Future of the Indian Air Force: Difference between revisions

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The Indian Air Force has been undergoing a modernization program to replace and upgrade outdated equipment since the late 1990s to meet modern standards. For that reason, it has started procuring and developing aircraft, weapons, associated technologies, and infrastructures. Some of these programs date back to the late 1980s. The primary focus of current modernization and upgrades is to replace aircraft purchased from the Soviet Union that currently form the backbone of the air force.

The Indian Air Force plans to attain a 42 squadron strength by 2035 and deploy 450 fighter jets each along the borders of Pakistan and China. The IAF will also acquire large numbers of stealthy autonomous UCAVs (DRDO Ghatak), swarm drones (ALFA-S) and uncrewed aircraft to transform into a fully advanced network-centric force capable of sustained multi-role operations along the entire spectrum.

However, the 42 squadron strength target timeline has been derailed. As of January 2025, there are 31 combat squadrons are active and only 35-36 squadron strength can be achieved by 2035 even if projects like Tejas Mk1A, Tejas Mk2 and MRFA succeeds on time.^[1]

As of September 2024, the Indian Air Force also plans to indigenize their entire fighter jet fleet by 2042.^[2]

Renaming

In 2023, the IAF submitted a proposal to rename itself as the Indian Air and Space Force (IASF). The proposal is a part of the IAF's goals to become a credible space force. This proposal is part of the IAF's plan to expand its role in space-related activities, including precision navigation, timing (PNT), intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), space traffic management, space situational awareness, and space weather prediction.^[3] The IAF aims to collaborate with organizations including the Indian Space Research Organisation, (DRDO), IN-SPACe, and India's private space sector to further its space related objectives. India plans to have over 100 small and large military satellites under the aegis of Defence Space Agency which is expected to be established as full fledged Space Command within seven to eight years.^[4]^[3] The IAF started training personnel, in 2023, to operate in space by incorporating theoretical studies at institutions such as the College of Air Warfare.^[5] In 2024, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, stated that the IAF has revised its existing doctrine and has recognized space as a critical domain for future operations.^[6]

Space equipment procurement, assets and development

The IAF is increasing procuring and developing space related equipment and assets.

In 2023, the IAF is looking to procure the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), a space plane being developed by ISRO.^[5]
In March 2024, the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan announced that the Indian Armed Forces had allocated Rs 25,000 crore for defence space requirements, including building a constellation of surveillance satellites in order to secure communications networks.^[7]
In July 2024, the space startup Pixxel announced that it plans to supply miniaturised multi-payload satellites, for monitoring goals, to the IAF by 2025.^[8]

Parliamentary Panel report

In December 2024, a parliamentary panel report stated that the Indian Air Force has a combat fleet strength of 31 squadrons against a minimal requirement of 42 squadrons. The fall of squadron strength is due to the retirement of multiple ageing aircraft like MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-27 in 2000s and 2010s without replacement. However, "multi-pronged" approaches are being taken to "minimise the impact" as per the report. The depletion of squadron strength is planned to be adressed by the procurement of HAL Tejas, HAL Tejas Mk2 and the MRFA programme.^[9]^[10]

On 23 December, reports revealed that the Ministry of Defence has formed a high-level committee chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The committee is tasked with proposing a new Road Map to address the critical capability gap of the Air Force. There are shortage of not only fighter jets but also force multipliers like AEW&C, mid-flight refuellers and ISR aircraft. The report of the panel is to be submitted by January-end 2025 after surveying the IAF's "overall capability development through several indigenous design and development as well as direct acquisition projects". Members of the panel includes DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat, Secretary of Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Tejinder Singh among others. Stalled fighter aircraft acquisition includes 83 Tejas Mk1A on order and the MRFA programme. The Tejas programme has been delayed due to the delayed supply of F-404 engines. The procurement of force multipliers will also be evaluated. India has only 6 Il-78MKI aircraft inducted in 2003-04 against a requirement of at least 18 such aircraft to increase operational range of combat aircraft. Again, IAF operates only 3 Netra and Phalcon AWACS (inducted in 2009-11) each. Programmes like the Netra Mk1A and Mk2 needs to be fast-tracked as well.^[11]^[12]

Additional ageing aircraft are to be retired, including:^[1]

SEPECAT Jaguar and Dassault Mirage 2000 (late 2020s onwards)
Mikoyan MiG-29 (from 2027-28 to early 2040s)
Sukhoi Su-30MKI (early production variants; 2040s onwards)

Upgrade programmes

Super Sukhoi

The Super Sukhoi is a programme to upgrade IAF's Su-30MKI fleet which is known as the backbone of its fleet. The upgrade is to be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with the support of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and several private companies. Overall, 51 systems are to be upgraded including 30 by HAL, 13 by DRDO and 8 by private sector companies. The Indian indigenous content shall be increased to 78%. The upgrade is to allow the fighter to remain in service beyond 2055.^[13]^[14]^[15]

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the ₹60,000 crore (US$7.0 billion) upgrade programme on 30 November 2023.^[16] Under this upgrade many older Russian subsystems will be replaced by more modern Indian subsystems. Initially, around 90 aircraft will be upgraded to these standards. According to a report, "The project is divided into two phases, focusing initially on installing new avionics and radars, followed by enhancements to the flight control systems." "The upgrade will see significant private sector participation, with HAL as the lead integrator," CMD of HAL CB Ananthakrishnan said.^[13]

The current radar is to be replaced with a modern AESA radar, DRDO Virupaakhsha radar (enhanced variant of Uttam AESA Radar) which will increase the detection range by 1.5 to 1.7 times making the jets capable to operate long range weapons like Astra Mk3.^[14] Electronic Warfare capabilities of Sukhoi-30MKI would be enhanced by Indigenous DARE's High Band Jammer Pod (HBT), Dhruti Radar Warning System, and a Dual Color Missile Approach Warning System.^[17] The programme also includes upgrade and repair of AL-31FP engines.^[13]

In August 2024, a report suggested that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has prepared to sign a deal with HAL to purchase 230 AL-31FP engines under a ₹21,000 crore (US$2.5 billion) deal to replace older engines. A total of 950 engines are required.^[18]^[19] On 2 September, Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 240 such engines for ₹26,000 crore (US$3.0 billion). The delivery of the engines will continue from 1 year of signing the contract to 8th year of signing the contract. The engines will be manufactured in HAL's Engine Division Koraput and will have an indigenous content of 54%.^[20] The contract was signed officially on 9 September 2024.^[21] The first engine was deliered on 1 October 2024 while all the engines will be delivered within 8 years at a production rate of 30 units per year.^[22]^[23]

IIT Bombay has been engaged in the development of Artificial Intelligence-based engine and asset maintenance solutions for spares, inventory and combat potential optimisation. This will replace the current electronic maintenance management system. As of November 2024, the financial aspects of the upgrade programme is being assessed. This will be followed by Cabinet Committee on Security clearance (expected early 2025) and initiation of upgrade process taking 5 to 7 years for the fist batch of 84 jets. Sukhoi will also be involved in the project for the upgrade of fly-by-wire system.^[15]

Procurement programmes


Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	No. of frames	Status	Note
Combat aircraft
HAL Tejas	India	multirole	MK1A	31 97	73 In production Planned	^[24] Approved for purchase^[25]
MMRCA 2.0		multirole		114	Planned	All 114 aircraft are to be manufactured in India. As of July, 2024; no company has won the tender.
AWACS
Netra Mk 1A (EMB145)	India, Brazil	AEW&C	MK1A	6^[26]^[27]^[28]	Under development	Based on EMB 145 airframe.
Netra Mk 2 (Airbus A321)	India, European Union	AEW&C	MK2	6^[26]^[27]^[28]	Under development	Based on Airbus A321 airframe.
Helicopters
HAL Prachand	India	Attack		66^[29]	On order	90 additional planned for the Indian Army
HAL Light Utility Helicopter	India	Utility		6^[30]	Ordered	6 airframes are being built under Limited Series Production (LSP).
Trainer aircraft
HAL Tejas Trainer	India	Trainer	MK1 trainer	14^[31]	In production	^[32]
HAL HTT-40	India	Trainer		70^[33]	Ordered	70 ordered worth ₹6,800 crore (US$900 million);Option for 35 more
Transport aircraft
EADS CASA C-295	Spain, India	Transport	C-295MW	50^[34]	In production	Delivery of this aircraft has commenced. First 16 C295s will be assembled by Airbus in Seville, Spain, while the remaining 40 will be built in partnership with TASL in Vadodara, India
Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA)		Transport		40-80^[35]^[36]^[37]	Planned	In 2022, the Ministry of Defense issued Request For Information (RFI) for procurement of Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) for IAF.
Reconnaissance
Bombardier Global 6000	India, Canada	ISTAR		3^[38]^[39]	Planned

Fighter aircraft

HAL Tejas Mark 1A

On 3 February 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed the contract with HAL for the procurement of 83 advanced HAL Tejas aircraft, which includes 73 Mark 1A and 10 Mark 1 trainer variants with advanced AESA Radars, jammers, superior avionics, next-gen BVR missiles, better payload, and enhanced combat range.^[40]

On 30 November 2023, DAC accorded AoNs for the procurement of additional 97 Tejas Mk 1A for the IAF from HAL under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category^[41]^[42]

MRFA

On 3 January 2017, Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar addressed a media conference and announced plans for a competition to select a strategic partner to deliver "200 new single-engine fighters to be made in India, which will easily cost around US$45 million apiece without weaponry" with an expectation that Lockheed Martin (USA) and Saab (Sweden) will pitch the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 70 and Saab JAS 39 Gripen, respectively. This procurement programme is called the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) in the Indian media.^[43]

An MoD official said that a global tender will be put to market in the first quarter of 2018, with a private company nominated as the strategic partner's production agency followed by a two-or-more-year process to evaluate technical and financial bids and conduct trials, before the final government-to-government deal in 2021. This represents 11 squadrons of aircraft plus several 'attrition' aircraft.

However, the plan to acquire foreign-made single-engine fighters was replaced by induction indigenous aircraft Tejas of different variants.^[44]

Later the competition was declared to be exclusively open for twin-engine fighters of Rafale category.^[45] The contenders are Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Mikoyan MiG-35, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Sukhoi Su-35, Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F and Lockheed Martin F-21 (variant of F-16). NB Gripen and F-21 are single-engined. It is being rumored that both Russian aircraft are disqualified but Russia might re-enter in 2025 with their Sukhoi Su-75 after the Aero India 2025. As of November 2024, the MRFA procurement of 114 combat aircraft is delayed, and the requirements of the programme include the aircraft to be license-manufactured in India with substantial transfer of technology.^[43]

AEW&CS

The IAF plans to operate 18 airborne early warning and control systems, out of which 15 will be the DRDO AEW&CS and 3 will be the EL/W-2090.^[28]

Embraer R-99

Six additional Netra Mk 1A are being planned to be acquired by the IAF as part of a $1 billion plan to add force multipliers in the air force.^[26]

Airbus A321

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), in September 2021, cleared the ₹11,000 crore project for six AEW&CS platforms. The platform will be the Airbus A321 that will be purchased from Air India and modified by DRDO as per military standards.^[27]

Transports

Airbus C295

Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make in India initiative in the aerospace sector. Under the contract, Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in flyaway condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL, the officials said. The procurement of 56 C-295 from Airbus with the participation of an Indian production agency for the manufacture of 40 aircraft (out of a total of 56) in India is at the financial approval stage and the contract is likely to be signed in the near future, the defence ministry said in its year-end review. While the C-295s are meant to replace the Avro-748 transport planes, the new aircraft will also be suitable for the demanding roles that the An-32 currently undertakes. The first 16 planes will be supplied in two years, and the deliveries of the 40 locally assembled ones will be spread over an additional eight years. The aircraft can operate from short, unprepared airstrips and carry out a variety of missions in all-weather conditions.^[46]

Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA)

The IAF is looking for a new transport aircraft with a cargo carrying capacity of (18-30 tonnes). The MTA programme is to replace the ageing in-service Antonov An-32 and Ilyushin Il-76 of the IAF with a fleet of 40/60/80 units of medium-class transport aircraft. Participants for this programme include Embraer C-390 Millennium (26 tonnes), Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules (20 tonnes) and the Airbus A400M Atlas (37 tonnes). The Request for Information (RFI) was issued by the IAF in December 2022. IAF has asked for to provide “Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost of aircraft and associated equipment” for a batch of 40, 60 and 80 aircraft. The IAF needs the aircraft to be operable from unprepared runways like India’s Advanced Landing Ground (ALGs) in Ladakh and the Northeast India.^[47]^[48] As for the local manufacturing of the aircraft, on 9 February, Embraer announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mahindra Defence Systems to bid for the MTA tender.^[37]^[49]^[50]^[51] Lockheed Martin has announced its partnered with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) for C-130J production on 10 September 2024.^[52] In fact, Airbus also has a tie-up with TASL through which the C-295 transport aircraft is currently being manufactured for the Indian Air Force.

Helicopters

HAL Prachand – The IAF will deploy indigenously developed HAL Prachand for its combat operations, complementing the Boeing AH-64D Apache of the Indian Army, after the operational certificate is granted.^[53] The Indian Air Force will place an order for 66 Prachand helicopters.^[29]

HAL Light Utility Helicopter – In March 2021, the Ministry of Defence placed an initial order of six light utility helicopters for the Indian Airforce. The deliveries are expected to commence from August 2022.^[54]

Unmanned aerial vehicles

Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) – The Indian Air Force has submitted a request for information to international suppliers for UCAVs with a low-radar cross-section, high service ceiling, an expected range of 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) and the capability to carry precision-guided weapons in an internal weapons bay.^[55] It is anticipated that the in-development DRDO Ghatak will meet the requirements.^[56]^[57]

General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian – On 15 March 2024, the US sent the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) to the Ministry of Defence for the deal for 31 MQ-9B drones (15 for Navy, and 8 each for Army and Air Force). The document will now be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final approval.^[58]^[59] The final deal, worth ₹32,000 crore (US$3.7 billion), is scheduled to be signed within the deadline of 31 August 2024.^[60]^[61]

Trainers

HAL HTT-40 – The IAF was planning to acquire 181 basic trainer aircraft, and the IAF selected Switzerland's Pilatus Aircraft to supply 75 PC-7 Mk.II trainer planes for $1 billion.^[62] The Indian Ministry of Defence wanted to buy an additional 106 basic trainer aircraft from Pilatus in a separate deal.^[63] However, on 28 February 2015, it was reported that Ministry of Defence has selected 70 HAL HTT-40 trainers and 38 Pilatus trainers to replace its current trainer aircraft fleet stating that this move was "commercially viable" under the "Make in India" programme.^[64] In 2017, HAL CMD reported that HAL will soon sign a contract for 106 HTT-40 aircraft and deliver it to the air force.^[65]

In May 2020, the Chief of the Air Staff, ACM, R. K. S. Bhadauria announced there is a plan to shelve the order for the additional Pilatus PC-7 and instead opt for the indigenous HAL HTT-40.^[66]

Cruise missiles

The air-launched version of BrahMos

DRDO has developed the air-launched version of the BrahMos cruise missile in a joint venture with Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The IAF has signed a contract with Russia to upgrade 40 Su-30MKIs to give them the capability of carrying the BrahMos cruise missile by 2012.^[67]

DRDO has also developed the nuclear-capable Nirbhay cruise missile, which is capable of hitting targets at 1,000 to 1,500 km (620 to 930 mi; 540 to 810 nmi) at 2 m (6 ft 7 in) accuracy.^[68]

Hypersonic

BrahMos-II or BrahMos-2 or BrahMos Mark II is a hypersonic cruise missile currently under joint development by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia, which have together formed BrahMos Aerospace. It is the second of the BrahMos series of cruise missiles. The BrahMos-II is expected to have a range of 1,000 km (620 mi; 540 nmi) and a speed of Mach 8. During the cruise stage of flight, the missile will be propelled by a scramjet airbreathing jet engine. Other details, including production cost and physical dimensions of the missile, are yet to be published. The planned operational range of the BrahMos-II had initially been restricted to 290 km (180 mi; 160 nmi) as Russia is a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which prohibits it from helping other countries develop missiles with ranges above 300 km (190 mi; 160 nmi). However, subsequent to India becoming an MTCR signatory in 2014, the parameters for Brahmos 2 will get enhanced. Its top speed will be double that of the current BrahMos-I, and it has been described as the fastest cruise missile in the world. Testing was planned to start in 2020 but has been delayed.

Surface-to-air missile systems

In 2018–19, India agreed with Russia to procure the S-400 surface-to-air missile system worth ₹35,000 crore (approx.). As per the agreement, five squadrons of S-400 missiles were set to be delivered by Russia to India. As of 2023, out of five squadrons, three were delivered.^[69]

The Indian Air Force has placed order for 18 MRSAM squadrons with each squadron having 3 launcher vehicles, carrying 8 missiles each.^[70]^[71]

Indian Air Force has plans to deploy 5 squadrons of a multi-layer long range air defence system being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation under Project Kusha.^[72]

Under development projects

Fighters

Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is a twin-engined 5th generation stealth multirole fighter under development by ADA. It will complement the HAL Tejas, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MWF and the Dassault Rafale in the Indian Air Force.^[73] The first flight is expected to be by 2028 and serial production might begin by 2032.^[74]^[75] The project has been cleared by Cabinet Committee on Security and is in prototype development stage.^[76]

Omni-role Combat Aircraft (ORCA)

A model of HAL TEDBF displayed at Aero India 2021

The Omni Role Combat Aircraft is a concept to design and develop a twin-engine omni role fighter, similar to the Rafale category. The design of the Omni Role Combat Aircraft (ORCA), an Indian Air Force variant of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), with significant design differences, was being studied as of 2020. The first flight is expected in 2026 with induction into the forces by 2032.^[77]^[78]

Tejas Mk 2 (Medium Weight Fighter)

The HAL Tejas Mark 2 (also known as Medium Weight Fighter or HAL MWF) is a planned single-engine, delta wing, multirole fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a further development of the HAL Tejas, or the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), programme which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters. The Tejas Mk 2 is being designed to replace multiple strike-fighters like SEPECAT Jaguars, Dassault Mirage-2000 & MiG-29 of Indian Air Force.

It has a tail-less compound delta-wing configuration with a single vertical stabilizer with closed-coupled canards to provide static instability and high manoeuvrability, and is equipped with fly-by-wire systems to control instability.

There is confirmation from the chief of the Aeronautical Development Agency that MWF will shed its "Tejas" stamp and get a completely new name altogether during or after its first flight. Metal cutting for the prototypes began in January 2021.^[79] The first prototype is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2024. A total of four prototypes are initially planned.^[80]

Uncrewed wingman

The HAL Combat Air Teaming System is a planned uncrewed and crewed combat aircraft air teaming system being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.^[81] The system will consist of a crewed fighter aircraft acting as "mothership" of the system and a set of swarming UAVs and UCAVs governed by the main aircraft. A twin-seated HAL Tejas is likely to be the main fighter aircraft.^[82]^[83]

HAL CATS Warrior part of HAL Combat Air Teaming System is an armed stealth drone which will team up and fight alongside IAF fighters to hit high-value enemy targets. It is designed to carry out MUM-T Operations. It will be the first line of offense in operations against heavily defended, integrated air defence networks. An Indian defence startup is also a part of the mission team.^[83]

Each drone will initially be armed with a single precision-guided weapon, such as an air-to-surface missile or a laser-guided bomb. Future versions of the platform will also be able to fire air-to-air missiles to target enemy fighters. The Uncrewed Wingman will be connected to a heavily upgraded IAF SEPECAT Jaguar attack aircraft (called the Jaguar Max); pilots onboard will assign specific tasks to each of the uncrewed drones which fly alongside the fighter. The drone will also operate with other platforms. The first flight is expected by 2022 & induction by 2029.^[84]

HAL is designing & developing AI-powered, stealthy autonomous swarm drones known as ALFA-S in collaboration with a private firm in Bangalore. Research and development work will be completed in two years and the first flight is expected by 2022.

The ALFA-S swarming drones will have two folding wings. They will be fitted inside canisters mounted under the wings of IAF aircraft.

Each swarm could have dozens of individual drones. If detected, some of the drones would be shot down, but the sheer numbers of the swarm would overwhelm enemy defences such as surface-to-air missile units to ensure a high probability of mission success. The first drone prototypes are likely to be deployed from Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers being built, under licence, at Hindustan Aeronautics. Ultimately though, the drones are meant to be launched from any Indian Air Force aircraft - fighter jets and transports.

The plan to develop indigenous swarming drones is a part of the Combat Air Teaming System project or CATS, which has three distinct elements. In addition to the ALFA-S swarm drones, a robotic wingman, meant to accompany a crewed fighter jet into combat is being also being developed.

The final element of CATS is the development of an ultra-high altitude drone meant to remain flying for up to three weeks at a stretch while providing real-time images and video.

The government strongly backs the Combat Air Teaming System initiative as part of the Make in India programme, which encourages Indian defence manufacturers to focus on core research and development projects towards the next-generation requirements of India's armed forces. In 2018, the Defence Ministry set up iDEX, or Innovations for Defence Excellence under the Defence Innovation Organisation, a not-for-profit company meant to provide high-level policy guidance for high-tech indigenous ventures working on India's defence and aerospace needs.^[85]