The Indian Air Force (IAF):
The Indian Air Force (IAF) have recently taken many steps towards ramping up the air defence ecosystem in order to get strategic advances over their enemy.
- In a whopping ₹48,000 crore deal with state-run aerospace & defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Indian government ordered 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas for the Indian Air Force in February this year.
- In a landmark ₹22,000 deal inked by the Indian government with Airbus Defence, Spain the Indian Air Force is set to welcome Fifty Six (56) C-295 transport aircraft.
- Under the deal, the IAF fleet will receive 16 aircraft in flyaway condition within the span of 48 months, while a consortium of the Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will manufacture 40 planes in domestically within 10 years of signing the contract.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to acquire 24 second-hand Mirage 2000 fighters, made by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. The Indian government recently inked a deal to buy phased-out Mirage 2000 aircraft from the French Air Force.
- Apart from fighter aircraft, the IAF is also set to acquire Akash missiles, manufactured by India’s manufacturers of ammunitions and missile systems Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The ₹499 crore contract was signed by the two in July 2021.
- Under the ₹155 crore pact, the Indian Air Force is also scheduled to induct Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) manufactured by Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies.
- This will be carried out in a 12-month time frame, and the technology will improve the IAF’s capabilities in the anti-drone space.
