Fighter jets, weapons and missiles in Indian Air Force's stock

BusinessToday.In

Feb 27, 2019,
Updated Jul 22, 2019 12:27 PM IST

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Su-30 MKI
Su-30 MKI is a Russian-origin fighter aircraft. The current lot of Su-30 MKI aircraft are being manufactured by HAL through Transfer of Technology. The aircraft can fire advanced weapons like the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Astra Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile.

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Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas)
The first squadron of Tejas, an advanced indigenous multirole aircraft with state-of-art avionics, was formed on July 1, 2016. The aircraft participated in the Republic Day flypast, Aero India and the Air Force Day flypast this year.

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Rafale
India signed an agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale aircraft on September 23, 2016. The first squadron is planned to be fully equipped by February, 2021 and the second squadron by April, 2022. However, the purchase of this fighter jet has led to a political controversy. The opposition Congress Party has made corruption charges against the Modi government for giving the offset contract to businessman Anil Ambani. The government has denied the charges.

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Mirage-2000
The Mirage 2000 aircraft used in Tuesday's strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan was chosen because of its ability to hit long-range targets with "pin-point" accuracy and drop a range of bombs and missiles including laser-guided ones. The upgraded versions of Mirage is a generation ahead of the older version and about half a generation ahead of the Sukhoi Su30MKI, which was a second choice for the attack on the camp. The French-designed Mirage can travel at more than twice the speed of sound, or at Mach 2.2 (2,336 kmph)

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MiG-29
The MiG-29 aircraft are being upgraded with state-of-the-art avionics and an array of smart air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. Addition of in-flight refueling capability on MiG-29 has significantly increased its combat potential. The first phase of the project was designed and developed in Russia. The Series Upgrade in second phase of the remaining aircraft is being undertaken in India at the Base Repair Depot, Nasik.

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Jaguar DARIN-III

Jaguar aircraft is being upgraded to DARIN-III standards, which involves integration of advanced avionics. With integration of air-to-air and anti-ship weapon systems compatible with the avionics of DARIN-III aircraft, the war waging potential of Jaguar would vastly improve.

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Sensor Fuzed Weapon (SWF)

IAF has procured Sensor Fuzed Weapons and associated equipment which can be utilised against concentration of tanks and other mechanised vehicles. Weapon integration was completed in September, 2017. This is a very unique and versatile weapon whose use is not just limited to the destruction of enemy armour, but a host of other targets as well. Surface to Air (SAM) sites are a very big threat to combat aircraft in a conflict.

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Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM)

On completion of successful Verification Firing Tests by DRDO, IAF is in the process of inducting the MRSAM system, capable of engaging targets from extreme low altitude to high altitude and very close range to medium ranges. This weapon, networked in the modern IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) system of IAF, would defeat all types of hostile targets, including those with extremely low RCS, even in a dense jamming environment.

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SPYDER LLQRM System
It is a low-level, quick-reaction surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging aircraft, helicopters, unmanned air vehicles, drones, and precision-guided munitions. It provides air defense for fixed assets and for point and area defense for mobile forces in combat areas.

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Pechora

Pechora is a Soviet-era Surface-to-air missile system which has been refurbished with a fresh lease of life for 10 years. The minimum range is 3.5 km, and the maximum is 35 km (with the Pechora 2A). The intercept altitudes are between 100m and 18 km. It is in service with Indian Air force primarily for guarding air bases until Akash systems are fully deployed.

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OSA-AK

This is a highly mobile, short range, low-level surface to air missile of Soviet origin. The missile is mounted on an amphibious vehicle having its own radar and can act with or without the regimental surveillance radars. The range is about 15km and a maximum altitude of 12km. The missiles of OSA-AK have also been refurbished with the help of Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Hyderabad.

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AEW&C (Indigenous) System

The first DRDO designed and developed Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system, aboard Embraer-145 aircraft, was inducted in the IAF in February 2017. It can detect airborne objects from far off distances and provide early warning to the Air Defence Command and Control centres.