List of active Indian military aircraft

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Created by Darkphantom007
Last edited July 2, 2023


This article is about aircraft in service or on order with the Indian Armed Forces. For a list of historical military aircraft used by the Indian military, see List of historical aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
HAL Prachand of the Indian Air Force

Air Force[edit | edit source]

Further information: Indian Air Force
IAF Rafale take off from Dassault Aviation Facility, Merignac, France.
A Su-30MKI
Netra AEW&C on Embraer ERJ 145 platform
A C-130J Hercules on approach
A Mil Mi-17 helicopter
An AH-64 Apache
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Dassault Rafale France Multirole EH/DH[1] 36[2]
Sukhoi Su-30 Russia Multirole Su-30MKI 247[3][4]
HAL Tejas India Multirole Mk.1 32[5] 73 single seat MK1A are on order[6][7]
Mk.1A
MiG-29 Russia Multirole MiG-29UPG[8] 65[9]
Mirage 2000 France Multirole 2000 H/I 44[10][11][12]
SEPECAT Jaguar United Kingdom Ground attack IM/IS[13] 130[14]
MiG-21 Soviet Union Interceptor Bison 54 [15] To be replaced by the Tejas Mark1 & Mark1A[16]
AWACS
EMB-145 Brazil AEW&C Netra 3[17][14] Equipped with a DRDO Netra AEW&C system[18] – 6 Netra Mk 2 systems on order[19]
Beriev A-50 Soviet Union AEW&C A-50EI 3[14] Equipped with the EL/W-2090 radar – 2 on order[14]
Reconnaissance
Boeing 707 United States Surveillance 1[14]
Boeing 737 United States Surveillance 2[14]
Global 5000 United States ELINT 2[14]
Gulfstream G100 Israel Surveillance 1125 Astra 2[14]
Electronic Warfare
Gulfstream III United States EW / ELINT SRA[20] 3[14]
Tanker
Ilyushin Il-78 Soviet Union Aerial refueling Il-78MKI 6[14] Equipped with Israeli fuel-transfer system[21]
Transport
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Union Strategic airlifter Il-76MD 17[14]
Boeing C-17 United States Strategic airlifter 11[14]
C-130J Super Hercules United States Tactical airlifter C-130J-30[22] 12[14]
Antonov An-32 Ukraine Transport An-32/32RE 103[14] 53 are 32RE variant.[23]
EADS CASA C-295 Spain Transport C-295MW 56 on order - license built by Tata Advanced Systems - HS 748 replacement[14][24][25]
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 United Kingdom Transport 57[14]
Dornier 228 Germany Utility 228–201[26] 53[14] 6 on order. License built by HAL[26]
Boeing 777 United States VIP transport 777-300ER 2[27] Used as Air India One for presidential flight.[28]
Boeing 737 United States VIP transport 737–700 3[29]
Embraer Legacy 600 Brazil VIP transport 4[30]
Helicopters
HAL Prachand India Attack 4[31] 6 on order[32][33]
Boeing AH-64 Apache United States Attack AH-64E 22[14]
Mil Mi-24 Russia Attack Mi-24/25/35 15[14]
HAL Rudra India Armed Utility 16 50 on order.[34]
CH-47 Chinook United States Heavy transport CH-47F 15[14]
Mil Mi-17 Russia Utility transport Mi-17V-5 223[14]
HAL Dhruv India Utility 107 [35][14]
HAL Light Utility Helicopter India Utility 6 on order.[36]
HAL Chetak France / India Light utility 77[14] License-built version of the Alouette III.
HAL Cheetah France / India Light utility 17[14] License-built version of the SA315B Lama
Trainer Aircraft
HAL HTT-40 India Basic trainer 70 on order. [37]
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland Basic trainer Mk II 75[14]
Pipistrel Virus SW 80 Garud Slovenia Basic trainer Pipistrel Virus 72[38]
HAL Kiran India Intermediate Trainer 78[14]
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Advanced jet trainer Hawk 132 102[14]
HAL Tejas India Conversion trainer Mk. 1A 18 on order[39][40]
MiG-29 Russia Conversion trainer MiG-29UPG 10[14]
SEPECAT Jaguar United Kingdom Conversion trainer IB 30[14]
MiG-21 Soviet Union Conversion trainer U/UM 37[14]
Mirage 2000 France Conversion trainer 2000 TH/TI 12[14]
UAV
IAI Heron TP[41] Israel Surveillance Heron TP
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Heron 1 49[42][43]
IAI Searcher[43] Israel surveillance Mk. I / II
DRDO Lakshya India Target drone 15[44]

Army Aviation Corps[edit | edit source]

Further information: Army Aviation Corps (India)
HAL Dhruv at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2008
HAL Prachand
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Helicopters
HAL Prachand India Attack 3[45] 2 on order.[32]
Boeing AH-64 Apache United States Attack AH-64E(I) 6 on order[14]
HAL Rudra India Armed scout 75[46][47] 25 on order[48][49]
HAL Dhruv India Utility 191 73 on order[14]
HAL Light Utility Helicopter India Utility 6 on order[50]
HAL Chetak France / India Utility 4[14] license-built version of the Alouette III
HAL Cheetah France / India Utility 37 8 on order[14] - license-built version of the SA 315B Lama
UAV
IAI Heron TP[41] Israel Surveillance Heron TP 4[51]
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Heron 1 16[51]
IAI Searcher[43] Israel Surveillance Mk. I / II
Switch Prime[52][53] India Surveillance High altitude variant Undisclosed quantities on order[52]

Naval Air Arm[edit | edit source]

Further information: Indian Naval Air Arm and List of Indian naval aircraft
MH-60R Seahawk helicopter of Indian Navy
A Boeing P-8I Poseidon of Indian Navy
A Kamov Ka-31 helicopter lands on the USS Bunker Hill
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-29 Russia Multirole MiG-29K 35[14]
AWACS
Kamov Ka-31 Russia AEW 14[14] Employs a Planar array radar
Maritime patrol
Boeing P-8 United States ASW / patrol P-8I 12 [54]
Ilyushin Il-38 Soviet Union ASW / patrol 4[14]
Dornier Do 228 Germany Surveillance 228-201[26] 28 8 on order[14]
Britten-Norman BN-2 United Kingdom Utility / Patrol BN-2B/2T[55] 4[14]
Helicopters
SH-60 Seahawk United States ASW / SAR MH-60R 2 5 delivered, of which 3 are used for training, with 19 on order.[56][14]
Kamov Ka-27 Russia ASW Ka-28 14[14]
Westland Sea King United Kingdom SAR / Utility Mk.42B/C[57] 25
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King United States Utility / SAR UH-3H 6[14]
HAL Dhruv India Utility Mk. I/Mk. III 14 11 on order[14]
HAL Chetak France / India Utility 36 6 on order[14]
Trainer Aircraft
MiG-29 Russia Conversion trainer MiG-29KUB 5[14][58]
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Jet trainer Hawk 132 17[14]
HAL Kiran India Jet trainer 20[14]
Pipistrel Virus SW 80 Garud Slovenia Basic trainer Pipistrel Virus 12[59]
UAV
IAI Heron TP[41] Israel Surveillance Heron TP
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Heron 1 [42]
IAI Searcher[43] Israel Surveillance Mk. I / II
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper United States Surveillance SeaGuardian 2[60] 2 on lease[60]
DRDO Lakshya India Target drone 39[61]

Indian Coast Guard[edit | edit source]

Further information: Indian Coast Guard
A HAL Dhruv Mk.III-MR
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime patrol
Dornier Do 228 Germany Reconnaissance 101/201[26] 36[62]
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India Utility MK. I 4[63]
MK. III 16 [64]
HAL Chetak France / India Utility 17[62]

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Les Rafale indiens porteront la dénomination Rafale EH et Rafale DH". defens-aero.com (in français). 11 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "France hands over 3 Rafale fighter jets with India-specific enhancements to IAF". Hindustan Times. February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. ↑ "2023 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Two Indian air force jets crash, one pilot killed". The Express Tribune. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "LCA Tejas: Unhappy IAF Gets 'New & Enhanced' Combat Fighters for Testing; Here's How Tejas MK1A is Better Than its Predecessor Mk1". 31 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Rajkumar, Mike (8 February 2019). "ANALYSIS: Tejas regaining its lustre". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Contract signed for 83 LCA Tejas fighters, all eyes now on HAL delivery schedule". 3 February 2021.
  8. ↑ Jennings, Gareth (12 December 2012). "Indian Air Force receives back first upgraded MiG-29 fighters". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 50 (2). ISSN 2048-3430.
  9. ↑ "IAF to phase out remaining four MiG-21 squadrons by 2025". The Hindu. 30 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "Two Indian air force jets crash, one pilot killed". The Express Tribune. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Bedi, Rahul. "Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000H upgrade programme delayed". Janes.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "2023 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Jennings, Gareth (6 August 2014). "Indian Air Force Jaguar lost on training sortie". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 51 (37). ISSN 2048-3430.
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 14.31 14.32 14.33 14.34 14.35 14.36 14.37 14.38 14.39 14.40 14.41 14.42 14.43 14.44 14.45 14.46 14.47 "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal Insight. 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "IAF to phase out remaining 3 squadrons of Mig-21 bison by 2025". 28 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "IAF set to phase out all 4 of its ageing MiG-21s by 2025". 29 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Brazilian jets to serve as eye in the sky for IAF". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  18. ↑ Bedi, Rahul (30 November 2017). "IAF refuels its EMB-145 AEW&C aircraft in mid-air". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "Representational Image | The existing Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft (AEW&C) | Wiki Commons". ThePrint. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  20. ↑ Menon, Jay (23 April 2013). "RFP Coming Soon For Indian Airborne Jamming Aircraft". aviationweek.com. AWIN First. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  21. ↑ Mukherjee, Amit (29 September 2004). "IAF to get 5th IL-78 refueller soon – Times of India". The Times of India.
  22. ↑ "Purchase of Transport Aircraft". Press Information Bureau. 12 December 2011.
  23. ↑ "41 AN-32 aircraft require upgrade, process under way: Defence Ministry". The Economic Times. 8 July 2019. There are 53 upgraded AN-32 aircraft in the fleet
  24. ↑ "Govt Seals Mega Deal with Airbus for Purchase of 56 C-295 Military Transport Aircraft". News18. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  25. ↑ "C-295 transport aircraft for Indian Air Force to be manufactured by Tata-Airbus in Gujarat". The Times of India. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Jackson, Paul; Munson, Kenneth; Peacock, Lindsay, eds. (2004). "HAL (Dornier) 228". Jane's All the World's Aircraft (95th year of issue 2004–2005. ed.). Coulsdon: Janes Information Group. p. 206. ISBN 0710626142.
  27. ↑ "PM's new special aircraft, equipped with missile defence systems, lands in Delhi". Hindustan Times. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  28. ↑ "Contingents of Air India, IAF, govt officials and security personnel leave for US to collect VVIP aircraft 'Air India One'". ANI News. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  29. ↑ "India's Air Force One takes off on first official flight". dna. PTI. 1 April 2009.
  30. ↑ "India gets first Embraer jet with Indian airborne radar tech". The Hindu Business Line. PTI. 17 August 2012.
  31. ↑ "Hindustan Times : IAF accepts 4 LCH". 4 October 2022.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "CCS Approves Procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) Limited Series Production (LSP) from HAL for IAF (10) & IA(05)". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  33. ↑ "IAF inducts first batch of light combat helicopter 'Prachand'; here's what you need to know". 3 October 2022.
  34. ↑ "About 50 Rudra Attack Helicopters To Be Acquired By The Indian Air Force". Defence Aviation Post. 16 April 2022.
  35. ↑ Aroor, Shiv (29 March 2020). "Make Time For This Sweet Shoot Of India's RUDRA Armed Helo".
  36. ↑ Pubby, Manu. "Indigenous light choppers get go-ahead, delivery in 2022". The Economic Times.
  37. ↑ "Union Cabinet approves procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL for Indian Air Force at a cost of over Rs 6,800 crore". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  38. ↑ "Pipistrel completes deliveries of Garud trainers to India | Jane's 360". archive.ph. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  39. ↑ "Rs. 48,000 Crore Contract for 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas handed over to HAL at the Inaugural Ceremony of Aero India 2021". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  40. ↑ "Production of indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas to start soon: HAL CMD". The Financial Express. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 "India Buys 4 Israeli Herons, to Upgrade Them With Missiles as Army, IAF, Navy Ramp Up Drone Inventory". News18.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Mallapur, Chaitanya (4 May 2015). "India tops list of drone-importing nations". IndiaSpend. Business Standard.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 Bedi, Rahul (16 September 2015). "India to buy Heron TP UAVs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 52 (44). ISSN 2048-3430.
  44. ↑ "Hindustan Aeronautics Limited delivers 'Lakshya-1' aircraft to Bharat Dynamics Limited". Indian Express. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  45. ↑ "An eye on China, Missamari to host Army's first Light Combat Helicopter squadron". Asianet News. 5 October 2022.
  46. ↑ "HAL Rudra (ALH WSI) Attack Helicopter".
  47. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (26 June 2021). "Despite shortages, Army Aviation raises tempo in operations along LAC". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  48. ↑ "About 25 Rudra Attack Helicopters To Be Acquired By The Indian Army". 16 April 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  49. ↑ "Army boosting combat fighting capabilities with major inductions of indigenous helicopters". 8 October 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019. 50 armed Rudra helicopters have already been inducted and 10 more will join the force by 2020.
  50. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (21 June 2021). "Army to get indigenous light helicopters by Dec. 2022". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 "Indian Army receives new Israeli Heron drones for deployment in Ladakh sector". www.aninews.in.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 "Indian Army signs $20 mn contract with ideaForge to procure SWITCH drones". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  53. ↑ https://www.ideaforge.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SWITCH-Prime-Brochure-web.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  54. ↑ "Indian Navy Expands Fleet with Delivery of 12th P-8I". Mirage News. 24 February 2022.
  55. ↑ "Dorniers | INAS 550 – The Flying Fish". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  56. ↑ "Romeos are coming to India! Long wait for MH-60R multi-mission helicopter for Indian Navy is over". www.financialexpress.com. 28 July 2022.
  57. ↑ Hiranandani, G. M. (2005). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. Lancer Publishers. p. 99. ISBN 9788170622666.
  58. ↑ @ANI (16 November 2019). "A MiG-29K fighter aircraft crashed in Goa soon after it took off for a training mission. Both the pilots have managed to eject safely. The aircraft involved in the crash was a trainer version of the fighter jet" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  59. ↑ "Pipistrel completes deliveries of Garud trainers to India". Janes. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 Peri, Dinakar (25 November 2020). "Navy inducts two Sea Guardian drones on lease from U.S." The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  61. ↑ "Hindustan Aeronautics Limited delivers 'Lakshya-1' aircraft to Bharat Dynamics Limited". Indian Express. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 The Military Balance 2017. Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated. 14 February 2017. ISBN 9781857439007.
  63. ↑ Purohit, Jugal (8 July 2016). "Indian Coast Guard to acquire 30 advanced copters soon". India Today.
  64. ↑ "Coast Guard receives 16 ALH-Mk III choppers, wants 9 more". The Times of India. 15 November 2022.

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