Iaf

NEW DELHI: After having briefly halted its operations in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) area in Ladakh after the incursion by Chinese troops, IAF has resumed its operations to supply rations to the Indian Army units deployed there. The Indian Air Force had briefly halted its operations in the area after the incursion took place on April 15 but it has now started dropping supplies for the troops in that area using its helicopters, government sources told PTI here. The Army depot...

NEW DELHI: The IAF will require 39 combat aircraft units to meet the challenge of fighting a war simultaneously on the Pakistan and China fronts but it has only 34 squadrons, a Parliamentary panel has been informed. In its report, the Standing Committee on Defence has also come down heavily on the government for allocating only Rs 2,000 crore to the IAF for new modernisation schemes whereas Rs 15,000 crore is required only for the Rafale combat jet deal. ...

NEW DELH: Considering the threat perception from both China and Pakistan, IAF has upgraded its capabilities to meet any challenge from the two fronts simultaneously. These capabilities were tested successfully for the first time during the recent three-week war games 'Livewire' in which over 400 fighter jets participated, IAF sources said here today. In the exercise, which commenced on March 18, the IAF created a simulated scenario of a challenge from both eastern and...

NEW DELHI: Russia today reminded India that it provides latest cutting-edge technology exclusively to New Delhi unlike its "newly-acquired partners" in defence sector. "Unlike its newly-acquired partners, we provide the latest cutting-edge technology to India and don't share it with others," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin said at an IAF function here on frontline fighter aircraft MiG-21. Kadakin said Russia was still India's biggest partner...

NEW DELHI: After having briefly halted its operations in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) area in Ladakh after the incursion by Chinese troops, IAF has resumed its operations to supply rations to the Indian Army units deployed there. The Indian Air Force had briefly halted its operations in the area after the incursion took place on April 15 but it has now started dropping supplies for the troops in that area using its helicopters, government sources told PTI here. The Army depot...

BALASORE: Indian Air Force today conducted the test fire of its short range surface-to-air missile "OSA-AK" from Integrated Test Range(ITR) at Chandipur, 15 km from here. "It was a routine trial carried out by the IAF to train its personnel," said a defence official . Today, three rounds of trials were conducted targeting a tow body supported by pilot less target aircraft (PTA) 'Lakshya'. OSA AK is a short range missile which...

NEW DELHI: Strengthening its capability for anti-Naxal operations, IAF will deploy a squadron of its latest Mi-17 V-5 helicopters in Nagpur to cater to the needs of extremism-hit states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. These helicopters are advanced versions of the existing fleet of Mi-17s in the IAF and are equipped with sophisticated avionics and on-board navigation systems making them more suitable for both day and night operations in Naxal-affected...

NEW DELHI: To increase pilot strength, the Indian Air Force has revised norms to allow men in Short Service Commission (SSC) to join its flying branch, hitherto a privilege enjoyed only by SSC women officers. "In order to increase inductions, IAF has revised the SSC scheme in flying branch and made it applicable to both men and women instead of keeping it exclusive for women only," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik has said in an interview. ...

From the euphoria of high office to a jarring reality check, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne traversed many emotions within a week of taking over as the chief of the Indian Air Force . Barely had he settled into his office on August 2 came news of the aging MiG-21s claiming another pilot's life. Two days later, another pilot died in a Jaguar crash. Browne is no stranger to crashes. He's been in the inherently-dangerous business of military aviation for 39 years and has notched up...

NEW DELHI: Indo Asian Finance Ltd's board of directors has recommended a dividend of 10 per cent for the financial year 2004-2005. The company said in a filing with the BSE on Monday that the board recommended the dividend at a meeting held on June 25, 2005. The dividend is subject to the shareholders' approval at the company's annual general meeting, Indo Asian Finance said.

NEW DELHI: Not really new to awards and honours, Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred Indian Air Force's honorary rank of Group Captain and the star cricketer said he is proud to be associated with the "dynamic" IAF. "Under the provision of grant of honorary rank by Armed Forces to eminent personalities acknowledging their contribution towards the nation, the President and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of India is pleased...

NEW DELHI: The government had twice raised questions over the decision to hold abroad trials of two participating vendors in the VVIP chopper deal and the Defence Ministry agreed only after the IAF insisted this would not affect the trial process, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Answering a written query, Defence Minister A K Antony said the issue of holding trial at the vendor facilities was brought before the Defence Procurement Board (DPB)...

After a long stint with the Air Force and voluntary retirement, Aggarwal landed an unlikely job with a bathroom fittings firm. He has made the most of it by adapting and rising to the post of director. It was loneliness that prompted Ved Bandhu Aggarwal to take voluntary retirement from the Indian Air Force at the age of 49. After 26 years of staying away from his family intermittently, he had had enough. "I was posted as Group Captain at...

NEW DELHI: Boosting the intelligence gathering capabilities of IAF, the Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of nine signal intelligence and communication jammer aircraft for the force. At the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting on Saturday, Defence Minister A K Antony approved the IAF proposal worth Rs 1100 crore for procuring nine communication and signal intelligence aircraft for the IAF, sources said here. ...

ALLAHABAD: Amid ongoing probe into the VVIP chopper deal controversy in which a former Indian Air Force chief is facing CBI action, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne today said the IAF has an unblemished record so far and it is taking measures to ensure there are no deviations. "We have a well-defined procedure through which purchases are made. The IAF takes care to ensure that there are no deviations and our record has so far remained unblemished. This is not our...

NEW DELHI: Russia today reminded India that it provides latest cutting-edge technology exclusively to New Delhi unlike its "newly-acquired partners" in defence sector. "Unlike its newly-acquired partners, we provide the latest cutting-edge technology to India and don't share it with others," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin said at an IAF function here on frontline fighter aircraft MiG-21. Kadakin said Russia was still India's biggest partner...

BANGALORE: The much-delayed indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas aircraft is expected to be ready for induction into operational service by 2015, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said today. Talking to reporters, the IAF chief said the indigenous aircraft will have to be modified further for operating in high-altitude areas as recently during trials in Leh, its engine "did not work". "By my estimate it (the Initial...

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force on Tuesay cleared MIG-21 aircrafts for operational flying and undertaking training sorties in a bid to strengthen preparedness in view of heightened tensions on the borders with Pakistan. The fighter jets were grounded in the wake of two successive crashes in the first week of May, including one in a commercial area in Jalandhar, killing nine people, due to suspected sudden engine flame-outs. An IAF spokesman said the fighter squadrons were being progressively cleared...

NEW DELHI: The US has called off a multi- lateral aerial exercise scheduled in July in which the IAF was supposed to participate with its frontline SU-30MKI combat aircraft. The US' decision is probably due to the budget cuts imposed by its government on military training, Defence Ministry sources said here. The IAF, which decided to take part in the exercise once in five years due to budget constraints, was preparing for sending its contingent with senior officers there.

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of efforts to increase indigenisation to avoid defence scams, Defence Minister A K Antony today asked the IAF to reduce its dependence on imports and work towards achieving self reliance in military weapon systems. "We must minimise the over-reliance of our armed forces in general and IAF, in particular, on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for procurement of major aircraft and equipment," he said at the bi-annual IAF...