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Headquarters
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(established 8 October 1932)
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Indian Air Force ranks and insignia
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Aircraft of the Indian Air Force
Installations
Bases
The Indian Air Force, often abbreviated as the IAF with over 1,300 aircraft is the world's fourth largest air force
after the United States Air Force, Russian Air Force and China's People's Liberation Army Air Force.[1] [2] The
Indian Air Force has aircraft of British, French and Russian (erstwhile Soviet) origins. However, Russian aircraft
dominate its inventory. HAL produces some of the Russian and British aircraft in India under license. The exact
number of aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force cannot be determined with precision from open sources.
Various reliable sources provide notably divergent estimates for a variety of high-visibility aircraft.[3] The IAF
currently operates approximately 364 fighter aircraft, over 224 ground-attack/bomber aircraft, 740 non-combat
aircraft as well as approximately 135 UAVs. The following is a list of aircraft that have served in or are in service
with the IAF, for aircraft programmes still under development refer to Future of the Indian Air Force.
Current aircraft
List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force 2
Fighter aircraft[4]
Mikoyan-Gurevich Soviet Interceptor/fighter MiG-21 Bison [5]
121 Upgraded MiG-21 Bison to be phased
MiG-21 Union MiG-21Bis [6]
out by 2017 Other 80-90
Non-upgraded MiG-21s not included
[5]
here to be phased out in 2012/2013
Jaguar IS/IM France Bomber Jaguar IS/IM [18] Known as Shamsher in IAF service.
169
United
Kingdom
Trainer aircraft
HAL HPT-32 India Basic Trainer 70 The HPT-32 was grounded in July 2009
Deepak (BJT) [19] [19]
, but was revived in May 2010
and is to be fitted with a parachute
[19]
recovery system (PRS). The
[19]
HPT-32 is to be phased out soon.
HAL HJT-16 Kiran India Intermediate HJT-16 80 The HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk.2 is also
Trainer (IJT) operated by the Surya Kiran Aerobatic
[20]
Team (SKAT) of the IAF. The
Kiran is to be replaced by the HAL
[21]
HJT-36 Sitara.
Transport aircraft[4]
List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force 3
Hawker Siddeley United Light Transport HS 748-100 64 Once formed the backbone of the IAF's
HS 748 Kingdom transport fleet, but now used mainly for
transport training and communication
[23]
duties.
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Heavy Transport Il-76 [25] Known as Gajraj (Hindi for King
24
Candid Union Elephant) in IAF service.
AEW&C[4]
Il-76 EL/M-2075 Russia AEW&C EL/M-2075 [26]
3 The IAF might order 2 more Phalcon
Phalcon Israel Phalcon [26]
systems.
Helicopters[4]
HAL Dhruv India Utility helicopter Dhruv 36 In addition to transport and utility roles,
Dhruvs are also used as attack
[29]
helicopters. 4 Dhruvs are also
operated by the Indian Air Force Sarang
[30]
Helicopter Display Team.
Aérospatiale SA France Utility helicopter SA 315B 28 Used mainly for high altitude
315B Lama Cheetah/Cheetal operations. It is used for both transport
[31]
and search-and-rescue missions.
Mil Mi-35 Hind-E Soviet Attack helicopter Mi-35 20 Can also act as a low-capacity troop
Union transport.
List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force 4
IAI Harpy Israel Fire & Forget ? A UAV explosive which attacks enemy
Radar Emitter radars, but also destroys its self.
Destroyer
IAI Heron Israel Heron I/II Strategic ~25 India orderd 50 to be deployed by the
Multi-Role UAV IAF and Indian Navy.
Historical aircraft
Fighters
• Hawker Tempest
• de Havilland Vampire
• Dassault Ouragan (Toofani) - Introduced in 1953.Initially India
ordered 71 Ouragons in 1953 and an order for 33 second hand
ouragons was placed in 1957 bringing the total to 104. Withdrawn
from front line service in 1965, although it continued in use for
Tempest fighters of Indian Air Force in 1947.
some years as a Target Tug.[36] [37] The Planes show the Chakra roundels of the early
• Dassault Mystère IV - A total of 104 of these were bought by India IAF aircraft.
with deliveries starting in 1957 and the aircraft was phased out in
1973.
• Hawker Hunter
• Folland Gnat - built by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) under licence from Folland in the UK
• HAL Ajeet - Variant of the Folland Gnat developed and produced by HAL.Total 89 were built including 10
upgraded Gnats .Introduced in 1977 and retired in 1991.
• Mig-23MF
List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force 5
Reconnaissance
• English Electric Canberra-Total of 150 introduced starting in the April of 1957.Retired 11 May 2007.[41]
• MiG-25-Took delivery of six MiG-25RBK and two MiG-25RU in 1981. They were operated by no.102 Squdron
'Trisonics' based at Bakshi-ka-talabab in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. One MiG-RBK crashed on August 3, 1994.[43]
Retired from service in July 2006. The Trishul air-base in Bareilly had Foxbats capable of flying up to 80,000 feet
Trainers
• HAL HT-2
• PZL TS-11 Iskra: 50 Iskra bis D Polish jet trainer aircraft were bought by India in 1975, then a further 26 in the
1990s. All Iskra aircraft were phased out from the IAF by December 16, 2004.[44]
• North American Harvard
• de Havilland Tiger Moth
• Percival Prentice
Transport aircraft
• Douglas C-47 Dakota
• de Havilland Devon
• Ilyushin Il-14
• de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
• de Havilland Dragonfly
• Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar
• Lockheed Super Constellation
• de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
• Tupolev Tu-124
• Antonov An-12
List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force 6
Helicopters
• Sikorsky S-55 Whirlwind
• Bell 47 G-2
• Mil Mi-4
General purpose
• Westland Wapiti [45]
• Westland Lysander [46]
External links
• The Official Home Page of Indian Air Force. [47]
[22] "India inks deal with BAE for 57 Hawk aircraft" (http:/ / timesofindia. indiatimes. com/ india/
India-inks-deal-with-BAE-for-57-Hawk-aircraft-/ articleshow/ 6228851. cms). The Times Of India. 28 July 2010. . Retrieved 31 July 2010.
[23] "HAL HS 748M Avro" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Transports/ HS748/ ). Bharat Rakshak. . Retrieved 10
July 2010.
[24] "IAF AN-32 planes in Ukraine for upgrades" (http:/ / news. rediff. com/ report/ 2010/ mar/ 21/ iaf-an-32-planes-in-ukraine-for-upgrades.
htm). 21 March 2010. . Retrieved 20 July 2010.
[25] "" (http:/ / www. brahmand. com/ news/ C-17-Globemaster-IAFs-new-heavy-lift-transport-aircraft/ 3759/ 1/ 15. html). 28 April 2010. .
Retrieved 2 September 2010.
[26] "Russia sends 3rd AWACS plane to India" (http:/ / en. rian. ru/ mlitary_news/ 20101104/ 161205321. html). 4 November 2010. . Retrieved
4 November 2010.
[27] Mukherjee, Amit (29 September 2004). "IAF to get 5th IL-78 refueller soon" (http:/ / timesofindia. indiatimes. com/ India/
IAF_to_get_5th_IL-78_refueller_soon/ articleshow/ msid-867031,curpg-2. cms). The Times of India. . Retrieved 22 Apr. 2009.
[28] Kopp, Carlo. "The PLA-AF's Aerial Refuelling Programs" (http:/ / www. ausairpower. net/ APA-PLA-Tanker-Programs. html). Air Power
Australia. . Retrieved 22 Apr. 2009.
[29] "HAL Dhruv" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Helicopters/ Dhruv/ ). . Retrieved 20 July 2010. "IAF Dhruvs, can
carry a 20mm gun plus eight anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) or four air-to-air missiles or four 68mm rocket pods on outriggers."
[30] "IAFs Sarang helicopter display team adjudged the best at Berlin air show" (http:/ / www. thaindian. com/ newsportal/ south-asia/
iafs-sarang-helicopter-display-team-adjudged-the-best-at-berlin-air-show_10059492. html). 12 June 2008. . Retrieved 20 July 2010.
[31] "HAL Cheetah (Alouette II)" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Helicopters/ Cheetah/ ). . Retrieved 20 July 2010.
[32] "Mil Mi-8 (Hip) Rana" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Helicopters/ Mi8/ ). . Retrieved 7 July 2010.
[33] "Mil Mi-17 (Hip) Pratap" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Helicopters/ Mi17/ ). . Retrieved 7 July 2010.
[34] Gulshan Luthra and Air Marshal Ashok Goel (Retd) (August 2010). "" (http:/ / www. indiastrategic. in/ topstories694. htm). India Strategic.
. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
[35] "HAL Chetak (Alouette III)" (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Current/ Helicopters/ Chetak/ ). . Retrieved 20 July 2010.
[36] Jackson 1988, pp. 76–77.
[37] name="Jackson 78"
[38] Consolidated B-24 Liberator [www.bharat-rakshak.com] (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Vintage/ Fighters/ Liberator/ ).
Bharat-rakshak.com (2007-01-18). Retrieved on 2010-09-08.
[39] Donald 1997, p.523.
[40] A Whale Of A Fighter: The Su-7 In IAF Service (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ History/ Aircraft/ Su-7. html).
Bharat-rakshak.com (1971-12-12). Retrieved on 2010-09-08.
[41] Canberra Farewell - Revell 1/72 B(I) 58 [www.bharat-rakshak.com] (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Galleries/ Models/ Polly/ 030/
). Bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-08.
[42] Last Flight of the MiG-23 BN [www.bharat-rakshak.com] (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Special/ PRO/ 2009/
LastFlight_MIG_23. jpg. html). Bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-08.
[43] Pradhan & Chavan 2007, p. xiv
[44] Swansong of the Iskaras (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Images/ Special/ Iskras/ Swansong. html)
[45] The Westland Wapiti in Indian Air Force (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ History/ Aircraft/ Wapiti. html)
[46] Westland Lysander in Indian Air Force Service (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ History/ 1940s/ Lysander. html)
[47] http:/ / indianairforce. nic. in/ show_unit_page. php?pg_id=23& cat=F
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