New Delhi: French company Dassault Aviation's Rafale has won the $10.4 billion deal to supply 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) to the Indian Air Force (IAF). According to sources, Rafale won the multi-billion dollar deal as it was found to be similar to the French Mirage 2000 fighter jet, which is already being operated by the IAF. Rafale beat the Eurofighter Typhoon to bag the deal. Rafale was preferred...
05:35 PM, Jan 31, 2012
Chennai: A Kiran Trainer Aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday crashed on the outskirts of Chennai during a routine training sortie, but both the pilots ejected to safety. The two-seater aircraft, which left the Air Force Station at suburban Tambaram, crashed near Iyancherry village, some 30 km from Chennai, police said. "A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to find out the reasons for the crash", a...
02:43 PM, Jan 31, 2012
New Delhi: Indian Air Force's (IAF) Republic Day parade contingent, which was led by a woman officer for the first time in its 63-year-old history, has been adjudged he best marching team this year. Among the three services, IAF's marching contingent has been selected as the best. BSF has got the award for best drill among the paramilitary forces, Defence Ministry officials said here today. Three panels of judges were...
09:55 PM, Jan 28, 2012
New Delhi: India celebrated its 63rd Republic Day on Thursday with a fabulous show of military might and cultural splendor. The main ceremonial parade was held in the capital with Thailand's first woman Prime Minister Yinluck Shinawatra as the guest of honour. What made the celebration even more special was that for the first time, women led the Air Force contingent at the Republic Day parade. Sneha Shekhawat from Sikar...
06:50 PM, Jan 26, 2012
New Delhi: Reflecting increasing role and prominence of female officers in the armed forces, the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent marching at the Republic Day parade will be led by four women officers. "The IAF marching contingent comprising four officers and 144 Airmen will be commanded by Flight Lieutenant Sneha Shekhawat," IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Gerard Gallway said. The other three women officers in the contingent are Flying Officer Heena...
10:03 PM, Jan 24, 2012
Srinagar/Jammu: With hundreds of people left stranded due to inclement weather, the IAF on Saturday launched fresh operation by ferrying 550 passengers including 300 civilians between the two capital cities. "The first special flight from Jammu has arrived here and the passengers from Srinagar are boarding the plane now," Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Hassan Samoon said. Samoon is supervising the airlifting at the Srinagar airport. Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Jammu...
03:18 PM, Jan 21, 2012
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will evacuate civilians from Jammu-Sringar Highway. Heavy snowfall on the national highway has left nearly 3000 vehicles stranded. Military personnel stuck in the area have already been evacuated. The highway was reopened on Tuesday but the 300-kilometre stretch is completely blocked now. Another flight is being organised to lift stranded around 1000 civilians. Several stranded people have registered themselves with Jammu and Kashmir...
09:12 AM, Jan 21, 2012
New Delhi: China has predicted "a golden period" for relations with India, with a top official saying Beijing was "fully committed to developing long-term friendship" with New Delhi. Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, said to be close to Chinese President Hu Jintao, wrote in an article in The Hindu on Monday: "While working hard to develop itself, China is fully committed to developing long-term friendship and cooperation with India. It...
05:02 PM, Jan 16, 2012
New Delhi: In an overnight change of stance, India on Saturday decided to go ahead with sending the military delegation to China as scheduled next week but scaled it down from 30 to 15 after visa was denied to a senior IAF officer hailing from Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said the Staff Officers' delegation will travel to China from January 10 as scheduled as part of defence exchanges programme. However, instead...
02:35 PM, Jan 07, 2012
New Delhi: An Indian Air Force MIG-21 crashed in a field in Sirsa district of Haryana on Friday. Sources said both pilots are safe and that there were no causalities on the ground. The MIG-21 had taken off from Sirsa Air Force base and crashed in a field nearby. In view of the increasing number of accidents involving the MiG-21 aircraft type, the IAF has decided to phase them out...
02:32 PM, Dec 02, 2011
New Delhi: IAF search teams have found the remains of the pilot of the ill-fated MiG-29 fighter aircraft that crashed last month in Lahaul Valley in Himachal Pradesh. The remains of Squadron Leader Dharmendra Singh Tomar were found near Kherot village in the Chokhang hills at an altitude of 15,000-17,000 feet, Western Air Command spokesman Wing Commander SK Mehta said. The last village on this route is Kherot after which...
06:51 PM, Nov 06, 2011
Lahaul Spiti: An Indian Air Force fighter aircraft, MIG 29, crashed during a night flying exercise in the Lahaul Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday night. The fighter aircraft was headed to Leh when the mishap took place. The pilot of the aircraft, who was the only person on board, went missing after the aircraft crashed. The aircraft lost radio contact at about 8.30 pm on Tuesday night. Two...
10:05 AM, Oct 19, 2011
Hindon (Ghaziabad): The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday said most of the recent MiG-21 crashes have been caused due to inexperience of young pilots in handling the aircraft. "Unfortunately except for one case, the other cases point towards inexperience of young pilots who were not been able to handle the landing and approach (of the aircraft)," IAF chief N A K Browne said here. He was asked to comment...
02:55 PM, Oct 08, 2011
New Delhi: It's the Indian Air Force's 79th anniversary on Saturday, and to mark the day, the C130J Hercules transport aircraft made its maiden appearance during the flypast at the Air Force Station in Hindon. The flypast also comprises of MI-17 helicopters, Sukhoi and Mirage fighters and the Russian IL Trans-76 porter. To mark the day, the first ever all-women skydivers' team flagged off the ceremony at the Air Force...
08:00 AM, Oct 08, 2011
New Delhi: India's ambitious project to develop indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has suffered a setback as the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for the aircraft was delayed by another year. "As far as LCA is concerned, there was an initial IOC in January this year. We were supposed to get the IOC (final) by the end of this year. As we see it, there is a delay of almost an...
09:48 AM, Oct 04, 2011
Bad weather has hampered an all-out rescue operation in Sikkim as the Indian Air Force says that helicopters can't fly till the weather improves. ...
01:04 PM, Sep 19, 2011
New Delhi: Group Captain Amit Gupta was suspended on Wednesday from service by the Indian Air Force after he was arrested in connection with the alleged suicide of former officer Anjali Gupta. "The officer, who is currently posted at Nagpur air base, has been suspended under the Air Force Act after he was arrested and taken into judicial custody by the local police authorities in Bhopal," IAF officials said. They...
08:31 PM, Sep 14, 2011
Bhopal: Group Captain Amit Gupta of Indian Air Force was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the alleged suicide of former IAF Officer Anjali Gupta, police said. "Amit was arrested under section 306 of the IPC (abetment to suicide) in connection with the suicide committed by Anjali at his residence here on September 11," Additional Superintendent of Police, Rajesh Chandel told PTI. "He will be produced in a court soon,"...
05:48 PM, Sep 13, 2011
Bhopal: Ex-Indian Air Force officer Anjali Gupta committed suicide in Bhopal by hanging herself at a relatives residence. She was the first woman officer to be court martialled by the Air force. Anjali was dismissed from service after being found guilty of seven charges including insubordination and indiscipline. She had alleged her superiors had tried to sexually harass her. On December 8, 2005, a military court in Bangalore ordered the...
11:16 PM, Sep 11, 2011
