Air Force Equipment
As of 2000, the Indian Air Force was equipped with twenty-two squadrons of ground attack fighters. Five of these squadrons have over eighty British Jaguar aircraft. Another five squadrons have over 130 Soviet-origin MiG-27 aircraft. The air force also fields twenty fighter squadrons, two of which are equipped with a about 40 French-built Mirage 2000 H/TH aircraft. The Indian Air Force has also recently acquired a small but growing number of Russian Su-30 multi-role combat aircraft. There were also twelve squadrons of transport aircraft in the inventory. Because of the large number of Soviet-origin aircraft, the air force is dependent on Russia for spare parts and equipment and weapons upgrades.
As of mid-2000, the Air Force had in its inventory a wide array of modern aircraft and support equipment, weapon systems, communication and detection systems. This included air superiority fighter like the MiG-29 aircraft, multi-role combat aircraft like Mirage 2000 and SU-30 aircraft, strike/air defence/reconnaissance aircraft like Jaguar, MiG-21 and its variants, MiG-23, MiG-25 and MiG-27 aircraft. In March 1995, Russia agreed to upgrade India's MiG-21 aircraft. The older generation aircraft like Hunter and Canberra were, as of that date, used in ancillary roles. As of 2005, the sole squadron (Trisonics) of 8 MiG-25 aircraft was slated to be retired in 2006.
As of 2005, the Indian Air Force claimed to have 32-33 squadrons of fighter aircraft and sought to expand that to 40 squadrons. However, GlobalSecurity.org estimates that there exist about 41 fighter squadrons in the IAF, spread out amongst the five geographical commands. This discrepancy might arise from some squadrons not being officially disbanded despite their aircrafts undergoing maintenance or being phased out. The IAF might be awaiting to resupply some of these squadrons from the 140 SU-30's being manufactured by HAL and the additional 126 multi-role fighter aircraft the IAF is expected to order in the near future.
The transport fleet consisted of IL-76, AN-32 and HAL manufactured HS-748 and Dornier 228. Boeing 737 aircraft are used for VIP transport. While the IL-76 were used to provide the Air Force with heavy lift strategic capabilities, AN-32 and HS-748 were used for training besides their operational role of air maintenance and communication.
The helicopter fleet consisted of HAL manufactured Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, the indigenous Dhruv ALH, Mi-8, Mi-17 and heavy lift Mi-26 helicopters. Air Force helicopters were also being used to provide air maintenance and communication service in support of the Indian Army in the inhospitable and difficult terrain of the North-East and the highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen Glacier. In addition, IAF helicopters provide communication, search, rescue and relief services to civil agencies. Specially modified Mi-8 helicopters have operated in the Antarctic with the Indian permanent Research Base there. Apart from these traditional roles; the IAF has attack helicopters like Mi-25 and Mi-35 helicopters. In 2004, the IAF acquired 10 additional Mi-17IV helicopters in addition to the existing 75.
As of 2005, the HAL Chetak was scheduled to be replaced by the Dhruv ALH although as an alternative, the Chetak could be re-engined with the Turbomeca TM 333-2B engine. The Chetak was originally powered by Turbomeca's Artouste IIIB engine. The first test flight of the upgraded Chetak, dubbed "Chetan", was carried out in February 2005. According to Turbomeca, a minimum of 200 Chetak helicopters could be upgraded. A similar option exists to re-engine the HAL Cheetah to the Cheetal variant using the TM 333-2B engine as well. Over 250 Cheetahs were built under license at HAL until the late 1980s for the IAF. In 1986, however, the Government of India formally constituted the Army's Aviation Corps and most Chetak and Cheetahs were transferred from the Air Force on 1st November 1986. The Air Force continues to fly armed Chetaks in the anti-tank role as well as for casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and general duties while the lighter Cheetah is operated for Forward Area Control (FAC) flights.
Although a diminishing asset with the IAF, these helicopters serve in large numbers with the Army Aviation Corps (AAC). Both Army and IAF Cheetahs, supporting Army outposts, operate at altitudes of 24,000+ feet. An option remains to re-engine the HAL Cheetah with the Turbomeca TM 333-2B2 engine.
The MiG-21 aircraft was inducted in the Indian Air Force from the year 1963 to 1976. The indigenised production of MiG-21 Bis aircraft continued till 1989. Taking average life of 35 years, the majority of these aircraft have got considerable residual life left. The average life of MiG-21 in the world is about 3,000 flying hours whereas aircraft in the Indian fleet have flown only 1,600 to 1,700 hours. Although MiG-21 is an aging aircraft, it remains fully airworthy consequence to regular maintenance checks and servicing procedure. Hence, MiG-21 will remain in the Air Force for some more time till it is gradually phased out, after its Total Technical Life is fully exploited.
Indian Air Force has lost 102 MiG-21 aircraft over ten years (i.e. from April 01, 1992 to March 31, 2002). In these accidents 39 pilots have been killed and an amount of Rs. 311.99 crores have been lost. Between 1997 - 2000 out of 84 accidents 69 percent involve the MIG series and of which 38 were MIG 21s alone. Human Error (HE), Technical Defect (TD) and Bird Hit (BH) have been identified as the main causes of accidents by various Courts of Inquiry. Remedial measures are instituted on the basis of the recommendations of each Court of Inquiry (COI). Measures are being taken to reduce accidents under all categories, by formulation of Accidents Prevention Programme, Environmental Cleanliness, Bird Hazard control, conduct of studies on HE and TD and interaction with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/Original Equipment Manufacturers.
An $340 million upgrade program for the MiG-21 was started in 1996. Russia delivered the first two upgraded MiG-21-93 jets to India in December 2000, and the first two upgraded MiGs done in India were shipped to the IAF in May 2001. The upgrade of 125 MiG-21s was slated to be completed by 2005, with the implementation of the program expected to enable the IAF to extend the life of the jets uptil 2015. MIG 21 Bis variant aircraft have been planned for upgrade also.
Experimental examples of the MiG-21UPG tactical fighter, intended for the Indian air force, successfully completed flight test and evaluation trials in 2001. Earlier referred to as the MiG-21-93, the UPG is a major upgrade of the long-serving MiG-21bis. This new variant, ordered by the Indian air force, differs from the "bis" in having a modern Phazotron-NfIR Kopyo multimode radar enabling use of state-of-the-art, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. Over 120 MiG-21bis could be eventually upgraded to the UPG standard in India under help from RSK MiG, Phazotron-NUR and Sokol aircraft plant of Nizhny Novgorod.
As of early 2002 the IAF reportedly planned to have around 35 combat squadrons by 2010, versus the existing 40, each equipped with the modern aircraft after around 300-350 MiG-21 variants are phased out. This revised plan apparently reflected the availability of imported aircraft, such as the Mirage 2000.
Since 1982, when the first major order was placed, the IAF has ordered a total of at least 46 Mirage 2000H and 13 Mirage 2000TH aircraft. All of the IAF's Mirage 2000Hs are slated to receive an avionics upgrade. As of 2002 India was negotiating for the purchase of one squadron (18 aircraft) of Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000D tandem-seat fighter-bombers. This type of aircraft was originally produced for carrying nuclear missiles as part of its minimum nuclear deterrent. India also planned to buy ten additional Mirage 2000TH to replace accident losses and as part of the war reserves. Approval had been granted for the purchase of the additional 10 Mirages, but as of January 2002, no orders have been placed. The IAF has lost at least three or four of the 49 single-seat Mirage 2000s inducted into service in the mid 1980s.
As of March 2002 the IAF reportedly had plans to acquire as many as 126 Mirage 2000-5s to equip seven squadrons. The IAF reportedly wanted 36 Mirage 2000-5s to be delivered in completed form, with the remainder to be assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at Bangalore.
In February 2001 India announced an intention to acquire six II-78MK Midas air tankers, with the first plane set for delivery in 2003. The Russian/Uzbekistan-made planes would be newly built, and not from Moscow's existing inventory.
The Indian government is negotiating for the purchase of the Israeli-made Phalcon AEW system.
A major order of 40 MI-17-1B helicopters was placed between late September and October 2000 with Rossovorozinia, a Russian state organisation - 25 helicopter gunships for the Indian Air Force and 15 helicopters for cargo-logistic role for the Indian army.
In July 2002 the United States authorized a potential sale of a Tethered Aerostat Surveillance System with L-88 (V3) and AN/APS-144 radar sensors to the Indian Ministry of Defense.
The Indian air force agreed to buy 66 Hawk trainer fighter jets from the UK. In February 2003 India awarded a $1.7bn contract to supply the trainer fighter jets to the UK company, BAE Systems. The Hawk beat a rival bid from a state-run Czech firm. India would buy 24 Hawks outright and build the rest under BAE licence in the southern city of Bangalore. Negotiations over the possible British sale of Hawk jets to India went on for over a decade. In September 2003, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee decided to go ahead with the deal given recent MiG-21 crashes. The IAF had been asking for trainers for 20 years and had purchased 27 second-hand MiG-21 trainers from Krygystan as a temporary solution. Of the 66 trainer, it was finally decided that 22 would be delivered in "fly-away" condition and the rest would be manufactured in India under license under a technology-transfer deal. The IAF had originally wanted 160 AJTs but reduced that number to 66 due to budget constraints.
In 2003, the Indian government signed a deal with the Brazilian aircraft manufacturere, Embraer, for 5 of its Legacy Jets for the purpose of transporting VIPs. These jets would replace the aging AVRO HS 748 planes. Four of the Legacy jets would go to the IAF and the remaining one to the MInistry of Home Affairs for use by the Border Security Force. Delivery of the jets commenced in 2005.
It was reported in early October 2006 that India was in talks with France to purchase a number of used Mirage 2000 fighters, with some press outlets in India reporting that 40 aircraft were being looked at being purchased. In addition, the Indian Navy was also reported to be in talks for the purchase of a number of Mirage-2000MKI aircraft, as part of a larger plan to acquire 126 fighter aircraft to replace the country's MIG-21 aircraft fleet.
