 17 March 2008 - that the Indian government had signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US, adding that the estimated cost of the aircraft was USD962 million.

Under the terms of the deal, originally announced in May 2007, India will also receive four spare Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines; an unspecified number of AN/AAR-47 missile approach warning systems and AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers; as well as a variety of associated equipment. In addition, Lockheed Martin will need to outsource work worth at least 30 per cent of the value of the deal - or about USD300 million - to Indian defence companies in order to comply with India's offset policy.

US-based thermal-imaging specialist FLIR Systems has been awarded a USD7.2 million contract to equip the C-130Js with infrared multi-sensor surveillance systems, it was announced on 5 August 2009. The contracts, under the Foreign Military Sale framework, includes FLIR System's Star SAFIRE(R) III surveillance system, training and related services. Work will be performed at FLIR's facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011.

C-17 Globemaster III

In April 2010, India formally requested the sale of 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from the US government, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) confirmed.

The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is valued at USD5.8 billion and would include 45 Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines (40 installed and five spare), 10 AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensing systems, 10 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems, crew armour, personnel training and other ancillary hardware and support.

If approved by Washington, it would be India's biggest ever deal with the United States, surpassing the USD2.1 billion procurement of eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA) in January 2009 and the USD962 million acquisition of six Lockheed Martin-built C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft in March 2008. It would also make the IAF the second largest user of the C-17 after the US Air Force

The high-wing, T-tailed C-17 can carry large equipment including tanks, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain during day or night. It is operated with a two-man crew and one loadmaster and can seat two observers. It can also double as an aerial ambulance. The IAF is seeking to acquire the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76MDs, which entered service in 1985.

Medium-Lift Helicopters

Although India is acquiring six Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, this is likely to be only a mid-term solution to the need to update existing airlift resources. To satisfy this requirement, India had been pursuing the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) medium-lift helicopter project from 2001. In January 2007, the governments of India and Russia had formally signed a letter of intent covering a joint effort to develop and manufacture the MTA for service with the air arms of both countries, with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) partnering with Russia's Ilyushin Design Bureau in the USD600 million project.

However, in June 2009 the programme was cancelled after India changed the requirements of the helicopter. A tender will be automatically reissued at a later date under Indian procurement rules.

In March 2010 Jane's reported that the IAF had signed a EUR560 million (USD765 million) contract for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 medium-lift helicopters to transport VIPs.

The AW101, formerly known as the EH101, will replace Russian Mil Mi-8 'Hip' helicopters at the IAF's VIP squadron at Palam Airport on the outskirts of New Delhi. Official sources said the deal, which was delayed by over a year following objections from the federal finance ministry over the cost, requires the first two helicopters to be delivered within 24 months and the remaining 10 within the next year.

Eight of the AW101s will be utilised for VIP transportation, with a maximum load of 10 passengers each. The remaining four helicopters will ferry Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos as escorts and carry up to 30 passengers. The contract includes a five-year logistic support service and initial aircrew and technician training. The AW101's ability to operate at heights between about 14,500 ft to 18,000 ft was reportedly one of the decisive factors in securing the contract

Global tenders for the medium-lift helicopters were dispatched in September 2006 to Sikorsky for its S-92 and S-76, AgustaWestland and Kamov of Russia, which was eventually disqualified.

Heavy-Lift Helicopters

A RfP for 15 heavy-lift helicopters to replace the IAF's Mi-26 fleet was issued to Boeing for the Chinook CH-47, to Sikorsky for the CH-53 Sea Stallion and to Russia for the latest version of the Mi-26. IAF officials conceded that it would take at least three or four years for either contract to be inked, with deliveries beginning 24-36 months thereafter. The RfP was one of two RfPs issued in late May 2009, valued at a combined USD1.3 billion, to overseas vendors. The other RfP was for 22 attack helicopters.

Military A330 Multirole Tanker Transports

Boeing received an RfI in January 2010 from the Indian MoD with a view to meeting the air force's re-tendered requirement to procure six multirole tanker transports (MRTTs). Earlier that month the MoD cancelled a tender for the MRTTs, for which the Airbus Military A330 MRTT was the preferred choice, due to concerns over the competitiveness of the programme and its associated costs. As well as Boeing, the RfI is likely to have been despatched to EADS subsidiary Airbus and Russia's Ilyushin. The latter's Il-78 was also shortlisted under the original tender.

The new tankers are required to augment the IAF's existing fleet of six Il-78s that were purchased in 2004 for USD177 million.

Airlift

In July 2008 it was reported that Alenia Aeronautica is negotiating a marketing and industrial co-operation agreement with India's Tata to promote the possible sale of the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft to India. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding that will be converted into a contract if negotiations prove successful.

India is to purchase 80 Mi-17V-5s from Russia to replace the Mi-8 'Hip' fleet between 2010 and 2014 at a cost of around USD1 billion, including spares and weaponry. In August 2008 the then IAF chief said preparations for signing the contract were in their final stages; this was finally concluded in December 2008 and included offset obligations valued at around USD400 million.

Light Transport Aircraft

Between 2007 and 2010 the Indian Air Force placed contracts for 12 Dornier Do-228 light transport aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). All 12 are due to be delivered by the end of 2011.

Utility

Light Helicopters

The IAF is to buy 54 locally designed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) for INR140 billion (USD3.56 billion) following clearance in December 2007 by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Deliveries are to be completed by 2013-14. In February 2008 the then air force chief stated that the IAF would "shortly" float tenders to acquire two squadrons of attack helicopters and one squadron of heavy lift helicopters. At the same time, he also said that tenders for replacement of the army and air force's Chetak and Cheetah fleet were soon to be made official and would involve procurement of 317 multi-role light helicopters: 197 for the army, with the remainder going to the air force. Two months later, in April 2008, it was announced that a decision had been made to issue a Request for Proposals for 384 light helicopters, comprising 259 for the army and 125 for the air force.

Light Observation Helicopters

The first round of winter trials in support of the Indian military's long pending requirement for 197 light observation helicopters (LOHs) estimated at around USD750 million, concluded in February 2010.

Official sources said the three rival helicopters - AgustaWestland's AW119 Koala, Eurocopter's AS 550 Fennec, and Russia's Kamov Ka-26 - took part in the trials at Bhatinda in northern Punjab state and at Leh in northern Kashmir province: locations where the majority of the platforms would eventually be deployed.

The 197 LOHs - 133 for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and 64 for the IAF - would replace the AACs ageing Chetak (Alouette III) and Cheetah (SA 315B Lama) fleet. The contenders for the contest are due to undergo a second round of testing in June at the same locations before a selection is made and price negotiations opened.

AAC sources said all three competing models had performed "well" but maintained that, even under the most 'optimistic' circumstances, they did not envisage the helicopters would begin arriving before 2014-15 at the earliest.

The tender for the 197 helicopters, despatched in July 2008, followed the December 2007 cancellation of the Ministry of Defence's USD650-600 million order for Eurocopter AS 550C3 Fennec LoHs because of 'discrepancies' in the evaluation process.

Flight-testing for the LOHs originally scheduled for mid-2009 was delayed pending clearance from the MoD's Technical Oversight Committee instituted following a reported 'mismatch' between the stipulated qualitative requirements mandated in the tender and the declared capability of the rival platforms.

C4ISR

Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems

The IAF took delivery of the first of three Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in late May 2009. The aircraft - Ilyushin IL-76s upgraded with Phalcon AEW&C radar and mission systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - was formally inducted into the IAF during a ceremony at Palam Airport in New Delhi. The second has been delivered and the third is due to be delivered by December 2010.

The IAF will operate these aircraft from Agra airbase in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh under Central Air Command. Three crews of four plus 100 ground personnel have been in the United States training how to operate and support the aircraft and its systems.

The Phalcon's arrival makes India the only country in the region with an 'eye in the sky' capability, giving it a substantial edge over neighbours Pakistan and China, both of which are in the process of acquiring a similar capability. The Phalcon provides the Indian military an airborne network-centric battle management platform in addition to its basic early warning function. It will enable the IAF to effectively track up to 50-60 airborne targets including fighters and missiles over a 400-500 km range.

The agreement was signed after the US told Pakistan in May 2003 that it would not seek to prevent Israel from selling the Phalcon suite to India. Under the terms of the contract, Israel was to acquire the aircraft from Uzbekistan and send them to Russia for refurbishing at Taganrog, with this process including installation of new Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 turbofan engines, offering commonality with India's IL-78MKI 'Midas' aerial tankers. Following refurbishment, the aircraft were then to be sent to Israel for installation and integration of the Phalcon suite by IAI. The first complete system was initially expected to be delivered to India in early 2008, with finalisation of the contract anticipated by 2010. However, in November 2007, official sources advised Jane's that the timetable had been pushed back and that IAI would be delayed in fitting the Phalcon system, which is an L-band active phased-array radar mounted in a stationary radome developed by Raytheon Airborne Systems.

Despite these difficulties, in April 2008, the air force indicated its interest in obtaining a further three Phalcon aircraft, with an estimated in service date of 2012.

At the Aero India exhibition in February 2007, it was revealed that the IAF was planning to purchase two Embraer EMB-145 AWACS aircraft to augment the Phalcon system.

On 3 July 2008 Brazil's Embraer signed a deal with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to supply modified EMB-145 aircraft to carry India's indigenously developed AWACS - the Active Array Antenna Unit (AAAU). This system will be installed on three EMB-145s, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2011. According to the MoD, the DRDO and Indian Air Force are scheduled to flight test the modified EMB-145 - with the AWACS installed - from 2012.

Embraer and the DRDO work on AWACS integration began as early as 2005 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Aero India in February of that year. India's INR18 billion (USD400 million) AWACS project was approved in September 2004 for completion by 2011.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

In April 2010 Jane's reported that India's two largest state-owned defence groups, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), have been selected by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to assist in the development of a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The initial stage of the development programme is worth around INR4 billion (USD90 million).

Under the programme, named Rustom, BEL and HAL will partner the MoD's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to provide the UAV to all three Indian armed forces over the next decade. According to the DRDO, the Rustom MALE UAV will measure 20 m in diameter and weigh 1.8 tons. It will have a maximum speed of 225 km/h, a payload of 350 kg and will operate at an altitude of 30,000 ft. Its endurance is 24 hours.

Air Defence

India signed a contract with Rafael for the supply of an undisclosed number of Spyder surface-to-air missile systems in September 2008. Indian press reports predict an order for 18 systems due to be delivered between early 2011 and August 2012, with no requirements for the transfer of technology. Jane's reports from December 2007 indicate India was planning to buy the MR variant fitted with solid-propellant rocket boosters.

Radar Systems

Thales Air Systems is to deliver 19 Ground Smarter 100 radar systems to the IAF, the company announced at the Dubai Air Show in Novermber 2009. The IAF will use the mobile radar system to perform low-altitude target tracking. The radar system will be mounted on locally built trucks. Although the company would not confirm the in-service date for the Ground Smarter 100 or the value of the contract, it did state that it expects the radar to be operational within the next five years.

With a range of up to 180 km, the Ground Smarter 100 is a 2-D system that can track low-altitude targets performing complex manoeuvres. Thales plans to build six of the radars at its factory in Limours, located southwest of Paris. The balance of 13 systems will be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under a technology transfer agreement between the two companies. The company won the contract following a prolonged bidding process in which Elta Systems and Selex Galileo also submitted systems.

Barak

In April 2009 the Indian government announced it had signed a USD1.4 billion contract for the development and procurement of a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) system based on Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI's) Barak long-range naval air-defence system. Under the contract, IAI will develop jointly with the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) an air-defence system capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft, cruise missiles and surface-to-surface rockets at a range of 70-80 km.

The project will provide the Indian Air Force with nine air-defence squadrons, each equipped with two Barak MR-SAM firing units. Each of the units will consist of a fire control centre, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar and three launchers with eight missiles each. According to IAI, the deliveries will be conducted within 90 months of receiving the advance payment.

The first flight test of the Barak MR-SAM is expected in three years, with initial operational capability scheduled for 2013. The system is intended to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing Russian-made S-135 Pechora-1 (SA-3) air-defence systems. "While initially considering the Russian S-300 and Raytheon's Patriot Advanced Capability 3 [PAC-3] systems, India opted to develop its own system," said a source close to deal. "The Barak MR-SAM radar system will have significantly better capabilities than the PAC-3 radar, while the Barak interceptor has similar capabilities to the Patriot," the source told Jane's. The procurement could signal the termination of two indigenous Indian SAM programmes: the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) ballistic missile interceptor design programme and the Akash MR-SAM system.

The contract - Israel's largest export deal - was initially approved by the Indian Cabinet in July 2007, but corruption allegations relating to the INR11.25 billion (USD21.9 million) acquisition of seven IAI Barak-1 area air-defence missile systems for the Indian Navy in 2000 delayed the final signature until 27 February 2009.

Indian military sources said the DRDO would receive around 30 per cent of the total contract value, which it would use to develop the MR-SAM's rear frame, booster and various other associated components and subsystems. Indian company Nova Integrated Systems has been designated the overall missile system integrator for delivery to the Indian Air Force by 2012-13. Official sources indicated that the involvement of Nova, a USD50 million joint venture between IAI and Tata (one of India's largest industrial houses and emerging private defence contractors), would be used to meet the 30 per cent offset obligation mandatory for all Indian defence contracts over INR3 billion. Nova, 24 per cent of which is owned by IAI and 76 per cent by Tata Advanced Systems (in keeping with India's foreign direct investment policy in defence-related industries), is also to provide after-sales support to the MR-SAM system for around 22 years under contract, Indian military sources disclosed.

Rohini

In August 2008 Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) handed over the first 'Rohini' Multifunction Medium Range Surveillance Radar to the IAF. The system is mounted on a Tetra truck built by Bharat Earth Movers Limited and is said to be able to track multiple targets at a range of 170 km and altitude of 15 km. It has an integrated IFF system and ECCM, including jammer analysis. BEL stated that some 100 will be built and that the army has conducted missile detection trials of a variant.

India's Comptroller and Auditor General observed in a report in September 2008 that "Shortage of medium power radars needed for ground control and intercept was as high as 53 per cent of the projected requirement. IAF's holding of low-level transportable radars, which are assigned the role of providing early warning, was merely 24 per cent of the actual requirement of the IAF."

Missiles & Weapons Systems

In March 2010, the Indian MoD cleared a INR116 billion (USD2.57 billion) proposal to induct the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly with Russia, into the IAF to augment its firepower. Officials said the agreement with BrahMos Aerospace includes the development of a smaller version of the weapon for integration onto the IAF's Su-30MKI multirole fighters.

Official sources said the IAF is initially expected to equip one squadron with the BrahMos Block II: the advanced version of the missile fitted with a terminal guidance system that renders it capable of striking specific targets in a clustered environment. Military planners said inducting the 8.4 m-long, air-breathing BrahMos - which weighs 3.9 tonnes and is capable of carrying a 250-300 kg conventional warhead to a range of 290 km - will allow the IAF to strike targets such as enemy radar installations without endangering its combat aircraft.

The missile, which flies at an optimum speed of Mach 2.8, has performed well under a rigorous testing programme and is already in service with the Indian Army and deployed aboard Indian Navy warships.

Trainer

After a 21-year wait, in September 2003 India finally completed negotiations concerning the purchase of 66 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) from Britain for USD1.65 billion. The contract stipulated that twenty-four aircraft be manufactured by BAE Systems in the UK and delivered to the IAF in flyaway condition, with the remaining 42 Hawks built under license by state-owned subcontractor Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, southern India. All 66 Hawks - which will bridge the gap between the more basic, locally built HPT-32 and Kiran trainers and supersonic combat aircraft - were originally scheduled to be operational by 2011. Moreover, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Hawk was signed in March 2004 confirming India's right to use the aircraft in any configuration it wishes without being penalised by withdrawal of support or spares. This, for example, permits employment as a combat aircraft in time of conflict, should the need arise.

Delivery began in late 2007 and the IAF formally inducted the first eight aircraft into service on 23 February 2008 at its Flying Training Establishment (FTE) at Bidar, southern India. Subsequently, one of the ten aircraft delivered crashed after taking off from the Bidar base on 29 April 2008, with the air force claiming that some parts were "rusted and appeared old and used". An examination did not appear to bear out the assertion; nevertheless, further deliveries of the UK-manufactured aircraft were delayed while a number of small technical issues relating to the aircraft already delivered were resolved. This dually delayed the start of license-production by HAL.

By April 2010, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said HAL had manufactured 12 aircraft, "three in the year 2008-2009 and nine in the year 2009-2010, including the first aircraft from [the] raw material phase." However, the minister said that HAL had found "various shortcomings" with the equipment supplied by BAE Systems upon commencement of production of the aircraft. Raju said: "The assembly jigs that were supplied did not meet the requirements; there was mismatch in the kits/components supplied; there were defects in major assemblies like the wing spar, etc. These problems took time to overcome and hence affected the production schedule at HAL."

Jane's understands that the Indian government demanded USD10 million in compensation from BAE Systems in 2009 but that the claim was rejected by the company because it believed that the requirements of the contract had been met. However, despite Minister Raju's April 2010 statements, the compensation claim has not been revived.

The IAF has spent INR1.20 billion (USD30 million) to prepare FTE Bidar for the Hawk by extending its two runways to 9,000 ft (2,745 m) and equipping them with an upgraded air traffic control system, additional hangars and armament and simulator complexes.

Furthermore, India's Ministry of Defence is in advanced negotiations for an additional 57 Hawk 132s: 40 for the IAF and 17 for the navy, but plans received a setback in July 2008 when the manufacturer, BAE Systems, was reported to have raised the aircraft's cost. Industry sources told Jane's in July 2008 that BAE Systems had quoted INR1 billion (USD23.2 million) for each of the new batch of Hawks, which would be built locally under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. In 2004, when HAL signed the original USD1 billion deal for 66 Hawks, the Indian MoD reserved the option to buy 33 more Hawks at the same price within a 12-month period. However, official sources said that as the 12-month deadline was long past, the 2004 price was no longer applicable. A BAE Systems spokesman told Jane's "Bidding elements to HAL, which is responsible for the bid to the government of India, cannot debate pricing in public. We can say, however, that our pricing properly reflects the effects of inflation, especially raw materials, since 2004." IAF headquarters in Delhi said it was not aware of the price change as all such matters are dealt with by the MoD, which declined to comment.

A requirement also exists for nearly 200 examples of the indigenous HAL HJT-36 Sitara, which made its first flight in March 2003, but which suffered a setback in February 2007 when the first prototype was badly damaged in an accident at Aero India 2007. Procurement has begun, with the initial batch consisting of a dozen Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft. These will be followed by 16 more examples that were the subject of a contract announcement made in February 2003. At present, the IAF anticipates receiving 187 HJT-36s, this quantity including 12 to be operated by the Surya Kiran formation aerobatic display team.

Modernisation

MiG-29

Following the issue of an RfP in early 2006 concerning the upgrade of its fleet of MiG-29 'Fulcrum' multirole fighter aircraft, it was revealed in March 2008 that Russian Aircraft Corporation RAC MiG and the Indian government had signed a contract worth USD850 million. Under this, it is planned to refurbish and modernise 57 single-seat MiG-29s as well as seven two-seat MiG-29UBs, thus extending their service life by between 15 and 20 years. The programme includes replacement of the existing N019 pulse-Doppler radar with the Phazotron Zhuk-ME radar and installation of an upgraded weapons suite, provision of air-to-air refuelling capability and new avionics. Thales will also provide an identification friend or foe (IFF1) Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM) for installation on the aircraft and will enable the aircraft to be interoperable with Western military aircraft and avoid any 'friendly fire' incidents. A total of six aircraft (four MiG-29s and two MiG-29UBs) will be returned to Russia for upgrading and trials, with the remainder to be modernised by the IAF's 11th Base Repair Depot at Ojhar in a programme extending to 2014, according to a statement by the defence minister in August 2008.

This repair scheme is also intended to resolve the tendency for the MiG-29s to develop cracks in their tail fins, a problem publicly confirmed in July 2009. This tendency underpinned the IAF's decision in March 2009 to ground its entire fleet of 67 MiG-29B/S fighters and MiG-29UB trainers, following the grounding of around 300 MiG-29s by the Russian Air Force. Moscow grounded the aircraft after two Russian MiG-29s crashed in Siberia in October and December 2008 as a result of tail fin corrosion.

Assault Helicopter

In May 2007 the then Indian Air Chief Marshall Fali Homi Major reportedly spoke of plans to upgrade the existing Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-17-1V tactical assault helicopter fleet to enable them to conduct operations in all weather conditions and at night. This would clearly deliver the Indian Armed Forces a considerable capability boost. The IAF currently operates 180-200 aircraft across the three variants. The upgrade would reportedly include night vision equipment, all-weather radars and displays. A limited number of aircraft will also be fitted with rocket pods, radar warning and missile warning receivers and electro-optic targeting systems. Other systems are expected to be added as the upgrade programme progresses. Dates have been estimated based on an upgrade rate of 36 aircraft per year which has been reported. HAL will perform the majority of the work with nine prototypes being constructed in Russia.

Jaguar

The IAF will integrate the Raytheon Munitions Control Unit (MCU) onto its Sepecat Jaguar IS and IM strike aircraft as part of its wider upgrade of the fleet. According to a company spokesperson, Raytheon held technical meetings with the IAF to upgrade about 120 aircraft, "although the final number is not yet fully defined". The plan is for one MCU per aircraft, although this has yet to be formally determined; a single MCU mounted in an avionics bay is capable of simultaneously controlling four air-to-ground and two air-to-air weapons. The upgrade of the aircraft will not begin until the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract has been finalised with the Indian government. This upgrade is part of a larger effort by the IAF to modernise its Jaguar fleet to bring the aircraft's avionics systems and weapons fit more into line with its Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft.

The MCU is a line-replaceable unit that enables legacy aircraft to integrate smart weaponry such as the AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), EGBU Enhanced Paveway II/IV laser-guided bomb, AGM-65 Maverick laser-guided air-to-surface missile, and the AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile. A self-contained stores management system, the MCU has a non-intrusive fit and allows the weapon system to feed information back to the cockpit. An additional benefit is that there is no need to access the original manufacturer's software or source codes. The integration and testing work will be done in India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Flight testing will take place over a six-month period and work is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

In addition to the MCU, the IAF Jaguar fleet (which first entered service in 1979) will have its short-range air-to-air missile capability upgraded while a replacement for the out-of-production MBDA Matra BAE R550 Magic 1 is sought. MBDA and Raytheon are looking to fulfil this requirement with the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder respectively. The IAF has a long-running study to upgrade the Jaguar's HAL-built Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 811 turbofan engines; Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems are offering an improved Adour, the Mk 951, to meet this requirement, while Honeywell is offering its F125IN engine. Other planned upgrades include: new composite materials to reduce the aircraft's radar cross section (RCS); a new brake parachute; carbon brakes; Full-Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC); and new ejector seats to replace the incumbent Martin-Baker 9B Mk II seats.

An-32

The Indian government confirmed in July 2009 that it had signed a USD398 million contract with Ukrspetsexport, the Ukrainian state defence export agency, to upgrade the IAF's fleet of Antonov An-32 'Cline' transport aircraft. Defence Minister A K Antony said in parliament that the deal, which he said was signed in June 2009, will see the life of the IAF's An-32s enhanced from 25 to 40 years, with the programme scheduled for completion by 2017. About 100 An-32s remain in service with the IAF, having been in service with India from 1984.

It was reported on 18 January 2010 that the IAF had signed a USD110 million contract with Ukraine's Motor-Sich to upgrade the engines on its turboprop Antonov An-32 aircraft. The contract with Motor-Sich, which was signed in late December 2009, is set to last three years and will see 100 ZMKB Progress/Ivchenko AI-20D Series 5M turboprops upgraded (two per aircraft). Work will begin at the end of 2010. This contract covers only about half of the IAF's An-32 fleet; it is not known whether a follow-on contract for the remaining aircraft will be awarded.

Equipment in service

Fixed Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' MiG Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 70 57 1986
Mirage 2000H Dassault Fighter - Interceptor / Air Defence 46 38 1985
MiG-27M 'Flogger-J' MiG Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 165 97 1985
Jaguar IS SEPECAT Fighter - Ground Attack / Strike 125 90 1979
Jaguar IM SEPECAT Fighter - Maritime Attack 14 10 1986
Su-30MKI Sukhoi Fighter - Multirole 2301 78 2002
MiG-21I (MiG-21bis-UPG) MiG Fighter - Multirole 125 1202 1999
MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L/M' MiG Fighter - Multirole 303 50 1977
MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 161 803 1973
MiG-21MF 'Fishbed-J' MiG Fighter - Multirole 38 n/a3, 4 1973
748M HAL/Avro Transport 67 40 1964
An-32 'Cline' Antonov Transport 118 100 1984
Il-76MD 'Candid' Ilyushin Transport 17 17 1985
DO-228 HAL/Dornier Transport 29 25 1987
EMB-135BJ Legacy Embraer Transport 4 4 2005
BBJ (737) Boeing VIP / Transport 3 3 2008
Il-78MKI 'Midas' Ilyushin Tanker / Transport 12 6 2003
Phalcon AEW&C Ilyushin / IAI Airborne Early Warning and Control 3 2 2009
737-2A8 Boeing Electronic Intelligence 6 3 1984
B707-337C Boeing Electronic Intelligence 2 1 1987
Hawk Mk 132 BAE Systems Trainer 66 365 2007
HPT-32 Deepak HAL Trainer 142 79 1985
HJT-16 Kiran I/IA/II HAL Trainer 250 130 1968
MiG-21U/UM 'Mongol' MiG Trainer 140 60 1966
MiG-23UB 'Flogger-C' MiG Trainer 40 20 1980
MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' MiG Trainer 10 7 1986
Jaguar IB SEPECAT Trainer 32 27 1979
Mirage 2000TH Dassault Trainer 13 11 1985
CH 701 STOL CZAW (Zenith) Glider 856 83 2000
HK 36TC Super Dimona Diamond Glider 12 12 2000

Notes:
Delivery in progress; total includes 140 Su-30MKIs being assembled in India by 2015.
MiG-21bis upgraded to MiG-21-93 standard with new radar, avionics and weapon systems. Further 50 conversions may follow.
Being phased out of service.
Included in total quoted for MiG-21M 'Fishbed-J'.
Delivery in progress.
Assigned to National Cadet Corps.


Rotary Wing

Type Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service First Delivery
Mi-25 'Hind-D' Mil Attack 12 8 1984
Mi-35 'Hind-E' Mil Attack 20 15 1990
Dhruv HAL Attack 150 30 2001
Mi-8 'Hip' Mil Assault 150 64 1971
Mi-17 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 100 78 1984
Mi-17-1V 'Hip-H' Mil Assault 120 74 2001
Mi-26 'Halo' Mil Transport 10 8 1986
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Observation n/a 25 1965
HSA 316B Chetak HAL Trainer n/a 10 1965
HSA 315B Cheetah HAL Trainer n/a 10 1973

Missiles

Type Manufacturer Role
R 550 Magic 1 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
R 550 Magic 2 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
Super 530 Matra BAE Air-to-Air
AA-2-2 Improved 'Atoll' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-7 'Apex' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-8 'Aphid' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-10 'Alamo' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-11 'Archer' Vympel Air-to-Air
AA-12 'Adder' Vympel Air-to-Air
Sea Eagle Matra BAE Anti-Ship Attack
AM 39 Exocet Aerospatiale Matra Anti-Ship Attack
AT-2 'Swatter' Nudelman Anti-Armour
AT-3 'Sagger' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AT-6 'Spiral' Kolomna Anti-Armour
AS 30 Aerospatiale Matra Air-to-Surface
AS-7 'Kerry' Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-25MP (AS-12 'Kegler') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-29L (AS-14 'Kedge') Vympel Air-to-Surface
Kh-31A (AS-17 'Krypton') Zvezda Air-to-Surface
Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt') Raduga Air-to-Surface
Kh-59M (AS-18 'Kazoo') Raduga Air-to-Surface
The 350 km range SS-350 version of the Prithvi SSM is operated by the IAF, apparently independently of the Indian Army Prithvi missile groups.

UPDATED - April-2010

gratz at PDF's one of largest post lol.

 

[below_freezing]

is it not scary that every single tiny detail of your air force is mapped out?

 

[EjazR]

^^^That's how an open society works.

We may compromise on security but not on transparency! hehe