Important Fighter Jets and Helicopters of India

• 4th generation supersonic, single-seat, single-engine multirole light fighter aircraft.
• Conceived in the early 1980s to replace the Russia-made MIG 21 of the Indian Air Force.
• Designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency.
• The combat-ready version of the fighter comprise of battle-time requirements such as mid-air refuelling, AESA radar, electronic warfare suites, bombs and weapons etc.
• India does not have even a single squadron of the indigenously produced fighters.
• In contrast, both China has fifth generation fighters already in the test flying stage.
• Pakistan also has an operational indigenously built fighter jet, JF 17 developed with Chinese assistance.

• India’s premier Air Defense Fighter aircraft
• Light-weight air-superiority fighter aircraft developed by Russia.
• Twin-engine jet fighter inducted into Indian Air Force in 1985.
• With about 110 Mig-29s operated by Indian Air Force and Indian Navy combined, India is the second biggest operator of Mig-29s in the world after Russia.
• The MiG-29 aircraft played an important role during the Kargil War of 1999.
• Three squadrons of 16-18 MiG-29s aircrafts each are deployed in the strategically important Adampur Air Force Station, which is around 100 km from Pakistan and 250 km away from China borders.
• The MiG 29s are far more superior to F-16s of the Pakistan Airforce with the capacity to launch Beyond Visual Range BVR missiles.

• Multirole combat fighter aircraft
• Jointly developed by Russia and India.
• India’s answer to F-16 of Pakistan.
• Top speed of 2120 kph (Mach 1.7).
• Capable of launching upto 6 air-air, 6 air-to-surface missiles, 6 laser guided bombs and 8500kg of cluster bombs.
• Recently test fired the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos from Sukhoi-30MKI.
• This has provided a significant strategic deterrence against China and Pakistan in multi-mission roles, including precision strikes on terror camps across the LoC, against high-value naval targets, including aircraft carriers and nuclear bunkers.

• Twin-engine medium multi-role combat aircraft, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation.
• Can carry weapons more than 9 tonnes including air-air, air-ground and air-ship missiles.
• Main roles include missions including Air-defence/air-superiority, Reconnaissance, close air support dynamic targeting, Air-to-ground precision strike/interdiction, anti-ship attacks, and nuclear deterrence, buddy-buddy refueling.
• Can carry out both air-to-ground, as well as air-to-air attacks and interceptions during the same sortie.
• Maximum speed of 1.9 mach.
• Range of more than 3700 km vs 400-550 of Su 30 
• Weapon system include SCALP and METEOR missiles
• SCALP: a precision long range ground attack missile that can take out targets with extreme accuracy. Has a range of 300 km, capped by the missile technologycontrol regime. 
• METEOR: a beyond visual range air to air missile that is possibly the best in its class. Can take out enemy aircraft at range of over 100 km.

Japanese amphibious aircraft that India is keen to import

• Developed as a replacement for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters
• New generation 3-Ton class helicopter.
• Being indigenously developed by Hindustan Aeronauics Limited (HAL).

Utility helicopter developed and manufactured by HAL.

Important Roles

• Commuter Role
• Evacuation
• Rapid Deployment of Forces
• Logistic Air Support
• Search and Rescue

Characteristics

• Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
• Heavy-lift Capability
• Modern heavy-lift helicopter with payload lifting capacity of 10-12.5 tonne.
• Vertical-lift platform
• It has contra-rotating tandem rotors. (2 rotors rotating in opposite direction)
• Will replace the Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters of IAF.

Importance

• To ferry 4.2 tonne M777 Ultra Light Howitzer to high altitude forward areas with China and Pakistan which do not have road connectivity
• Will airlift artillery, light armored vehicles, troops and supplies to difficult Himalayan mountainous terrains
• It will assist Border Road Organisation to carry road construction and engineering equipments to difficult high-altitude terrains of North East.
• Deployed in disaster relief operations to carry and mass evacuation of disaster victims.

• Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
• It is a multi-role combat helicopter.
• All-weather helicopter that can engage both air and ground targets.
• It is equipped with Hellfire missile (air to surface anti tank missile).
• The Hellfire is the same missile used by the Predator drone to launch targeted killings of high-profile militants.
• It uses Longbow radar

Significance

• Can approach enemy troops covertly with relative stealth and launch as close range attack
• Capability to operate in hostile airspace with threats from ground.
• Capability to destroy enemy tanks, armoured personnel carriers and fortified positions in mountainous terrain.

Provides cover to army tanks and infantry during battle.

• Acquired from USA under Foreign Military Assistance
• Naval multi-role helicopter.
• Capable of being operated from various types of warships including frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers
• Equipped with state-of-art SONAR suite which provides navigation, situational awareness, target data and weapon guidance capabilities.

The final deal on the 200 Kamov Ka-226 light utility helicopters from Russia is in advanced stages and expected to be signed soon