While the Indian Air Force is celebrated with profound gusto every year, seldom do the citizens get to know about the history of the day. Here is a glance at teh history as well as the aircraft that guard Indian skies. It was on 8th October that the Air Force in India was officially raised in 1932 as a supporting force to the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. As the nation progressed further, it was in the year 1933 that the first operational squadron was added to the mix. And it was after the valiant participation in World War II that the Air Force in India came to be called the Royal Indian Air Force.
The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest in the world after the USA, China, and Russia.
On the occasion of Air Force Day, here are some of the highly evasive and combat-ready fighter jets that India has:
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale means “Gust of Wind” or “Burst of Fire.” It is a French twin-engined, canard delta-wing multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. The fighter jet can be equipped with a wide range of weapons. The Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, and nuclear deterrence missions.
A special thing about the Rafale moniker is that it was supposed to enter service in 1996, but the Rafale suffered significant delays due to post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities. The fighter jet has three main variants that include:
- Rafale C (single-seat land-based version)
- Rafale B (twin-seat land-based version)
- Rafale M (single-seat carrier-based version)
HAL Tejas
An Indian single-engine, 4.5-generation delta-wing multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Tejas is the second jet-powered combat aircraft developed by HAL after the HF-24 Marut.
Tejas has three production variants: Mark 1, Mark 1A, and a trainer/light attack variant. The IAF currently has placed an order for 123 Tejas jets and is planning to procure 97 more. The indigenous aircraft is planned to replace older aircraft in the air combat squadrons of Brazil and the Republic of the Congo.
Su-30MKI
A two-seater, twin-jet, multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Development of the Indian variant started after India signed a deal with Russia in 2000 to manufacture 140 Su-30 fighter aircraft. The Russian-made Su-30MKI variant was accepted into the Indian Air Force in 2002, while the first Su-30MKI assembled in India entered service with the IAF in November 2004.
The jets will also be modified to fire BrahMos-ER missiles. Other missiles that may soon be added to the Su-30MKI include the Rudram-2-2, Astra series, and the R-37M missiles.
Embraer Jet EMB-145H
The EMB-145H Airborne Early Warning model currently serves in the Indian Air Force.
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
A large military transport aircraft developed for India the United States Air Force during the 1980s and early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two previous piston-engined military cargo aircraft: the Douglas C-74 Globemaster and the Douglas C-124.
Special Mention: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
Often referred to by its NATO reporting name “Fishbed,” the MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Over the years, approximately 60 countries across four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations seven decades after its maiden flight.
The fighter jet has set aviation records, becoming the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history.
India was one of the largest operators of the MiG-21. Over the years, it developed and modified the jet fighter according to evolving needs. The Indian Air Force has recently retired the MiG-21 from official duty.
