🇮🇳 Indian Air Force News & Updates (1 Viewer)

[Old School]

A domestically made fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Tuesday in the western state of Rajasthan, the first such incident since the jet was inducted nearly eight years ago.
The pilot ejected safely, the air force said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been pushing for local manufacturing as India seeks to shed its reputation as one of the world's biggest importers of defence equipment.

The light combat jet, called Tejas, meaning flame or brilliance in Sanskrit, was inducted into the force in 2016 after a long wait in India's efforts to modernise its largely Soviet-era fleet.
Tuesday's crash breaks the jet's safety record since its first test flight more than two decades ago, an air force officer told Reuters.
Modi set out big ambitions last year to more than triple the value of annual defence exports to $5 billion by 2025 from 2023 levels and his government has been making diplomatic efforts to export the Tejas.

The Indian government in 2021 gave a $6 billion contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HIAE.NS), opens new tab for 83 Tejas jets.
The Tejas has been beset by design and other challenges, and was once rejected by the Indian Navy as too heavy.

 

[4MikeEcho]

Thats a pretty good track record given the trial and tribulations of this airplane. May be they fly this like an airliner and only cruise.

Tejas made it to the Bahrain air show last year, so in a few years they can get to Dubai

 

[Old School]

May be they fly this like an airliner and only cruise.

It will be easier to assess Tejas when it completes enough head-to-head exercises or real encounters against modern fighters from other countries.

 

[Lulldapull]

First indications of a compressor or turbine blade failure......supa doopa GE-404 engine bhai.......lol....whole tail end was on fire.

 

[Old School]

First indications of a compressor or turbine blade failure......supa doopa GE-404 engine bhai.......lol....whole tail end was on fire.

Engine design is very difficult to achieve, unlike some software codes. lol

 

[Lulldapull]

Engine design is very difficult to achieve, unlike some software codes. lol

Look at da vidz yaar.....whole tail end an inferno. That is a sure shot indication of a turbine/ compressor blades catastrophic failure. when that blade fractures, it shears 360 in its radial/ outward path.......everything gets torn to pieces. All the fuel/ hydraulic lines, valves and da engine casing......Humreeka da GE-404 dhamaka engine.....lol.......To be very honest, I think most of these fighter jets are on borrowed time. Why on earth develop something that's $20 or $30 million a pop when only ten Shahid or Karrar drones goin do what that Tejas jet does over its 25 year lifespan? And not only dat you put a foolish indian in da cockpit and spend quarter million training him?.....lol......Just watch in a decade or two down da road.....all this manned weapon driver business is goin end with da massive proliferation of AI. I just hope our PAF develops very strong relations wid the Chinese, Irani's and Russians, cuz all three pioneering AI unmanned aerial platforms much faster than da western world today. Its just a winning ticket and yous can just sus it and believe the future......Our F-sola are junk too and we know it. And no kidding the Irani refuse to buy Su-35 or Su-75 or J-35. We know now as to why.

 

[Old School]

Synopsis
The Indian Army has established a squadron for Apache attack helicopters at Jodhpur ahead of the delivery of six choppers from the US, with the first batch expected in May. The IAF has already inducted 22 Apaches, and the Army will receive six under separate deals. The Apaches, armed with advanced weaponry, are crucial for providing combat aviation cover for the Army's 'strike corps'. Additionally, plans are underway to induct 156 indigenous Prachand light combat helicopters in the future, further enhancing India's aerial capabilities.
In preparation for the delivery of six Apache attack helicopters from the US starting in May, the Indian Army has established a squadron for these heavy-duty choppers at Jodhpur along the western front with Pakistan. The squadron was raised in the presence of Army Aviation’s director general Lt-General Ajay Suri and other officials. According to an officer, the delivery, initially scheduled to begin in February, has been slightly delayed, with the first three Apaches now expected in May.

“The delivery was to commence from February, but it has been slightly delayed. The first three Apaches will now come in May,” an officer said in a TOI.

Progress in Apache Helicopter Acquisition
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already inducted 22 Boeing-manufactured Apache helicopters under a Rs 13,952 crore deal signed with the US in September 2015. The Army, under a separate Rs 5,691 crore deal inked in February 2020, will receive six choppers.

Capabilities of Apache Helicopters
The Apache helicopters, often referred to as "tanks in the air," are equipped with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns, and rockets. They are primarily intended to provide integrated combat aviation cover for the 'strike corps' of the Army.


Future Plans for Helicopter Induction
Both the Army and the IAF are set to induct 156 indigenous Prachand light combat helicopters in the coming years. These helicopters are capable of offensive operations in high-altitude areas such as the Siachen Glacier and eastern Ladakh. Fifteen such choppers (10 IAF and 5 Army) have already been inducted under the first Rs 3,887 crore contract for them.

Special features of the Apache Helicopters

The Apache AH-64E is recognized as the world's most advanced combat helicopter, featuring an advanced night vision system and the capability to arm missiles that can strike 138 targets in a minute. With a maximum speed of 280 km/h, this helicopter is a formidable force in the sky.

Equipped with AGM 114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles and Stinger missiles, the Apache AH-64E is prepared to handle both ground and aerial threats. The Hellfire missiles are particularly effective against armored vehicles like tanks and BMPs, while the Stinger missiles are designed to neutralize airborne threats. Additionally, the helicopter is armed with Hydra-70 unguided missiles, which can effectively target ground-based threats.

 

[Old School]

SUMMARY​

• The MiG-21 first flew in 1955 and was retired in 1985 by the Soviet Air Force.
• The MiG-21 has a history of mechanical issues and crashes, earning it the nickname "flying coffin."
• India's MiG-21 fleet is set to be fully retired by 2025 after 60 years of service.

The MiG-21 is one of the most recognizable early Cold War fighter aircraft, and despite their age, some still remain in service with the Indian Air Force. But not for much longer. In 2025, the last of the Indian MiG-21s are slated to retire, bringing to a close a long and troubled history of the MiG-21 in Indian Air Force service.

 

[Old School]

India Approves Full Development Of Fifth-Generation Fighter​

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has given a green light to continue development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet.

The state-run Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. are leading this development effort. The committee early this month granted the project 150 trillion rupees (U.S. $1.8 billion) to fund the twin-engine AMCA’s full-scale design and development, flight testing and certification.

Krishna Rajendra, AMCA project director at the Aeronautical Development Agency, said five prototypes are expected. He also confirmed the fighter’s maiden flight should occur before the end of 2028.

The Indian Air Force previously said it would like seven squadrons of these stealthy fighters. Although the government has not formally stated when AMCA will commence series production, Indian media are quoting a date of 2035.

K.P Sanjeev Kumar, a former Indian naval aviation test pilot and aviation commentator, told Defense News “an optimistic and realistic timeframe for final operational clearance would be 2040 or beyond.” Final operational clearance refers to an aircraft attaining its full capabilities so it is ready for service.

The Air Force’s first two AMCA squadrons will receive Mk-1 aircraft, powered by General Electric F414 engines that produce 22,000 pounds of thrust.

Later, the next five squadrons will receive the AMCA Mk-2, with bigger engines producing nearer 25,000 pounds of thrust for a supersonic cruising capability. The new engine with thrust vector control will be co-developed with a foreign partner.

Development of the AMCA commenced in 2008, and its design was finalized in 2022. Last December, it successfully passed a platform-level critical design review.

This is India’s second domestic fighter program. However, the preceding Tejas fighter’s maiden flight occurred in 2001, and the first Tejas entered an operational squadron 15 years later — suggesting AMCA’s timeline may shift. India also suffered a costly failure when it attempted to develop the Kaveri engine for the Tejas light fighter.

 

[Old School]

New Delhi to acquire domestically produced Tejas jets worth $7.8 billion

The Indian Ministry of Defense is planning to acquire 97 fighter jets from state-owned aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), ANI news agency reported on Friday. The deal is worth an estimated 650 billion rupees ($7.8 billion) and would be the largest purchase of domestically produced warplaces by the Indian military.

The procurement of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk 1A fighter aircraft is part of an ongoing effort to replace the current fleet of MiG fighter jets, which were procured over a number of decades from the USSR and Russia.

It would be HAL's second contract for Tejas after an initial batch of 83 domestically manufactured jets was procured in 2021 under a contract valued at 480 billion rupees ($6 billion).

India's indigenous fighter aircraft program is expected to be a major catalyst for promoting domestic manufacturing, and will offer business opportunities to small and medium enterprises under New Delhi's updated policy aiming to attract private companies to the defense sector.

New Delhi to acquire domestically produced jets worth $7.8 billion

The Indian military is seeking to purchase 97 Tejas fighter jets, which are manufactured by state-owned HAL

www.rt.com

 

[4MikeEcho]

This is typical India. For a decade telling the world on 126 aircraft MRCA and all sort of fly offs against different suppliers and all but ultimately the beggars are going to fly their own airplane . All those mostly European companies bending over backwards thinking India will do something with the same efficiency they run a bad call center learned the lesson. At the end even Lockheed came with an update F-16. But India destiny was always Tejas. I hope from here on India is Tejas all the way

 

[Old School]

They are paying off some BJP affiliated businesses from the public funds for their contribution to the BJP party fund in the name of make in India. We see the same practice in the Pentagon defense contracts.

 

[Old School]

Indian Air Force's oldest pilot Dalip Singh Majithia passes away at 103

Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia's cremation will be held today at noon at his farm in Uttarakhand. He joined the Indian Air Force volunteer reserve in 1940 during World War-II. Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia was the oldest living pilot of the Indian Air Force.
Indian Air Force's oldest pilot Dalip Singh Majithia passes away at 103 | Chandigarh News - The Indian Express