Italy built Starfighters with new radars & BVRAAMs (Sparrow, later replaced by Aspide) from the late 1960s until well into the 1970s. With further upgrades, some remained in service until 2004. Turkey bought some new in the 1970s

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As per BR last IAF MIG 21 bis was produced in 85.

Let me google that one up 😀

Found > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeritalia_F-104S

I am dreaming about a Bison style upgraded star-fighter. Too bad PAF retired them early should have kept them around like India did its MiGs.

Same story with a twist. :rolleyes: Times of India :confused:

MiG 29 crashes in Himachal Pradesh, pilot missing

SHIMLA: A MiG 29 plane of Indian Air Force ( IAF) crashed on Tuesday around 8.30pm in Lahaul valley of Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

There is no information about the pilot. Cops said he might have ejected himself. The final statement could be issued only after reaching near the accident site.

It was around 8.30pm on Tuesday when the villagers of Chhokhang valley heard a loud noise of something falling from the air. Terrified villagers when peeked outside their houses found a plane crashing. They immediately informed the district police officials in Keylong about the incident, said Lahaul-Spiti SP, Vimal Gupta.

SP told TOI that information about the plane crash reached to them around 11-12pm and immediately rescue team was rushed toward the spot. “Terrain where MiG 29 has crashed is very tough and our team has not reached near the wreckage. It will take another six hours to reach near the wreckage,” he said.

Gupta said that there is no clue about the pilot. He said after reaching near the wreckage they can tell whether pilot has ejaculated safely. “We have informed the Army authorities too and Army is sending its chopper to spot the exact location of wreckage lying in the hll top,” he added.

India among C-130 plane operators at Lockheed meet

NEW DELHI: India, among the new operators of Lockheed Martin’s C-130 Hercules cargo planes, is attending a three-day conference being hosted by the American major company in the US beginning Tuesday.

The meet has attracted about 800 representatives from 34 nations, including India and Qatar that are new among the nations operating the aircraft, along with 90 supplier companies for the cargo plane.

India, represented by Indian Air Force (IAF) officials at the conference, has bought six C-130J Super Hercules for its special military operations. The fleet operated by the IAF from the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, carried out its first humanitarian assistance mission during the Sikkim earthquake last month by carrying disaster relief material and rescue workers.

The 23rd Hercules Operators’ Conference in Marietta, US, will focus on C-130 Hercules support, operations, upgrades and new fleet acquisition, a release from Lockheed Martin said here.

“This year’s theme of ‘Relevance and Affordability’ provides insight into how the C-130 Hercules can meet the needs of multiple operators from a single baseline,” the release said.

“As C-130 production continues at a high rate, Lockheed Martin seeks additional ways to keep all C-130 models viable through cost-effective modifications and upgrades,” Lockheed Martin director of C-130 International Operations John Cottam said during the opening ceremony of the conference.

“We know that the C-130 will be here for decades to come and we want to make sure we support all airframes according to our operators’ needs,” Cottam said

“There is nothing like a Hercules and nothing that can replace a Hercules. Some have tried and some are still trying, but the reality is that the aircraft’s concept, design and proven capabilities have been, and still are, the standard for airlift throughout modern history,” he added.

The US Air Force has recently received HC-130J Personnel Recovery and MC-130J Special Operations aircraft.

At the end of this month, Lockheed Martin will roll out the 250th C-130J Super Hercules, destined for Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, which will be the world’s largest C-130J feet operator with 28 aircraft.

Meteor Shower 😀

MICA has a low effective ceiling compared to Su-30’s current missiles. The idea of a 300km-range standoff missile that can attack bunkers gives the IAF potential to neutralize many conventional regional threats.

Would someone in the IAF be so kind to at least mount some MICA IR missiles overwing-style on some of their Jaguars as a publicity stunt. That would make beautiful aircraft pr0n!

I think you will soon see ASRAAM on IAF Jaguar overwing pylons, it would give it a good chance in close quarters with an HMS.

I asked earlier and I am repeating my request which one is better ? how do they compare, I thought having one makes having the other redundant.

Remember reading that one can see war in here..