Indian Air Force Archives - Defence Monitor

20 Oct

IAF chief A.P. Singh takes final trainer sortie in Kiran aircraft with his first flying instructor

Hyderabad, Oct 20 (IANS) Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh on Tuesday flew a HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer aircraft at the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Dundigal, near here, undertaking his final trainer sortie and bringing a memorable chapter of his flying career to a close. Air Chief Marshal Singh flew alongside his first flying instructor, Wing Commander V.S. Kochar (retd). The 55-minute sortie held special significance as the IAF chief returned to the same type of aircraft in which he began his flying journey, flying with the instructor who first taught him, in an aircraft…

03 Oct

Military power concentrated around aerospace domain: IAF chief

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said on Saturday that military power is concentrated around the aerospace domain, adding that recent conflicts have shown that air power is the cutting edge on which any nation relies to meet its objectives. At a press conference ahead of Air Force Day, Singh said, "As far as geopolitics is concerned, we all have seen the changes which are taking place in the world. From the conflicts which we see around, it is very clear that other elements of comprehensive national power of any nation rest on a strong military.”…

21 Sep

IAF’s transport fleet poised to get booster shot with 60 new planes: Report

New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) transport fleet is now entering a new phase, with the Defence Ministry going in for the purchase of as many as 60 Medium Transport Aircraft to replace the ageing Soviet-era Antonov An-32 fleet, according to a report. The significance of the Rs 1 lakh crore programme represents a shift towards a more flexible, modern and industrially integrated airlift capability to meet the needs of the country’s defence forces even in difficult terrain, according to an article in Vietnam Times. The new aircraft requirement calls for a payload capability broadly between…

27 Aug

‘We are ever ready for such tasks’: IAF officers on dispatching relief materials to disaster-hit Nepal

Ghaziabad, Aug 27 (IANS) As India sent nearly 40 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, medicines and food packets to flood-ravaged Nepal from the Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad, Indian Air Force officers who are overseeing the delivery said the force and the airbase are "ever ready" to undertake such relief operations. A day before, India dispatched 10 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials and essential medicines to Nepal in the wake of devastating flash floods in the Himalayan nation. Speaking to IANS, AOC Hindon Airforce Station, Air Commodore Rajiv Dobhal said: "We are ever ready for such tasks. We…

08 Jul

‘Honour to serve people’: India thanks Venezuela for acknowledging Operation Amistad

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) India on Wednesday said that the humanitarian assistance following the devastating June 24 twin earthquakes in Venezuela was an "honour" and reflected the enduring friendship between the two nations. In a statement posted on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that it was an honour for India to serve the people of Venezuela through Operation Amistad. India had launched 'Operation Amistad' to support Venezuela following devastating twin earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 that claimed over 2,900 lives and caused widespread destruction across the country. Indian Army had…

04 Jul

India, Oman discuss enhancing interoperability, joint training and professional exchanges in Air Force

Muscat, July 3 (IANS) Air Vice Marshal SK Taliyan of the Indian Air Force and Air Commodore Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Abri of the Royal Air Force of Oman on Friday held discussions on enhancing interoperability, joint training and professional exchanges between the two countries. "The 11th Indian Air Force and Royal Air Force of Oman Air Staff Talks were held at Muscat in Oman, from July 1 to 2. The talks were co-chaired by Air Vice Marshal SK Taliyan of the Indian Air Force and Air Commodore Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Abri of the Royal Air Force of Oman,"…

29 Jun

India, Italy Air Chiefs discuss strengthening defence cooperation and military engagements

New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, held a meeting with Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva, in New Delhi on Monday, discussing ways to further strengthen defence cooperation and enhancing military-to-military engagement. The two officials also discussed issues of mutual interest. "Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva, Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, called on Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, during his official visit to India," the Indian Air Force (IAF) posted on X. "The visit featured discussions…

26 Jun

India sends two IAF planes with relief support to quake-hit Venezuela under Operation Amistad (Lead)

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) India on Friday launched 'Operation Amistad' to support earthquake-hit Venezuela, dispatching two Indian Air Force (IAF) planes carrying field hospital unit and more than 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment. Announcing the launch of Operation Amistad on X, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar expressed India's commitment to support the people of Venezuela in this difficult time. "Operation Amistad underway! Two IAF C17s took-off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts. The assistance contains an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tons of relief supplies,…

24 Jun

Bharat Dynamics bags Rs 1,348 crore order from HAL

New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) Bharat Dynamics has won an order worth Rs 1,347.71 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the manufacture of military hardware, including helicopter-mounted missile launchers, the defence PSU informed the stock exchanges on Wednesday. The order includes Helina Launchers and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) worth Rs 1,109.37 crore and Counter Measures Dispensing System LRUs valued at Rs 238.34 crore. The contract will be executed in 24 to 60 months, Bharat Dynamics said in its filing with the stock exchanges. Helina (Helicopter-launched NAG) is an indigenous, third-generation "fire-and-forget" anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) developed by India's Defence…

16 Jun

IAF to develop indigenous Kamikaze one-way attack drones

New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched a project to develop indigenous long-range Kamikaze drones with Indian industry, a Defence Ministry official said on Tuesday. The IAF has issued a limited tender to select Indian companies for One-Way Attack Unmanned Aerial Systems (OWA-UAS), the official said in a statement. The Kamikaze drone project will be handled by the 5 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Sulur near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, that has been designated as the nodal agency for the key task. Kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions or suicide drones, are one-way, self-sacrificing…