The important types of Aircraft that are used by the Indian Air Force are:
Aircraft
1. Fighters:
Hunter, Ajeet, Sukhois, Gnats, Mig-21, Jaguar, Mig-23, Mig-25, Mig-27, Mig-29 and Mirage- 2000 (Vajra). Gnats played an excellent role in the 1965 and 1971 conflicts have now been phased out.
2. Trainer Aircraft:
H.P.T. 32, Pushpak, Vampire, HJT-16 (Kiran) Jet Trainer.
In peacetime the Air Force helps in 1. photographic surveys, 2 dropping food supplies in the marooned areas, 3. fighting pests through aerial spray broadcasting. The Air Force Academy near Hyderabad helps in centralising intermediate and advanced training for flying cadets.
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3. Avadi:
A Heavy Vehicle Factory to manufacture tanks set up at a cost of Rs. 16 crore. In October 1964, the first tank Vijayanta assembled here was commissioned. The armoured plate for the tanks is manufactured at Rourkela. Arjun, the Main Battle Tank, has been in operation in Indian Army. The production of Ajay Tank (T-72) was started in this factory with selective product support from Russia.
4. Mig Factory:
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Nashik (Maharashtra). It was inaugurated on October 16, 1966 to manufacture air frames and to make assembly of Mig aircraft received from Russia. The units are located at Koraput (engine), Nashik (fuselage) and Hyderabad (electronic system).
In 1970, the first Mig-21 assembled in India was tested in the presence of a distinguished gathering at Nashik. India is now likely to manufacture Mig-29.
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Obsolescence in the air force equipment is very rapid and constant research and development is needed to keep the equipment modernised at all times. Much of the technology is controlled by the superpowers and it is passed on only to their client states.
According to a defence spokesperson, “The initiative to promote synergy among the various agencies during the past few years has started bearing fruits. The DRDO has a record of 44 years of service in the cause of making Indian armed forces stronger and self-reliant in defence technologies.”
After more than two decades of small-scale import substitution programmes some significant investments were made in the 1980s in the field of indigenous development. The efforts in design and development in a variety of material, equipment and systems have resulted in indigenous production through defence Public Sector Units, he said.
‘The DRDO now has acquired world standards in guided missiles, radars, electronic warfare systems, sonars, flight simultators, unmanned aircraft, small arms, ammunition and nuclear, biological and chemica’ and high altitude protection clothing, parachutes along with secrecy equipment.
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The DRDO in partnership with the department of atomic energy has successfully provided the technology capability for India to be a nuclear power,” he added.