I know that colour scheme while that is decent its still too busy and not very professional looking. Infact IAF grey is a bit boring as well. The American grey is perfect their planes look more professional.

I also like the Chinese silver looks neat and tidy.

The Russian Paint Schemes are ugly and old school. I hope they put some Fine Grey on the T-50 than these stupid blue and yellow colours on Su 35s.

Can’t wait to see the T-50 in IAF Grey.

The only IAF asserts used in the East against the naxals are helicopters they are armed but can only fire in self defense. IAF has clearly stated that it does not want to be involved in ‘internal’ conflicts.

for starters I’m willing to bet that if there is a buy of dedicated nuke strikers it will come from within the types IAF operates, not outside it. even if controlled by SFC it will be operated and maintained by IAF. just like right now nuclear delivery systems are controlled by SFC but operated by their respective forces.

What’s the bet ?

F-35 will be with the Indian Navy and Rafale I think will be bought for the requirement of the Strategic Forces Command. So thats not part of the IAF infrastructure,

By the time the T 50 enters service I think the MiG 27s would go, I would also expect the 29s and Mirages to go by mid 20s as the full number of MRCA and some T 50 are inducted.

Mig 21s are going to be retired as Tejas comes into service. So its not all that bad and if it helps us gain strategic leverage like a permanent UNSC seat its well worth it.

India world’s largest combat aircraft buyer: Report

STOCKHOLM: India is the largest buyer of combat aircraft in the world , with the US topping the list of sellers, a leading international think tank has said.

According to a report released Wednesday by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a total of 50 countries bought 995 warplanes during 2005-09, Xinhua reported.

India purchased 115 combat planes, the largest buyer in the world during the period, the Swedish institute said in the report.

“India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel are by far the largest recipients of combat aircraft. Together, these three countries accounted for almost one-third of all imports of combat aircraft between 2005 and 2009,” the report said.

The US and Russia are by far the largest suppliers of combat aircraft accounting for two-thirds of all warplanes delivered during the period.

full article

‘Contract For Six More C-130Js Definite’

Livefist

An Indian government contract for six more American-built C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical transport airplanes is “definite” according to an Indian Air Force official on the secretariat of the Air Marshal who oversees procurement. Lockheed-Martin began the effort to get India to exercise options on the original March 2008 contract shortly after it was signed, though the IAF had identified a need for at least 18 such airplanes.

The officer, who asked not to be named, told me, “The view is you cannot achieve very much with six aircraft. There has to be a minimum number for effective squadron service. This has been agreed upon between us and the Government. It is only a question of when they choose to exercise the option. It is an FMS deal, so there will obviously be some diplomatic leverage. As far as we are concerned, we know we are getting the additional airplanes.”

I asked the officer if the IAF had expressed an interest in operating more than 12 C-130s. His response: “Let’s be very clear — the 20-ton airlifter type is going to be extremely useful to our air maintenance operations across the board. The C-130s are coming. We will have 12 of them. We will make good use of them. But we will also have the MRTA from early 2017 if all goes according to plan. We cannot ignore that project, since we are investing over $300-million in that. We can certainly operate more than 12 C-130s, but we have to rationalize types.”

Either way, it is unlikely that a follow-on contract for six additional C-130Js will be signed before next year. Lockheed-Martin will again be bringing a USAF C-130J to AeroIndia 2011 next February, and is working with the IAF to show off its first C-130J (scheduled to arrive days before the Bangalore show begins) for the first time at AeroIndia.