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  On this historic day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) bids farewell to one of the most legendary aircraft in its history — the MiG-21.For over six decades, this supersonic jet defined India’s skies, fought its wars, trained its pilots, and became an inseparable part of the nation’s defense story. Read the complete article by clicking here:    https://www.strategicvanguard.com/post/mig-21-retirement-end-of-an-era-dawn-of-a-new-indian-air-force

 India’s air defense capabilities are at a turning point. With dwindling squadron strength, there has been a long-standing debate about whether India should continue to rely on foreign fighter jet procurement or shift focus toward indigenous manufacturing. A recent high-level committee report has recommended increased private sector participation in combat aircraft production, signaling a game-changing moment for India’s defense industry. The Current State of the Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates below its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons. With aging aircraft such as the MiG-21 being gradually phased out, concerns about operational preparedness have intensified. Traditionally, India has relied on foreign fighter jets like the Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Su-30MKI to maintain air superiority. However, given the high costs and dependency on foreign suppliers, a shift toward indigenous solutions is now more critical than ever. Indigenous Fighters: The Futu...

 

 

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Image Credits-Wikipedia I am back to blogging after nearly eight months. Many things have happened in the time frame. Perhaps the most interesting is the evolution of the LCA Tejas, India's indigenous combat aircraft program. Perhaps of all the combat aircraft, perhaps Tejas is the closest to my heart as an Indian as it is an indigenous product.  Tejas was initiated as project LCA with the intention not only to find a replacement for the venerable Mig-21 but also as a project for the establishment of the entire eco-system for the development and manufacture of a combat aircraft. It was also envisaged as the stepping stone for the development of a whole new and advanced technologies for the manufacture of avionics and weapon systems. But like many of the countries like Sweden, India had to rely on OEM's for certain products that India could not master,  the most important being the engine. Even though Kaveri engine project was initiated, it was decoupled from the main...

Marshal of The India Airforce Arjan Singh (1919-2017)  ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons) There are those who come rarely but leave a mark on our lives and in the process make a difference. Today, one of the legends of the India Airforce passed away. He was The Marshal of The  Indian Airforce Arjan Singh. The title Marshal is only given to those who make a mark for themselves. This title is equal to the Field Marshal in the Army. India Airforce has had only one man who has been conferred this title and that is Marshal of the Indian Airforce, Arjan Singh. Today, as he left us for eternal glory, it is time to celebrate the life and times of this legend.  Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC (16 April 1919 – 16 September 2017) was an Indian Air Force Officer who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1964 to 1969. After retiring from the IAF, he served as a diplomat, politician, and advisor to the Indian government. In 2002, he became the first and...

IAF SU-30 MKI ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons) Source- Russia& India Report Author-  Topwar.ru India has accelerated negotiations to begin the modernization of 194 Su-30MKI fighters, worth $ 8 billion, with Russia, reports the Defence News portal. The Indian Defence Ministry plans to upgrade the status of these fighters to 5th generation aircraft. The updated aircraft will be named ‘Super Sukhoi’. "The Russian delegation visited New Delhi in early July to discuss the modernization of the aircraft. The contract should be signed within the next four to six months," Defence News reported, quoting its source in the Defence Ministry. Why the BrahMos armed Sukhoi is bad news for India’s enemies The source said India was planning to upgrade 272 fighters in all and appeared confident that the programme "will not hurt the project of joint development of FGFA (fifth generation fighter aircraft) costing $ 25 billion”. However, retired Air Mars...

HAL LCA Tejas ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Defence19) On 1.07.2016, history was made when Tejas, India's 4'th generation combat aircraft joined the Indian Air Force after a protracted delay as part of the Squadron No-45 Flying Daggers . The project which was 32 years in making, but the years of investment has finally borne fruit. Made of composites, Tejas is the lightest combat aircraft in the world. Designed as a replacement for the legendary MIG-21 in the Indian Air Force Fleet, Tejas is in many ways more than a project for the Indian aviation industry. LCA project paves way for the establishment of the entire ecosystem of an aircraft design and manufacture, an art that was long lost when the designers of HAL HF-24 Marut left or retired after the project. Hence the LCA team had to begin from scratch. Coupled with crippling sanctions post India's nuclear tests which delayed the project.  LCA as a project can be considered as a success as there has not b...

IAF LCA Tejas ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Rinju9) Source- Eurasia Review Author- Admiral Arun Prakash, South Asian Monitor On July 1, 2016, No.45 Squadron IAF became the proud recipient of India’s first indigenous 4th generation+ fighter; the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) dubbed Tejas. This marks, not just an historic landmark for our aerospace industry, but a significant step forward in India’s quest for self-reliance in weapon systems and fits neatly into PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. Not more than a handful of countries can claim the competence to bring a project of such complexity to fruition. It would therefore be appropriate to acknowledge the achievement of our aircraft designers, scientists, production engineers, and the flight-test team for having delivered a state-of-the art combat aircraft to the IAF – although belatedly. It will be a few years before Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) can deliver the squadron’s full outfit of aircraft, but t...