The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

According to top sources in the government, intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of eight to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who will possibly try to carry out a suicidal attack against air bases in and around areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

An orange alert has been sounded for Srinagar, Avantipur, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindan airbases after the monitoring of the terrorists` movements by the intelligence agencies.

The orange alert is the second-highest level of alert second only to Red alert which, if issued, would entail closing of schools and restriction on movements in airbases.

Senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat, sources said.

This came two days after Army chief Bipin Rawat said Balakot terrorists` camp in Pakistan, which was destroyed by the IAF in February, had been reactivated to send terrorists across the border in India in the backdrop of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Last month, Pakistan had, the government sources said, deployed its Special Service Group (SSG) commandos along the Sir Creek area in Gujarat.Security forces have eliminated several terrorists and foiled several infiltration bids over the past two months.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed its airbases on orange alert based on intelligence inputs about a possible suicidal terror attack on them in and around Jammu and Kashmir. According to top sources in the government, intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of eight to 10 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who will possibly try to carry out a suicidal attack against air bases in and around areas of Jammu and Kashmir. An orange alert has been sounded for Srinagar, Avantipur, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindan airbases after the monitoring of the terrorists` movements by the intelligence agencies. The orange alert is the second-highest level of alert second only to Red alert which, if issued, would entail closing of schools and restriction on movements in airbases. Senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat, sources said. This came two days after Army chief Bipin Rawat said Balakot terrorists` camp in Pakistan, which was destroyed by the IAF in February, had been reactivated to send terrorists across the border in India in the backdrop of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Last month, Pakistan had, the government sources said, deployed its Special Service Group (SSG) commandos along the Sir Creek area in Gujarat.Security forces have eliminated several terrorists and foiled several infiltration bids over the past two months.

Indian Air Force bases put on orange alert over Jaish terror attack alert

Moving a step closer towards operating the Rafale combat aircraft, the Indian Air Force on Thursday received the first Rafale combat aircraft at the Dassault Aviation manufacturing facility.

The first aircraft with tail number RB-01 was received by a team of Indian Air Force officers led by Air Marshal VR Chaudhary in France who also flew in the plane for around one hour, Indian Air Force sources told ANI.

As per the Rs 60,000 crore contract signed between India and France, the first aircraft was scheduled to be delivered in acceptance mode to the Indian side and it will now undergo trials and tests for another seven months more in France, sources said.

The tail number RB-01 has been named after Indian Air Force Chief-Designate Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who had played a very important role in finalising the country's biggest-ever defence deal.

The planes would now officially be inducted on October 8 into the IAF when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visits France but the planes would start arriving in India only in May 2020 after validation of the India Specific Enhancements and training of pilots and personnel.

The Indian planes have been equipped with a lot of India-specific enhancements, which have been fitted at a cost of around one billion euros.

Though small batches of Indian pilots have already trained on the French Air Force planes, the Indian Air Force would train 24 pilots in three different batches till May 2020 for flying the Indian Rafale fighter jets.

The Indian Air Force will deploy one squadron each of the Rafale combat aircraft at its airbases in Ambala in Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal.

In September of 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets for over 7.8 billion euros to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts.&nbsp;

Moving a step closer towards operating the Rafale combat aircraft, the Indian Air Force on Thursday received the first Rafale combat aircraft at the Dassault Aviation manufacturing facility.

Moving a step closer towards operating the Rafale combat aircraft, the Indian Air Force on Thursday received the first Rafale combat aircraft at the Dassault Aviation manufacturing facility. The first aircraft with tail number RB-01 was received by a team of Indian Air Force officers led by Air Marshal VR Chaudhary in France who also flew in the plane for around one hour, Indian Air Force sources told ANI. As per the Rs 60,000 crore contract signed between India and France, the first aircraft was scheduled to be delivered in acceptance mode to the Indian side and it will now undergo trials and tests for another seven months more in France, sources said. The tail number RB-01 has been named after Indian Air Force Chief-Designate Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who had played a very important role in finalising the country's biggest-ever defence deal. The planes would now officially be inducted on October 8 into the IAF when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visits France but the planes would start arriving in India only in May 2020 after validation of the India Specific Enhancements and training of pilots and personnel. The Indian planes have been equipped with a lot of India-specific enhancements, which have been fitted at a cost of around one billion euros. Though small batches of Indian pilots have already trained on the French Air Force planes, the Indian Air Force would train 24 pilots in three different batches till May 2020 for flying the Indian Rafale fighter jets. The Indian Air Force will deploy one squadron each of the Rafale combat aircraft at its airbases in Ambala in Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal. In September of 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets for over 7.8 billion euros to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts.

IAF receives first Rafale combat aircraft in France

In a major boost for India's aerial firepower, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has started receiving the 'building blaster' version of the Balakot airstrike-fame Spice-2000 bombs at the Gwalior airbase. Watch this video to know more.

IAF receives Spice-2000 bombs, used in Balakot airstrike from Israel

Indian Air force (IAF) was on Friday announced the completion of the Level-1 selection of Indian astronauts for mission Gaganyaan, country`s first human mission to space.

Taking to Twitter, the IAF said, "Completed Level-1 of Indian Astronaut selection at Institute of Aerospace Medicine. Selected Test Pilots underwent extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, clinical tests and evaluation on various facets of psychology. #MissionGaganyaan."

In May this year, the IAF signed an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for crew selection and training for the Gaganyaan mission.

Under the programme, aimed to be launched by 2021, a three-member crew will spend a minimum of seven days in the space.&nbsp;

A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module, which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a three-member crew for the duration of the mission.

Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The mission worth Rs. 10,000 crore is expected to be launched in December 2021 and was approved by the Union Cabinet last year.&nbsp;

Indian Air force (IAF) was on Friday announced the completion of the Level-1 selection of Indian astronauts for mission Gaganyaan, country`s first human mission to space.

Indian Air force (IAF) was on Friday announced the completion of the Level-1 selection of Indian astronauts for mission Gaganyaan, country`s first human mission to space. Taking to Twitter, the IAF said, "Completed Level-1 of Indian Astronaut selection at Institute of Aerospace Medicine. Selected Test Pilots underwent extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, clinical tests and evaluation on various facets of psychology. #MissionGaganyaan." In May this year, the IAF signed an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for crew selection and training for the Gaganyaan mission. Under the programme, aimed to be launched by 2021, a three-member crew will spend a minimum of seven days in the space. A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module, which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a three-member crew for the duration of the mission. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi. The mission worth Rs. 10,000 crore is expected to be launched in December 2021 and was approved by the Union Cabinet last year.

IAF completes Level-1 selection of Indian astronauts for Gaganyaan mission

With The Induction Of Apache Helicopter & Rafale Jet, Is India's Much-Delayed Defence Modernisation Plan Now Truly Underway?

WION Edit: Is India's defence modernisation plan back on track?

All You Need To Know About The Latest Addition To IAF: The Apache Attack Helicopter.

WION Gravitas: Apache: A 'Flying Tank' To Protect India

Charting The Strength Of The Indian Air Force (IAF) In Numbers.

WION Gravitas: The Firepower Of The Indian Air Force

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said the Apache attack choppers will enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a strike force.

Speaking at the induction ceremony of the AH-64E Apache Guardian Attack choppers, Dhanoa said, "Apache attack choppers are being purchased to replace the ageing Mi-35. This is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that is being operated worldwide by many countries."

Terming it as one of the most fierce attack helicopters, the IAF chief said, "The platform has been flying since the 80s and has proved itself as an operational success across the globe. It is one of the most fierce attack choppers along with the capability to shoot, fire and forget ATGMs, rockets and other ammunition."

The IAF chief said with the induction of Apache choppers, the force has upgraded its inventory to the latest generation of attack helicopters.

In a major boost to the Indian Air Force, eight Boeing AH- 64E Apache Guardian Attack Helicopters were inducted into the force on Tuesday.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inducted the choppers officially into the service after a ceremony held at the Pathankot Air Force Station.

The helicopters have been customized to suit the force's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain with the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said the Apache attack choppers will enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a strike force. Speaking at the induction ceremony of the AH-64E Apache Guardian Attack choppers, Dhanoa said, "Apache attack choppers are being purchased to replace the ageing Mi-35.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said the Apache attack choppers will enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a strike force. Speaking at the induction ceremony of the AH-64E Apache Guardian Attack choppers, Dhanoa said, "Apache attack choppers are being purchased to replace the ageing Mi-35. This is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that is being operated worldwide by many countries." Terming it as one of the most fierce attack helicopters, the IAF chief said, "The platform has been flying since the 80s and has proved itself as an operational success across the globe. It is one of the most fierce attack choppers along with the capability to shoot, fire and forget ATGMs, rockets and other ammunition." The IAF chief said with the induction of Apache choppers, the force has upgraded its inventory to the latest generation of attack helicopters. In a major boost to the Indian Air Force, eight Boeing AH- 64E Apache Guardian Attack Helicopters were inducted into the force on Tuesday. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inducted the choppers officially into the service after a ceremony held at the Pathankot Air Force Station. The helicopters have been customized to suit the force's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain with the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground.

Apache will enhance the operational capability of IAF as strike force: BS Dhanoa

A senior US Navy official termed the induction of American-made Apache choppers into the Indian Air Force as a great day for defence ties of the two countries.

US Navy Captain Daniel E. Fillion, from the Office of Defense Cooperation, on Tuesday expressed happiness over the induction of Apache attack helicopters in the IAF.

"United States is very happy on attending the induction ceremony. It's a great day for US-India bilateral defence relationship," he said while talking to ANI.

The defence relationship between the two countries have been growing with several deals in the pipeline. The two countries are also said to be negotiating the sale of surveillance drones.

India has purchased several defence equipment including M777 Howitzers, P-8I aircraft for Indian Navy, C-17 Globemaster, Chinook heavy-lift transport choppers from the United States in recent years.

The two countries have also signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), for mutual logistics support.

In addition to that, US F-16 fighter jets are also a contender for the IAF's 114 fighter jet programme.

In a major boost to the Indian Air Force, eight Boeing AH- 64E Apache Guardian Attack Helicopters were inducted into the force on Tuesday. 
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inducted the choppers officially into the service after a ceremony held at the Pathankot Air Force Station.

Eight helicopters have been inducted into the air force in the first batch out of the 22 procured from the US. In September 2015, IAF had signed a contract with US government and Boeing for these Apache helicopters.

The delivery of the whole lot is expected to be completed by 2020, as stated in the contract.

The helicopters have been customized to suit the force's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain with the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground.

The US has delivered around 2200 Apache helicopters to various countries of the world. India is its 16th customer, Boeing said.

Importantly, some of the major components of these machines have been made in India.

A senior US Navy official termed the induction of American-made Apache choppers into the Indian Air Force as a great day for defence ties of the two countries. US Navy Captain Daniel E.

A senior US Navy official termed the induction of American-made Apache choppers into the Indian Air Force as a great day for defence ties of the two countries. US Navy Captain Daniel E. Fillion, from the Office of Defense Cooperation, on Tuesday expressed happiness over the induction of Apache attack helicopters in the IAF. "United States is very happy on attending the induction ceremony. It's a great day for US-India bilateral defence relationship," he said while talking to ANI. The defence relationship between the two countries have been growing with several deals in the pipeline. The two countries are also said to be negotiating the sale of surveillance drones. India has purchased several defence equipment including M777 Howitzers, P-8I aircraft for Indian Navy, C-17 Globemaster, Chinook heavy-lift transport choppers from the United States in recent years. The two countries have also signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), for mutual logistics support. In addition to that, US F-16 fighter jets are also a contender for the IAF's 114 fighter jet programme. In a major boost to the Indian Air Force, eight Boeing AH- 64E Apache Guardian Attack Helicopters were inducted into the force on Tuesday. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inducted the choppers officially into the service after a ceremony held at the Pathankot Air Force Station. Eight helicopters have been inducted into the air force in the first batch out of the 22 procured from the US. In September 2015, IAF had signed a contract with US government and Boeing for these Apache helicopters. The delivery of the whole lot is expected to be completed by 2020, as stated in the contract. The helicopters have been customized to suit the force's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain with the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground. The US has delivered around 2200 Apache helicopters to various countries of the world. India is its 16th customer, Boeing said. Importantly, some of the major components of these machines have been made in India.

Great day for US-India defence ties: US Navy official on Apache induction into IAF

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-pilot-abhinandan-varthaman-returns-to-his-squadron-in-srinagar-205913">Indian Air Force pilot</a> whose aircraft was shot down inside Pak territory during a dog fight with Pakistani jets on February 27th, flew a MiG-21 for the first time today.

Abhinandan flew with Indian IAF chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.

Both men flew the trainer version of the MiG-21 Type 69 fighter aircraft. This was also the last sortie of the IAF chief in a combat aircraft.

Abhinandan's MiG-21 Bison was shot&nbsp;down by Pakistani fire as he engaged Pakistani jets who had entered Indian air space after the Balakot strikes on February 26.

Abhinandan was taken into custody by Pakistani authorities but was later returned amid tensions between India-Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack on February 14th in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot whose aircraft was shot down inside Pak territory during a dog fight with Pakistani jets on February 27th, flew a MiG-21 for the first time today.

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot whose aircraft was shot down inside Pak territory during a dog fight with Pakistani jets on February 27th, flew a MiG-21 for the first time today. Abhinandan flew with Indian IAF chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. Both men flew the trainer version of the MiG-21 Type 69 fighter aircraft. This was also the last sortie of the IAF chief in a combat aircraft. Abhinandan's MiG-21 Bison was shot down by Pakistani fire as he engaged Pakistani jets who had entered Indian air space after the Balakot strikes on February 26. Abhinandan was taken into custody by Pakistani authorities but was later returned amid tensions between India-Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack on February 14th in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Abhinandan flies with IAF chief Dhanoa for first time after Pak air battle

In a major boost for India`s aerial firepower, the Indian Air Force is set to receive the `building blaster` version of the Balakot air strike-fame Spice-2000 bombs by mid-September.

Top IAF sources told ANI that the Spice-2000 bombs are scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Israel around mid-September along with the Mark 84 warhead and bombs which can destroy buildings completely.

The supply of these weapons from Israel will happen around the time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to visit India for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian Air Force had signed a contract with Israel in June this year for acquiring more than 100 Spice 2000 bombs under the emergency procurement powers of the services given by the Narendra Modi government.

The contract was signed as the Air Force wanted to acquire the bombs after their successful usage in the Balakot airstrikes against a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in Pakistan.

During the Balakot strikes, the Air Force had dropped Spice-2000 bombs from Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft after a pack of 12 of these fighters crossed the Line of Control to strike the Jaish facility in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

However, the Spice-2000 bombs used in the Balakot strikes were the penetrator version which made holes using their weight in the concrete rooftops of the buildings in the Jaish camp which don`t destroy buildings but explode inside killing people with the mix of 70-80 kg explosives with shrapnel.

Under the emergency powers, the three services could buy any equipment of their choice worth up to Rs 300 crore to prepare for any hostilities.

The Spice-2000 bombs have been acquired from Israel which is one of the main weapon and ammunition supplier of the Air Force.

The Balakot airstrikes were conducted by the Air Force in response to the Pulwama terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in which 40 personnel lost their lives.&nbsp;

In a major boost for India`s aerial firepower, the Indian Air Force is set to receive the `building blaster` version of the Balakot air strike-fame Spice-2000 bombs by mid-September.

In a major boost for India`s aerial firepower, the Indian Air Force is set to receive the `building blaster` version of the Balakot air strike-fame Spice-2000 bombs by mid-September. Top IAF sources told ANI that the Spice-2000 bombs are scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Israel around mid-September along with the Mark 84 warhead and bombs which can destroy buildings completely. The supply of these weapons from Israel will happen around the time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to visit India for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian Air Force had signed a contract with Israel in June this year for acquiring more than 100 Spice 2000 bombs under the emergency procurement powers of the services given by the Narendra Modi government. The contract was signed as the Air Force wanted to acquire the bombs after their successful usage in the Balakot airstrikes against a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in Pakistan. During the Balakot strikes, the Air Force had dropped Spice-2000 bombs from Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft after a pack of 12 of these fighters crossed the Line of Control to strike the Jaish facility in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. However, the Spice-2000 bombs used in the Balakot strikes were the penetrator version which made holes using their weight in the concrete rooftops of the buildings in the Jaish camp which don`t destroy buildings but explode inside killing people with the mix of 70-80 kg explosives with shrapnel. Under the emergency powers, the three services could buy any equipment of their choice worth up to Rs 300 crore to prepare for any hostilities. The Spice-2000 bombs have been acquired from Israel which is one of the main weapon and ammunition supplier of the Air Force. The Balakot airstrikes were conducted by the Air Force in response to the Pulwama terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in which 40 personnel lost their lives.

IAF to get 'building blaster' Spice-2000 bombs by mid-September

Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal, the first woman who has been awarded the Yudh Seva Medal, on Thursday said that she witnessed Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft during a dogfight on 27 February, a day after the Balakot airstrike.

IAF Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal honoured with Yudh Seva medal

In 1999, Pakistani soldiers entered India disguised as intruders. The battlefield was the Kargil district of Jammu & Kashmir. Kargil is one of the world's highest battlegrounds. IAF also provide air support to the ground forces. Indian Navy blocked the routes to Karachi. When India ended the conflict started by Pakistan.

Kargil: A Story of Victory & Sacrifice

Su-30Mki jets armed with Brahmos supersonic missiles. Rearmament to enhance IAF's combat capabilities. More Brahmos missile test to be carried out in August. Watch this video to know more.

IAF jets rearmed with cruise missiles

Indian Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday embarked on a four-day bilateral visit to Russia beginning tomorrow.

During the visit which will last till July 12, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa is scheduled to visit various operational and training units as well as fly a sortie in Russian trainer aircraft YAK-130, a Defence Ministry statement said.

He will also interact with senior functionaries of the Russian armed forces.

"The visit would provide further impetus towards defence cooperation as well as strengthen relationships and enable engagement in productive exchanges between the two air forces," the statement said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-signs-rs-200-crore-anti-tank-missile-deal-with-russia-231721">Russian Aircraft</a> Corporation "MiG" is a contender in the IAF`s multi-billion dollar 114 fighter aircraft program.

The Russian company is fielding its MiG-35 fighter jet which is pitted against American F-16, F-18A, Saab's Gripen and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-reopen-today-after-six-week-vacation-will-hear-key-cases-including-rafale-ayodhya-231907">French Rafale</a> jets.

Indian Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday embarked on a four-day bilateral visit to Russia beginning tomorrow. During the visit which will last till July 12, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa is scheduled to visit various operational and training units as well as fly a sortie in Russian trainer aircraft YAK-130, a Defence Ministry statement said.

Indian Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday embarked on a four-day bilateral visit to Russia beginning tomorrow. During the visit which will last till July 12, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa is scheduled to visit various operational and training units as well as fly a sortie in Russian trainer aircraft YAK-130, a Defence Ministry statement said. He will also interact with senior functionaries of the Russian armed forces. "The visit would provide further impetus towards defence cooperation as well as strengthen relationships and enable engagement in productive exchanges between the two air forces," the statement said. Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" is a contender in the IAF`s multi-billion dollar 114 fighter aircraft program. The Russian company is fielding its MiG-35 fighter jet which is pitted against American F-16, F-18A, Saab's Gripen and French Rafale jets.

IAF Chief BS Dhanoa embarks on four-day visit to Russia

The fuel tank of an indigenous LCA Tejas combat aircraft fell during a training sortie by the Indian Air Force near Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning.

The incident took place while the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was airborne.

"Today morning at around 0840h, one fuel drop tank fell off from a Tejas aircraft on a routine sortie from Sulur Air Base near Coimbatore. The aircraft landed back safely after the incident. No damage was reported on the ground. The cause of the incident is being investigated," the IAF said in a statement.

This is the probably the first reported incident involving an LCA Tejas aircraft ever since it was inducted into the Indian Air Force.

This is the second incident in the last one week where an IAF fighter plane has had to jettison its fuel tank.

Last week, a Jaguar had to drop its external stores including fuel tanks and practice bombs after a bird hit resulted in engine flame right before take off from Ambala airbase.

The Tejas LCA is a supersonic, single-seat, single-engine multirole light fighter jet that has been under development since 1983 by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

On July 1, 2016, the LCA Tejas was inducted into the 'Flying Daggers'&nbsp;45 Squadron of the IAF and has been placed to replace the MiG-21 aircraft.&nbsp;

The fuel tank of an indigenous LCA Tejas combat aircraft fell during a training sortie by the Indian Air Force near Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning.

The fuel tank of an indigenous LCA Tejas combat aircraft fell during a training sortie by the Indian Air Force near Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning. The incident took place while the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was airborne. "Today morning at around 0840h, one fuel drop tank fell off from a Tejas aircraft on a routine sortie from Sulur Air Base near Coimbatore. The aircraft landed back safely after the incident. No damage was reported on the ground. The cause of the incident is being investigated," the IAF said in a statement. This is the probably the first reported incident involving an LCA Tejas aircraft ever since it was inducted into the Indian Air Force. This is the second incident in the last one week where an IAF fighter plane has had to jettison its fuel tank. Last week, a Jaguar had to drop its external stores including fuel tanks and practice bombs after a bird hit resulted in engine flame right before take off from Ambala airbase. The Tejas LCA is a supersonic, single-seat, single-engine multirole light fighter jet that has been under development since 1983 by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). On July 1, 2016, the LCA Tejas was inducted into the 'Flying Daggers' 45 Squadron of the IAF and has been placed to replace the MiG-21 aircraft.

Tejas fuel tank falls in field near Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu; IAF to probe

The 15-member team which helped to recover bodies of personnel died in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/an-32-crash-iaf-retrieves-remains-of-all-13-air-warriors-229036">AN-32 crash</a> in Arunachal Pradesh was retrieved on Saturday evening, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

The team which was stuck at the crash site since June 20 could not be airlifted, due to inclement weather and rain.

"Today evening around 5:15 PM, the search and rescue team which was camping as the crash site since June 12, was retrieved by IAF choppers to along. The 15 member team comprising of 8 from IAF (including 2 officers), 4 from Army (including 1 officer) and 3 civilians were recovered using ALH and Mi-17V5 helicopters," the IAF release said.

Thirteen IAF personnel died in the AN-32 aircraft crash which went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat.

The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1 pm.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper.

The remains IAF personnel were retrieved on June 20 from Arunachal Pradesh where the plane crashed.

The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12,000 feet.&nbsp;

The 15-member team which helped to recover bodies of personnel died in AN-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh was retrieved on Saturday evening, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

The 15-member team which helped to recover bodies of personnel died in AN-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh was retrieved on Saturday evening, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said. The team which was stuck at the crash site since June 20 could not be airlifted, due to inclement weather and rain. "Today evening around 5:15 PM, the search and rescue team which was camping as the crash site since June 12, was retrieved by IAF choppers to along. The 15 member team comprising of 8 from IAF (including 2 officers), 4 from Army (including 1 officer) and 3 civilians were recovered using ALH and Mi-17V5 helicopters," the IAF release said. Thirteen IAF personnel died in the AN-32 aircraft crash which went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1 pm. After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper. The remains IAF personnel were retrieved on June 20 from Arunachal Pradesh where the plane crashed. The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12,000 feet.

AN-32 crash: IAF retrieves 15-member rescue team from crash site

No data has been stolen from the computers of the Indian Air Force (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-team-to-visit-france-to-probe-possible-data-theft-during-rafale-office-break-in-221810">IAF) Rafale project team office in Paris</a> where there was a break in last month, a cyber forensic team has found during its probe.

"The cyber forensic team of the Air Force consisting three members has found that no data was stolen from the Indian Rafale project management team during the break-in by unidentified personnel there," Defence sources told ANI here.

The three-member team had left for Paris soon after the reports about a break-in on a weekend were received by the IAF, they said.

The team was sent to France to probe if any documents were stolen or copied during the break-in into its Rafale Project management team office.

Unidentified persons broke into the Indian Rafale Project management team office in France in May in what was suspected to be a possible espionage attempt to steal data related to the aircraft critical to India's national security plans.

The Defence Ministry has also been informed that there was no data theft from the IAF office during the break-in.

The Rafale project team is headed by a Group Captain-rank officer who looks after issues related to the 36 Rafale combat aircraft, including the production timelines and training of Indian personnel who have to be trained for maintenance and flying operations of the plane, which India is acquiring.

The Rafale team sits in a building complex in Saint Cloud suburb of Paris and the police are investigating the case.

Sources said the main aim of the break-in could have been to steal data as valuables or money are not kept in these administrative offices.

The Indian Rafale team office is situated in the vicinity of French Dassault Aviation office blocks.&nbsp;

No data has been stolen from the computers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale project team office in Paris where there was a break in last month, a cyber forensic team has found during its probe.

No data has been stolen from the computers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale project team office in Paris where there was a break in last month, a cyber forensic team has found during its probe. "The cyber forensic team of the Air Force consisting three members has found that no data was stolen from the Indian Rafale project management team during the break-in by unidentified personnel there," Defence sources told ANI here. The three-member team had left for Paris soon after the reports about a break-in on a weekend were received by the IAF, they said. The team was sent to France to probe if any documents were stolen or copied during the break-in into its Rafale Project management team office. Unidentified persons broke into the Indian Rafale Project management team office in France in May in what was suspected to be a possible espionage attempt to steal data related to the aircraft critical to India's national security plans. The Defence Ministry has also been informed that there was no data theft from the IAF office during the break-in. The Rafale project team is headed by a Group Captain-rank officer who looks after issues related to the 36 Rafale combat aircraft, including the production timelines and training of Indian personnel who have to be trained for maintenance and flying operations of the plane, which India is acquiring. The Rafale team sits in a building complex in Saint Cloud suburb of Paris and the police are investigating the case. Sources said the main aim of the break-in could have been to steal data as valuables or money are not kept in these administrative offices. The Indian Rafale team office is situated in the vicinity of French Dassault Aviation office blocks.

No data stolen from IAF's Rafale team office in Paris: Cyber forensic team

When the Air Force sent its package of 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to attack the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in Balakot on February 26, it code-named it 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)', to maintain secrecy.

India Watch: Balakot airstrikes: The inside story

Commemorating 20 years of the Kargil War, the IAF on Monday turned the Gwalior air base virtually into a conflict theatre, with dramatic reenactment of some of the milestones of the operation in 1999.

India Watch: 20 years of Kargil war

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday paid tributes to the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in an An-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh.

&nbsp;"Met with the families and friends of the deceased Air-warriors of An32 and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them. My thoughts and prayers are with them. May God give them strength to bear this monumental loss," he tweeted.

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Paid tributes to brave Air-warriors <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAF_MCC</a>, who lost their lives in the unfortunate An-32 crash on 03 June, 19 in Arunachal Pradesh. 
 
They served the nation with confidence and courage. I salute their sacrifice in the line of duty. <a href="https://t.co/V8bH2aWh4L">pic.twitter.com/V8bH2aWh4L</a>
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1141927924418789376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The defence minister also met the family members of the deceased air warriors and offered his condolences.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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Met with the families and friends of the deceased Air-warriors of An32 and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them. 
 
My thoughts and prayers are with them. May God give them strength to bear this monumental loss. <a href="https://t.co/YcqmUrNNBz">pic.twitter.com/YcqmUrNNBz</a>
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1141929931590361089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The IAF on Thursday completed the task of retrieving bodies of all its 13 personnel from the crash site of its AN-32 aircraft in the Pari mountains in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

All 13 personnel aboard the Russian-made AN-32 had perished in the crash on June 3 about 30 minutes after the aircraft took off from Jorhat in Assam for Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh.

The plane had gone missing and remained traceless till June 11, when its wreckage was located in the Pari mountains.

(With inputs from PTI)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday paid tributes to the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in an An-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh. "Met with the families and friends of the deceased Air-warriors of An32 and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday paid tributes to the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in an An-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh. "Met with the families and friends of the deceased Air-warriors of An32 and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them. My thoughts and prayers are with them. May God give them strength to bear this monumental loss," he tweeted. Paid tributes to brave Air-warriors @IAF_MCC, who lost their lives in the unfortunate An-32 crash on 03 June, 19 in Arunachal Pradesh. They served the nation with confidence and courage. I salute their sacrifice in the line of duty. pic.twitter.com/V8bH2aWh4L — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 21, 2019 × The defence minister also met the family members of the deceased air warriors and offered his condolences. Met with the families and friends of the deceased Air-warriors of An32 and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them. My thoughts and prayers are with them. May God give them strength to bear this monumental loss. pic.twitter.com/YcqmUrNNBz — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 21, 2019 × The IAF on Thursday completed the task of retrieving bodies of all its 13 personnel from the crash site of its AN-32 aircraft in the Pari mountains in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. All 13 personnel aboard the Russian-made AN-32 had perished in the crash on June 3 about 30 minutes after the aircraft took off from Jorhat in Assam for Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh. The plane had gone missing and remained traceless till June 11, when its wreckage was located in the Pari mountains. (With inputs from PTI)

Rajnath Singh pays tribute to IAF personnel killed in AN-32 crash, meets their family members

When the Air Force sent its package of 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to attack the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-lets-un-team-assess-loss-of-trees-in-balakot-bars-meeting-with-hafiz-saeed-202044">Balakot on February 26</a>, it code-named it 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)', to maintain secrecy.

"In order to maintain secrecy and ensure that the plans don't leak out, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/balakot-air-strike-is-indias-googly-response-to-imran-khans-in-swinger-199863">Balakot operations</a> were given the codename Operation Bandar," senior defence sources said.

Without detailing any specific reason behind the name, sources said monkeys have always held a special place in India's war culture as seen in the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama`s lieutenant Lord Hanuman quietly sneaked into Lanka and destroyed the entire capital city of the demon Ravana.

On February 26, 12 Mirages having taken off from multiple air bases crossed over into the Pakistani air space and carried out missile attacks on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot town of Khyber Pakhtunwa province.

The attacks carried out by the Indian Air Force, pilots had dropped five Spice 2000 bombs out of which four penetrated the rooftops of the building in which the terrorists were sleeping.

The attacks were carried out at 3.30am and within a few minutes after dropping the bombs on their designated targets, the Indian Air Force planes returned to their bases.

The aircraft used in the attack belonged to the No 7 and No 9 squadrons of the Indian Air Force and included the non-upgraded planes as the upgraded Mirages of the No 1 squadron did not have the air to ground strike capability at that moment.

While some of the Mirage aircraft carried out the attack on Jaish positions, a team of other few Mirages and Su-30MKI combat aircraft kept the Pakistan air force planes away from causing any hindrance or launching any counter-offensive.

As per the Air Force briefings to the government, 80 per cent of the bombs had been dropped successfully on their targets and had carried out the requisite damage to the enemy locations.&nbsp;

The operations were ably supported by the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control systems (AEW&amp;C) plane Netra.

The Indian Air Force had also kept its team of Garud commandos on stand-by for any kind of operations that may have been required due to any kind of emergency there.

The Indian Air Force is also planning to reward the IAF pilots who took part in the attack with Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry for their acts of bravery.

When the Air Force sent its package of 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to attack the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in Balakot on February 26, it code-named it 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)', to maintain secrecy. "In order to maintain secrecy and ensure that the plans don't leak out, the Balakot operations were given the codename Operation Bandar," senior defence sources said. Without detailing any specific reason behind the name, sources said monkeys have always held a special place in India's war culture as seen in the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama`s lieutenant Lord Hanuman quietly sneaked into Lanka and destroyed the entire capital city of the demon Ravana. On February 26, 12 Mirages having taken off from multiple air bases crossed over into the Pakistani air space and carried out missile attacks on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot town of Khyber Pakhtunwa province. The attacks carried out by the Indian Air Force, pilots had dropped five Spice 2000 bombs out of which four penetrated the rooftops of the building in which the terrorists were sleeping. The attacks were carried out at 3.30am and within a few minutes after dropping the bombs on their designated targets, the Indian Air Force planes returned to their bases. The aircraft used in the attack belonged to the No 7 and No 9 squadrons of the Indian Air Force and included the non-upgraded planes as the upgraded Mirages of the No 1 squadron did not have the air to ground strike capability at that moment. While some of the Mirage aircraft carried out the attack on Jaish positions, a team of other few Mirages and Su-30MKI combat aircraft kept the Pakistan air force planes away from causing any hindrance or launching any counter-offensive. As per the Air Force briefings to the government, 80 per cent of the bombs had been dropped successfully on their targets and had carried out the requisite damage to the enemy locations. The operations were ably supported by the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control systems (AEW&C) plane Netra. The Indian Air Force had also kept its team of Garud commandos on stand-by for any kind of operations that may have been required due to any kind of emergency there. The Indian Air Force is also planning to reward the IAF pilots who took part in the attack with Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry for their acts of bravery.

'Operation Bandar' was IAF's code name for Balakot airstrike: Sources

Inclement weather on Saturday hampered rescue efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of 13 air-warriors who were on board the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-go-into-an-32-aircraft-crash-ensure-it-does-not-happen-again-iaf-chief-227278">Indian Air Force aircraft</a> that crashed in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, an IAF spokesman said.&nbsp;

Shillong-based IAF spokesman Ratnakar Singh said the rescue operation, which commenced early Saturday morning, could not progress further due to inclement weather at the crash site.

Cheetah and ALH helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves.

At present there are low clouds accompanied with rain in the area, the spokesman said in a statement.

The IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors.

IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and they are being updated regularly about the ongoing rescue operations. They are also being explained the challenges being faced by the rescue team, he added.

The rescue team on Friday recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) of the Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft.

The aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka advanced landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, near the border with China, on June 3 when it lost contact around half-an-hour after taking off.

The wreckage of the plane was spotted by an IAF chopper on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 ft near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts, after eight days of a massive search operation involving a fleet of aircraft and choppers as well as ground forces.

A 15-member team of rescuers were sent to look for survivors in the accident site on Wednesday and eight of them reached the place on Thursday morning.&nbsp;

Inclement weather on Saturday hampered rescue efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of 13 air-warriors who were on board the Indian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, an IAF spokesman said.

Inclement weather on Saturday hampered rescue efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of 13 air-warriors who were on board the Indian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, an IAF spokesman said. Shillong-based IAF spokesman Ratnakar Singh said the rescue operation, which commenced early Saturday morning, could not progress further due to inclement weather at the crash site. Cheetah and ALH helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves. At present there are low clouds accompanied with rain in the area, the spokesman said in a statement. The IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors. IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and they are being updated regularly about the ongoing rescue operations. They are also being explained the challenges being faced by the rescue team, he added. The rescue team on Friday recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) of the Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft. The aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka advanced landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, near the border with China, on June 3 when it lost contact around half-an-hour after taking off. The wreckage of the plane was spotted by an IAF chopper on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 ft near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts, after eight days of a massive search operation involving a fleet of aircraft and choppers as well as ground forces. A 15-member team of rescuers were sent to look for survivors in the accident site on Wednesday and eight of them reached the place on Thursday morning.

Inclement weather hampers operation to retrieve bodies of IAF aircraft crash victims

The Indian Air Force lost thirteen "air warriors" in a crash in Arunachal Pradesh.

The search operations which lasted several days due to bad weather ended on Tuesday as the wreckage of the ill-fated flight was discovered. On Thursday, all passengers on board including the pilot were declared dead.

Wing Commander GM Charles, Squadron leader H Vinod, Flight lieutenant R Thapa, Flight lieutenant A Tanwar, Flight lieutenant S Mohanty &amp; Flight lieutenant MK Garg, Warrant Officer KK Mishra, Sergeant Anoop Kumar, Corporal Sherin, Lead Aircraft Man SK Singh, Lead Aircraft Man Pankaj, Non-combatant employee Putali &amp; non-combatant Employee Rajesh Kumar.

These may be just names for some but for the IAF they are men who it lost quite needlessly.

The IAF has lost nearly 10 aircrafts this year&nbsp;which includes the AN-32 transport plane, Surya Kiran, Mirage 200 fighter, MiG-27 fighter aircraft and a&nbsp;Mi-17 helicopter.

The oft-repeated term "flying coffin" is used whenever an IAF plane goes down. That&nbsp;IAF needs to revamp its plane has been an open secret for decades. The MiGs - India's principal strike force for decades has gone well past its expiry date, although the IAF has done well to refit and upgrade it with the latest technology, however, it needs to be phased out else more crashes and more loss of precious lives is in store.

India has rightly bought the Rafale jets from for future engagements in the air but it still depends on a large fleet of Russian-made aircraft of the Soviet era.

The MiG-21 BISON, which the IAF claims is&nbsp;its "backbone", was famously brought down in POK during a dogfight in February with Wing Commander Abhinandan ejecting safely.

India's frontline fighters - Russian made Sukhoi-30s - have also crashed several times in the past few years. At least seven Sukhoi-30 fighter planes have crashed since 1997.

In 2014, US-made C-130 J Super Hercules transport plane had crashed in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh leading to the death of five IAF personnel. India had purchased at least six C-130s from the US at the cost of over $1 billion.

In February, the Russian-made&nbsp;Mi17 V5 helicopter had crashed in Budgam, near Srinagar. The crash had led to the death of six air warriors. An IAF Court of Inquiry is underway on whether it was a case of "friendly fire" after a missile was reportedly mistakenly fired on the Indian side. The report from the inquiry is awaited.

It is time for a rethink on old, worn out planes. India had decided to have a lean, mean IAF a couple of years ago. The time has come to take action. All those MiG squadrons which have crashed so many time over the past few years must be grounded and a new fleet, however, slow or painstaking it might be should be put forth.

And maybe the country should be allowed to understand why so many crashes have been taking place in the first place, even of new planes.

The nation cannot afford to lose any more "air warriors" to the flying coffins in the IAF. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force lost thirteen "air warriors" in a crash in Arunachal Pradesh. The search operations which lasted several days due to bad weather ended on Tuesday as the wreckage of the ill-fated flight was discovered.

The Indian Air Force lost thirteen "air warriors" in a crash in Arunachal Pradesh. The search operations which lasted several days due to bad weather ended on Tuesday as the wreckage of the ill-fated flight was discovered. On Thursday, all passengers on board including the pilot were declared dead. Wing Commander GM Charles, Squadron leader H Vinod, Flight lieutenant R Thapa, Flight lieutenant A Tanwar, Flight lieutenant S Mohanty & Flight lieutenant MK Garg, Warrant Officer KK Mishra, Sergeant Anoop Kumar, Corporal Sherin, Lead Aircraft Man SK Singh, Lead Aircraft Man Pankaj, Non-combatant employee Putali & non-combatant Employee Rajesh Kumar. These may be just names for some but for the IAF they are men who it lost quite needlessly. The IAF has lost nearly 10 aircrafts this year which includes the AN-32 transport plane, Surya Kiran, Mirage 200 fighter, MiG-27 fighter aircraft and a Mi-17 helicopter. The oft-repeated term "flying coffin" is used whenever an IAF plane goes down. That IAF needs to revamp its plane has been an open secret for decades. The MiGs - India's principal strike force for decades has gone well past its expiry date, although the IAF has done well to refit and upgrade it with the latest technology, however, it needs to be phased out else more crashes and more loss of precious lives is in store. India has rightly bought the Rafale jets from for future engagements in the air but it still depends on a large fleet of Russian-made aircraft of the Soviet era. The MiG-21 BISON, which the IAF claims is its "backbone", was famously brought down in POK during a dogfight in February with Wing Commander Abhinandan ejecting safely. India's frontline fighters - Russian made Sukhoi-30s - have also crashed several times in the past few years. At least seven Sukhoi-30 fighter planes have crashed since 1997. In 2014, US-made C-130 J Super Hercules transport plane had crashed in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh leading to the death of five IAF personnel. India had purchased at least six C-130s from the US at the cost of over $1 billion. In February, the Russian-made Mi17 V5 helicopter had crashed in Budgam, near Srinagar. The crash had led to the death of six air warriors. An IAF Court of Inquiry is underway on whether it was a case of "friendly fire" after a missile was reportedly mistakenly fired on the Indian side. The report from the inquiry is awaited. It is time for a rethink on old, worn out planes. India had decided to have a lean, mean IAF a couple of years ago. The time has come to take action. All those MiG squadrons which have crashed so many time over the past few years must be grounded and a new fleet, however, slow or painstaking it might be should be put forth. And maybe the country should be allowed to understand why so many crashes have been taking place in the first place, even of new planes. The nation cannot afford to lose any more "air warriors" to the flying coffins in the IAF. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

India can't afford to lose any more 'air warriors' to the flying coffins in the IAF

Eight days after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/debris-of-aircraft-believed-to-be-that-of-iaf-an-32-lopcated-report-226246">AN-32 aircraft wreckage</a> was found in heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force(IAF) has&nbsp;sent&nbsp;its search teams comprising of Garud commandos including Mi17s and light helicopters&nbsp;to look for evidence of those missing.

The AN-32 transport&nbsp;aircraft was spotted 16 kms North of Lipo, north east of Tato from an IAF Mi-17 helicopter on Tuesday. There were 13 IAF personnel on board when the plane crashed.

"Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors," the IAF said.

The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Menchuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at 1pm, within 33 minutes of taking off.

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After bad weather hampered operations, the IAF had pressed Sukhoi-30 aircraft in addition to a fleet of C-130J, Mi-17 and ALH helicopters along with ground forces including&nbsp;troops from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and state police.

The Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft was also deployed earlier this week as it has electro-optical and infra-red sensors which are&nbsp;helpful in search operations.

ISRO's Cartosat and RISAT satellites were also used to take images of the area around Menchuka.

"After identification of the wreckage of AN-32 by Mi-17V5, the Cheetah of reached the crash site. Due to high elevation and dense forest, helicopters could not land next to the crash site," the IAF had said on Tuesday.

(Inputs: PTI)

Eight days after the AN-32 aircraft wreckage was found in heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force(IAF) has sent its search teams comprising of Garud commandos including Mi17s and light helicopters to look for evidence of those missing.

Eight days after the AN-32 aircraft wreckage was found in heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force(IAF) has sent its search teams comprising of Garud commandos including Mi17s and light helicopters to look for evidence of those missing. The AN-32 transport aircraft was spotted 16 kms North of Lipo, north east of Tato from an IAF Mi-17 helicopter on Tuesday. There were 13 IAF personnel on board when the plane crashed. "Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors," the IAF said. The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Menchuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at 1pm, within 33 minutes of taking off. After bad weather hampered operations, the IAF had pressed Sukhoi-30 aircraft in addition to a fleet of C-130J, Mi-17 and ALH helicopters along with ground forces including troops from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and state police. The Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft was also deployed earlier this week as it has electro-optical and infra-red sensors which are helpful in search operations. ISRO's Cartosat and RISAT satellites were also used to take images of the area around Menchuka. "After identification of the wreckage of AN-32 by Mi-17V5, the Cheetah of reached the crash site. Due to high elevation and dense forest, helicopters could not land next to the crash site," the IAF had said on Tuesday. (Inputs: PTI)

Garud commandos, IAF planes resume operation to retrieve AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh

Images captured of the probable crash point of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/garud-commandos-iaf-planes-resume-operation-to-retrieve-an-32-aircraft-in-arunachal-pradesh-226398">missing Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft</a> show that the aircraft was quite close to clearing a hill. The aircraft may have failed flying past the hill probably due to the blockage of view due to clouds, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

In the meanwhile, 15 mountaineers have been inducted by Mi-17s and ALH, with all equipment. As many as 9 personnel from the Indian Air Force's mountaineering team, 4 from Army and 2 civilian mountaineers have joined the operations in Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

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Indian Air Force: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AN32Aircraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AN32Aircraft</a> crash site in Arunachal Pradesh showing the probable crash point of the aircraft. It shows how close the plane was to clear the hill but could not, probably due to blockage of view due to clouds. <a href="https://t.co/o3jRQ6gU4T">pic.twitter.com/o3jRQ6gU4T</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1138755008139161600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The mountaineers are yet to reach the crash site due to inclement weather and terrain. The team will be camping overnight due to difficult terrain and weather, will close into the crash site tomorrow, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

It has been eight days since Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft went missing in Arunachal Pradesh after taking off from Jorhat, Assam.

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Rescue update of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AN32Aircraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AN32Aircraft</a> : 15 mountaineers have been inducted by Mi-17s &amp; ALH, with all equipment - 9 from IAF mountaineering team, 4 from Army &amp; 2 civilian mountaineers. Some have reached the crash site &amp; some are still tracking. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArunachalPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArunachalPradesh</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1138753482612137985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at &nbsp;1 pm, within 33 minutes of taking off.

Watch: Wreckage of missing Air Force An-32 plane found in Arunachal Pradesh

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Aircraft's wreckage was found in heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has sent its search teams comprising of Garud commandos including Mi17s and light helicopters to look for evidence of those missing.

"Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors," the IAF said. 
&nbsp;

Images captured of the probable crash point of missing Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft show that the aircraft was quite close to clearing a hill. The aircraft may have failed flying past the hill probably due to the blockage of view due to clouds, news agency ANI reported.

Images captured of the probable crash point of missing Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft show that the aircraft was quite close to clearing a hill. The aircraft may have failed flying past the hill probably due to the blockage of view due to clouds, news agency ANI reported. In the meanwhile, 15 mountaineers have been inducted by Mi-17s and ALH, with all equipment. As many as 9 personnel from the Indian Air Force's mountaineering team, 4 from Army and 2 civilian mountaineers have joined the operations in Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Air Force: #AN32Aircraft crash site in Arunachal Pradesh showing the probable crash point of the aircraft. It shows how close the plane was to clear the hill but could not, probably due to blockage of view due to clouds. pic.twitter.com/o3jRQ6gU4T — ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2019 × The mountaineers are yet to reach the crash site due to inclement weather and terrain. The team will be camping overnight due to difficult terrain and weather, will close into the crash site tomorrow, news agency ANI reported. It has been eight days since Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft went missing in Arunachal Pradesh after taking off from Jorhat, Assam. Rescue update of #AN32Aircraft : 15 mountaineers have been inducted by Mi-17s & ALH, with all equipment - 9 from IAF mountaineering team, 4 from Army & 2 civilian mountaineers. Some have reached the crash site & some are still tracking. #ArunachalPradesh — ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2019 × The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at 1 pm, within 33 minutes of taking off. Watch: Wreckage of missing Air Force An-32 plane found in Arunachal Pradesh Aircraft's wreckage was found in heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has sent its search teams comprising of Garud commandos including Mi17s and light helicopters to look for evidence of those missing. "Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors," the IAF said.

AN-32 aircraft probably couldn't get past hill, crashed due to blockage of view

Indian Air Force Aircraft AN-32 has been missing since 3rd June and now after 8 days of search operation finally the authorities located the wreckage of the aircraft.

Wreckage of AN-32 aircraft located after 8-days of search

As even after seven days there is no clue about the whereabouts of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-announces-rs-5-lakh-reward-for-information-on-missing-an-32-aircraft-225570">AN32 aircraft</a>, Union Minister General (Retd) VK Singh on Sunday assured that the government and defence forces are "working tirelessly" to locate it.

The aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on Monday afternoon after taking off from Jorhat.

It was headed for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with the ground authorities at 1300 hours.

"As a soldier, I empathize with the families of these 13 brave men. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you Our government &amp; defence forces are working tirelessly in harsh weather conditions, in particularly challenging geography to find the AN 32 aircraft, " the Former Chief of Army Staff tweeted.

No sighting has been done yet. Search missions by other sensors will be carried during the night.

Watch: IAF announces Rs 5 lakh reward for info about missing aircraft AN 32

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Massive efforts are on to locate AN-32 transport aircraft with the Air Force deploying Navy's P-8I aircraft and Global 5000 surveillance aircraft along with NTRO satellites on the fifth day since it went missing over Arunachal Pradesh.

Apart from these, Su-30MKI combat aircraft, C-130J special operations aircraft, several choppers, UAVs and even ground troops are carrying out search missions to locate the plane.

The aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on Monday afternoon after taking off from Jorhat.

It was headed for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with the ground authorities at 1300 hours.

In a statement on Friday, IAF said that it is in regular touch with the families of the missing air-warriors and all assistance is being provided to them.

"IAF is not sparing any efforts in locating the missing air-warriors. We stand in support of the families in these difficult times," said the Air Force in the statement.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

As even after seven days there is no clue about the whereabouts of AN32 aircraft, Union Minister General (Retd) VK Singh on Sunday assured that the government and defence forces are "working tirelessly" to locate it.

As even after seven days there is no clue about the whereabouts of AN32 aircraft, Union Minister General (Retd) VK Singh on Sunday assured that the government and defence forces are "working tirelessly" to locate it. The aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on Monday afternoon after taking off from Jorhat. It was headed for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with the ground authorities at 1300 hours. "As a soldier, I empathize with the families of these 13 brave men. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you Our government & defence forces are working tirelessly in harsh weather conditions, in particularly challenging geography to find the AN 32 aircraft, " the Former Chief of Army Staff tweeted. No sighting has been done yet. Search missions by other sensors will be carried during the night. Watch: IAF announces Rs 5 lakh reward for info about missing aircraft AN 32 Massive efforts are on to locate AN-32 transport aircraft with the Air Force deploying Navy's P-8I aircraft and Global 5000 surveillance aircraft along with NTRO satellites on the fifth day since it went missing over Arunachal Pradesh. Apart from these, Su-30MKI combat aircraft, C-130J special operations aircraft, several choppers, UAVs and even ground troops are carrying out search missions to locate the plane. The aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on Monday afternoon after taking off from Jorhat. It was headed for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with the ground authorities at 1300 hours. In a statement on Friday, IAF said that it is in regular touch with the families of the missing air-warriors and all assistance is being provided to them. "IAF is not sparing any efforts in locating the missing air-warriors. We stand in support of the families in these difficult times," said the Air Force in the statement.

Government, defence forces working tirelessly to locate missing AN-32 aircraft: VK Singh

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-air-force-intensifies-efforts-to-find-missing-an-32-aircraft-operation-to-continue-through-the-night-224651">Indian Air Force (IAF) </a>has intensified and expanded search operations for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-air-force-an-32-aircraft-with-13-passengers-on-board-goes-missing-after-takeoff-223865">AN-32 aircraft </a>which went missing on June 3, despite extreme weather and an unfavourable terrain posing a challenge.

Despite IAF's eagerness to find the missing AN-32, bad weather has delayed helicopter search, however, Indian Navy's P8i reconnaissance aircraft has been sent for search operations.

Taking to Twitter, the IAF briefed about the search operation saying, "#IAF has further intensified and expanded search for the missing An32. Fighter aircraft, C130, Helicopters, aircraft carrying specialised sensors, satellites and all possible civil, police and local administrative agencies have further expanded search based on human and sensor inputs."

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These parties have been encountering thick forests as they tirelessly search every part of a very difficult terrain. 
The search by parties on foot and night capable aircraft will continue through the night and satellites data is being analysed regularly. 3/4
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1136674456552714240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Air Force assured that no effort is being spared to locate the missing aircraft with 13 of its personnel on board.

"P8I, aircraft of #IndianNavy will again fly a sortie tomorrow morning as the weather is likely to improve slightly. Search parties have set out on foot in likely directions to locate the aircraft and its occupants," it added.

The search parties, the IAF said, have been encountering thick forests as they tirelessly search every part of a very difficult terrain.

The search by parties on foot and night capable aircraft will continue through the night and data from satellites is being analysed regularly, it mentioned.

Watch: Why the search operation for AN-32 is taking this long

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"Weather continues to pose a challenge, however IAF remains committed to continued efforts to locate the aircraft and it`s brave air warriors. IAF has flown more than 100 hours in search operations," IAF said in another tweet.

The Indian Army on Thursday deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to search for the transport aircraft, as the search operations for the plane, which went missing over Arunachal Pradesh, entered the fourth day.

"Unmanned aerial vehicles were also deployed today along with the C-130Js and helicopters but so far, we have not able to locate anything. The search operations will continue through the night," a Defence spokesperson said.

The IAF had also said in a tweet that Cheetah choppers have been deployed in the search operations."#IAF Missing AN-32 search continues. The area of search has been expanded and more assets including smaller and more manoeuvrable helicopters like Cheetah have been included in the rescue mission so as to approach areas inaccessible by bigger helicopters or individuals on foot," the IAF tweeted."

Search by IAF and #IndianArmy helicopters was adversely affected by localised weather in the valleys. All leads from airborne sensors including by #IndianNavy being closely assessed and followed-up with search by aircraft and ground teams. The search will continue through the night," read another tweet.

While bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put a halt to the search operations by helicopters, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one C 130J aircraft carried out night missions to locate the plane.

The AN-32 aircraft had taken off from Assam`s Jorhat on June 3 and was headed for Mechuka Advance Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

Su-30MKI jets, C-130J special operations aircraft, several choppers along with ground troops were deployed to locate the plane.&nbsp;

ISRO satellites and Indian Navy`s P-8I aircraft have also been pressed into action.&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has intensified and expanded search operations for the AN-32 aircraft which went missing on June 3, despite extreme weather and an unfavourable terrain posing a challenge.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has intensified and expanded search operations for the AN-32 aircraft which went missing on June 3, despite extreme weather and an unfavourable terrain posing a challenge. Despite IAF's eagerness to find the missing AN-32, bad weather has delayed helicopter search, however, Indian Navy's P8i reconnaissance aircraft has been sent for search operations. Taking to Twitter, the IAF briefed about the search operation saying, "#IAF has further intensified and expanded search for the missing An32. Fighter aircraft, C130, Helicopters, aircraft carrying specialised sensors, satellites and all possible civil, police and local administrative agencies have further expanded search based on human and sensor inputs." These parties have been encountering thick forests as they tirelessly search every part of a very difficult terrain. The search by parties on foot and night capable aircraft will continue through the night and satellites data is being analysed regularly. 3/4 — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 6, 2019 × The Air Force assured that no effort is being spared to locate the missing aircraft with 13 of its personnel on board. "P8I, aircraft of #IndianNavy will again fly a sortie tomorrow morning as the weather is likely to improve slightly. Search parties have set out on foot in likely directions to locate the aircraft and its occupants," it added. The search parties, the IAF said, have been encountering thick forests as they tirelessly search every part of a very difficult terrain. The search by parties on foot and night capable aircraft will continue through the night and data from satellites is being analysed regularly, it mentioned. Watch: Why the search operation for AN-32 is taking this long × "Weather continues to pose a challenge, however IAF remains committed to continued efforts to locate the aircraft and it`s brave air warriors. IAF has flown more than 100 hours in search operations," IAF said in another tweet. The Indian Army on Thursday deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to search for the transport aircraft, as the search operations for the plane, which went missing over Arunachal Pradesh, entered the fourth day. "Unmanned aerial vehicles were also deployed today along with the C-130Js and helicopters but so far, we have not able to locate anything. The search operations will continue through the night," a Defence spokesperson said. The IAF had also said in a tweet that Cheetah choppers have been deployed in the search operations."#IAF Missing AN-32 search continues. The area of search has been expanded and more assets including smaller and more manoeuvrable helicopters like Cheetah have been included in the rescue mission so as to approach areas inaccessible by bigger helicopters or individuals on foot," the IAF tweeted." Search by IAF and #IndianArmy helicopters was adversely affected by localised weather in the valleys. All leads from airborne sensors including by #IndianNavy being closely assessed and followed-up with search by aircraft and ground teams. The search will continue through the night," read another tweet. While bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put a halt to the search operations by helicopters, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one C 130J aircraft carried out night missions to locate the plane. The AN-32 aircraft had taken off from Assam`s Jorhat on June 3 and was headed for Mechuka Advance Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours. Su-30MKI jets, C-130J special operations aircraft, several choppers along with ground troops were deployed to locate the plane. ISRO satellites and Indian Navy`s P-8I aircraft have also been pressed into action.

100 hours on, IAF intensifies search for AN-32 amid adverse weather

Search Continues For The Missing IAF AN-32 Aircraft Why is the search for missing AN-32 aircraft taking so much time? What are the challenges before the search & rescue team? Are the slow procurement procedures to blame for the problem? Palki analyses the issue with expert opinion

Gravitas: Search continues for missing Indian Air Force plane

The search operations for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-air-force-an-32-aircraft-with-13-passengers-on-board-goes-missing-after-takeoff-223865">Indian Air Force AN-32 </a>transport aircraft, which went missing over Arunachal Pradesh, entered the fourth day on Thursday.

While bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put a halt to the search operations by helicopters, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one C 130J aircraft carried out missions to locate the missing plane.

Satellites and other assets have also been pressed into service.

The AN-32 aircraft with 13 IAF personnel on board went missing on Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The plane had taken off from Assam`s Jorhat and was headed for Mechuka Advance Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh.

The search operations for the Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft, which went missing over Arunachal Pradesh, entered the fourth day on Thursday. While bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put a halt to the search operations by helicopters, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one C 130J aircraft carried out missions to locate the missing plane.

The search operations for the Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft, which went missing over Arunachal Pradesh, entered the fourth day on Thursday. While bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put a halt to the search operations by helicopters, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one C 130J aircraft carried out missions to locate the missing plane. Satellites and other assets have also been pressed into service. The AN-32 aircraft with 13 IAF personnel on board went missing on Monday afternoon. The plane had taken off from Assam`s Jorhat and was headed for Mechuka Advance Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh.

Search operations for missing IAF aircraft enters fourth day

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