Soldier On
The recent MiG-21 crash in Rajasthan that killed three villagers serves as a grim reminder of the tragic state of the aircraft. The MiG-21 has been in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) since 1963, longer than any other aircraft. Over the years, it has acquired nicknames such as “Flying Coffin” and “Widow Maker” … Read more
As India looks to replace its ageing Soviet-era lightweight combat aircraft fleet, two players have emerged as possible contenders, American defence major Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 70 and Swedish defence major Saab’s Gripen E fighter aircraft. Indian Air Force (IAF) has requirement of over 400 fighter aircraft, which is far higher than the 126 aircraft that … Read more
The dogfight for picking the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) for the security of the Indian skies is beginning anew, this time for a much larger number than the 2007 figure of 189 asked by the Indian Air Force (IAF) — an estimated 400 for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 60 for the Indian … Read more
The MiG 29K fighter jets acquired from Russia by the Indian Navy suffer from operational faults making them hardly available for use, according to an audit report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General to the Parliament two days ago, as reported by NDTV. The CAG report that audited the Navy’s MiG-29 programme further said that the … Read more