The IAF has ordered for 6 IL-78MKIs from Uzbekistan and at least two have been delivered. At present there are zero media reports on whether the IAF is interested in more.

Typical deployment will include sea control with Jaguars and Su-30MKIs and also for trips to the bases in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which have never had fighters on a permanent basis. Such missions have been conducted already.

Then there is a requirement for extended flight duration for patrols or “Air Dominance” since the Su-30s came in 🙂 . Mirages and Su-30s are ready for this. The MiG-29s are yet to be fitted with probes, but a big upgrade program is coming up, and i suspect that they’ll do all the modificaton then.

Lastly, the IAF also wants to increase the range of its strike fighters. Foremostly the MiG-27ML, and the big upgrade program for this type has already begun or is set to any time now. This i find very exciting, becuse it will allow the crews to fly more than just CAS or Battlefield Air Interdiction missions.

I hope that the IAF A-50Is will be equipped with IFR.

A question that has been pestering me for the past couple of weeks is whether only six aircraft are enough for India, its a pretty large country and deployments will be in far away regions. Is there a *cheaper* option that the IAF can look into to serve alongside the IL-78? (Apart from buddy refueling!).

Is there any refueler version of the An-32 or the An-72/74 family? If we go in for C-130s then maybe the equivalent refueler will be a good option – but is it better than more IL-78s? Since there might be some reluctance in buying C-130s, perhaps boeing conversions will do?

(Will appreciate all comments on this fellas)

http://vayu-sena.tripod.com/other-north_east_logistics.html

http://vayu-sena.tripod.com/other-north_east_logistics-2.html

These pages are about the nature of IAF’s logistics operation in a specific region of India.

Attached: Mi-26 carries a crashed MiG-21 Bison that had crashed in 2003.

These puppies could have belonged to Indonesia 🙁

Indonesia ordered Su-30 (two seat) – variant “Su-30K” K=Kommercial. Economic meltdown = no cash. IAF = happy with flanker and got cash. Buys 10 Su-30K originally meant for Indonesia. Serials SB009 to SB018 (both included).

Anyway Sukhoi (actually IAPO) does not give up hope and comes up with a single seater alterative (cheaper I suppose) and calls it a Su-30 anyway. Variant “Su-30KI”

Indonesia finally bought a mix of single and two seaters just recently. Su-27 and Su-30. variants not sure.

SOC,

Are you clear about the deal on the cancelled indonesian flankers now?

Granted, the guy is lacking certain portions of his brain related to cognitive thinking and intelligence, but there are some nice figures and details in his “article” nonetheless

The faster you can get it into the jet the better.

but then you can refuel three aircraft at a time using the drouge and probe methods.

Frank,

Super super stuff. What equipment do you use?

Are you planning to photograph anytime in the future? 🙂