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News agency ANI quoting Indian Air Force sources claimed Mirage 2000 fighters of the Indian Air Force struck and destroyed a “major terrorist camp” across the Line of Control early on Tuesday. The report comes hours after Pakistan claimed Indian Air Force jets had crossed the Line of Control, following which Pakistani fighters were scrambled. The air strike mark a major escalation in tension with Pakistan, which has been high since the suicide bomb attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14 left over 40 jawans dead. ANI, quoting IAF sources, said the attack occurred around 03.30am on...

On Wednesday, US aerospace major Lockheed Martin revealed what appears to be a new variant of its venerable F-16 fighter, termed the F-21, for the Indian Air Force. A model of the F-21 was unveiled at the Aero India air show at Bengaluru, which commenced on Wednesday. Lockheed Martin had pitched its F-16 for a contract to supply 114 fighters to the Indian Air Force in 2018. More than 4,500 F-16s have been built since the aircraft first took to the air in 1974. Previous variants of the F-16 had retained the type's name, suffixed with 'block numbers' to denote...

NEW DELHI: Indian Air Force has initiated a proposal to purchase three more Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from the US for about Rs 8,700 crore, impressed as it is by the cargo carrier's varied utility that includes carrying out of large-scale humanitarian assistance operations such as the ongoing relief effort in earthquake-hit Nepal. The IAF has told the government that it wants to add three very heavy transport aircraft to its fleet of 10 C-17s that were ordered in 2011 and inducted in 2013, officials said. The IAF has pressed the case for three more C-17s after being informed...

The Russian-Indian joint development of a fifth generation fighter jet will cost some $6 billion, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) Financial director D. Shivamurti said Russia and India signed in December last year a contract to jointly develop a design for a new 5G multirole fighter. Russia's Sukhoi holding and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation fighter jet based on the T-50 design. "A detailed design phase, including the cost of the project, is likely to cost more than $6 billion," Shivamurti said. "The work between us and them [India and Russia] will be...

The head of India's Aeronautical Development Agency yesterday revealed key details of the roadmap for development of the proposed indigenous medium combat aircraft (MCA) in an interview with Flight Daily News. ADA will complete a feasibility study on the MCA by the end of 2011. The study will be submitted to the Indian government and air force, and discuss key aspects of the programme, says PS Subramanyam, programme director at the ADA. The study will consider several areas: the number of MCA prototypes, prototype timelines, funding, and production schedules for the final aircraft. "The MCA will be in flight trials...

Development and production of perspective multi-role fighter is the largest joint project of Russian-Indian military-technical cooperation. In December 2010 during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to India, the Rosoboronexport, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Sukhoi Company signed a contract to develop a preliminary design project of the new aircraft. This is the first of a series of documents governing the obligations of the parties at different stages of the program. The PMF project includes the design and development of a next-generation fighter, which will have such advanced features as stealth, supersonic cruise speed, high maneuverability, highly integrated...

India's contract process to buy 126 fighter jets valued at about $11 billion is "going smoothly" and is expected to be completed in the fiscal year ending March 2012, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Wednedsay. Saab's JAS-39 Gripen is competing with Boeing's Super Hornet, Dassault's Rafale, Lockheed Martin Corp's F-16 and Russia's MiG-35 to win a contract from India for the fighter jets. Cassidian, the recently renamed defence arm of EADS and a partner in the Eurofighter Typhoon, is also vying for the Indian fighter award. Eurofighter is a four-nation consortium of EADS, representing Germany and Spain, Britain's BAE...

Russia could deliver the first modernized MiG-29 fighter jet to India as early as in 2011, the head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said on Wednesday. India signed a $960 million contract with Russia in 2008 to upgrade its five squadrons of 69 MiG-29 fighters, which have been in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) since mid-1980s. "The first upgraded plane, I think, will be delivered in 2011," Mikhail Pogosyan said on the sidelines of the Aero India 2011 air show, which opened on Wednesday in Bangalore. "The whole upgrade program will be carried out on schedule agreed...

The RSK MiG-29UPG had its maiden flight at the Gromov LII airfield near Moscow on 4 February. The MiG-29UPG has been developed by RSK MiG at the request of the Indian Air Force (IAF). A Russian-Indian contract, worth $964 million, was signed on 7 March 2008 to upgrade 63 IAF MiG-29s. Six MiG-29s, including four single and two twin-seaters, will be upgraded at the RSK MiG facilities in Russia while the remaining 57 are to be fitted at the IAF's eleventh aircraft repair plant in India.

Indian defence minister AK Antony has re-affirmed his nation's commitment to the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) being jointly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics and Russia's Sukhoi, while also voicing his optimism about one of its other key military aviation programmes. "The difficulties in joining this programme are over," he says of the first project. "We've signed a deal with the Russians, and we will see the FGFA inducted by 2017." Russia's developmental PAK FA fighter had its maiden flight in early 2010, and late last year it agreed with India to cooperate on a combined project. New Delhi will send engineers...

The multi-million dollar Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal floated by India will not be awarded on political grounds, Defence Minister A K Antony said Wednesday. “There won’t be any political decision on the acquisition of the fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. No political interference will be there while finalising the deal,” Antony told reports here. He said the final decision in this regard will be based on staff (IAF) evaluation report and user trials. “No other consideration would be there,” he said while addressing the media during the 8th Aero India 2011 in Bangalore. The Minister said...

Russia has offered to equip the Indian Su-30MKI aircraft with the electronically scanned array radar to bring them on par with the most modern fighter aircraft in the world. Currently the technical configuration of the upgraded aircraft with onboard AESA radar is being discussed by Russian and Indian experts. The upgraded aircraft could be equipped with perspective Russian or foreign-made weapon, including Indo-Russian “BrahMos” anti-ship missiles, an Irkut statement said at Aero India 2011 A multirole Su-30MKI aircraft which became a sort of symbol of the IRKUT Corporation deserves an honourable place in the exposition of the company (stand 24,...

The air launched version of BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile system integrated with Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft on display is a major attraction at Aero India 2011. The air launched version has lesser weight and additional rear fins for aerodynamic stability during separation from the aircraft and launch. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has chosen the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft as the launch platform for the BRAHMOS missile. Some exclusive modifications are being made in the aircraft to use it as a platform for launching the missile. The test of air-launched version of BRAHMOS is expected to take place in 2012,...

At a press briefing on the eve of Aero India 2011 here in Bangalore, Saab which is pitching the Gripen fighter jet for the USD 11 billion Air Force Multi-Role Combat Aircraft competition promised Swedish Ministry of Defence official Mr. Hakan Jevrell promised true and full technology transfer. Mr Hakan Jevrell, representing the Swedish government, focused his message on full support, long term co-operation, full and true technology transfer, zero-corruption and high levels of integrity. In addition to Mr. Hakan Jevrell, the press briefing featured Mr. Hakan Bushke, CEO of Saab and Mr. Inderjit Sial who is the country head...

After four decades, the Indian Air Force (IAF) Saturday inducted an American origin aircraft, the C-130J 'Super Hercules' transport plane, augmenting its special operations capability. Defence Minister A K Antony formally commissioned the aircraft into the newly formed 77 Squadron of the IAF by handing over the keys of the aircraft to Unit Commanding Officer (CO) Group Captain Tejbeer Singh at Hindon air base near here. "C-130J will help the IAF to maintain its qualitative edge and enhance its war fighting capabilities," Antony said in his address at the induction ceremony. Besides the Defence Minister, IAF chief P V Naik...

Russia's MiG corporation on Friday carried out the first test fight of a MiG-29 fighter modernized under a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF). "On February 4, 2010, a MiG-29UPG fighter carried out its first test flight. The flight lasted for an hour and was flawless," MiG said in a statement. The IAF has awarded the MiG corporation a $900 million contract to upgrade all of its 69 operational MiG-29s. These upgrades include a new avionics kit, with the N-109 radar being replaced by a Phazatron Zhuk-M radar. The aircraft is also being equipped to enhance beyond-visual-range combat ability...

A Soviet-era MiG-21 of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Madhya Pradesh Friday but there were no casualties as the pilot ejected safely, an official said. The incident occurred at around 11.20 a.m. at Anup Nagar, 150 km southwest of this Madhya Pradesh town, an IAF spokesperson. "The pilot ejected safely and was picked up the IAF," he said. The crash comes after the Indian Army Wednesday lost two of its experienced pilots when their helicopter crashed into a residential area in Maharashtra's Nashik city. In the last three years, a total of 60 aircraft, including MiG-21 and helicopters,...

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik today said C-130J, which is capable of landing on all terrains and in varied altitudes, would be inducted into the Indian Air Force on February 5th 2011. "The aircraft is capable of landing on all sorts of terrains and altitudes. C-130 J has been made capable of special operations, missions also. So all these are the reasons why we went in for the aircraft," said Naik. "Yes, all kinds of special missions, but I would not like to specify any of them," he added, when asked about the...

Besides the Eurofighter Typhoons and the F16s, two home-grown metal birds— the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Navy— will be seen at the upcoming Aero India 2011, which will be held at the Air Force Station Yelahanka between February 9 and 13. Both the LCH and the LCA are the latest indigenous efforts to come out from the stables of the state-owned defence laboratories and production units. Defence sources said that the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited manufactured the LCH, India’s first dedicated attack helicopter. The LCH features a narrow fuselage and a tandem seating for the...

India has no plans as of now to either join the US-led joint strike fighter (JSF) programme or buy the F-35 'Lightning-II ' fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) when it finally becomes operational. "We cannot have two types of FGFA. We have already launched preliminary work for our FGFA after inking the $295 million preliminary design contract (PDC) with Russia last month," said a top defence ministry official on Friday. This comes in the wake of comments made by a top Pentagon official, undersecretary of defence for acquisition, technology and logistics Ashton Carter, in Washington that the US was open to...