While I'd be the last person to defend our tardy planning and acquisition process, or feel complacent about the IAF being nowhere near sanctioned strength let's keep some perspective:Aditya_V wrote:What is the IAF and INcombat fleet anyways
IN 2000
it was
Airforce
18 Su-30K, MK.
70 Mig-29
44 M-2000
66 Mig 23 BN
20 Mig 23 MF
8 MIg 25
25 Mig 21 Bison
170 Mig 21 Bis
100 Mig 21 FL/ M/MF
100 Jaguar IM/IS
120 Mig 27's
IN
16 Sea Harrier.
All told around 790 Fighters
Today we have
135 Jaguar IM/IS
66 Mig 29's
50 M-2000's
166 SU-30
120 Mig 21 Bison
40 Mig 27's
Around
IN
10 Sea Harriers
16 Mig 29's
Around 600 Air craft. Down by around 190 combat aircraft. If 160 Mig 21/ 27 are retired and 105 Su 30 , 25 LCA, 29 Mig 29 Navy and 50 Rafales are added by 2020, we still have a worrying situation.
This TSP has bought F-16 C/D, Used F-16 A MLU and JF-17's and CHinese have added J-10, J-11, SU 30 K etc.
Our combat edge which was there in Kargil with PAF having no BVR fighters in 2000 has been significantly blunted with TSP 70-80 BVR F-16's and JF-17s. Truly a worrying situation.
This has significantly embolded TSP - coupled with thier Nuke stockpile, they are pretty confident of being immune from an Indian attack as oppossed post Kargil when they were abit shaken .
1. The IAF has much more capacities today. What one Su 30MKI can do on a 4-6 hour sortie is what it would have required multiple Mig 27s to do, to say nothing of the Mig 21
2. The combat fleet cannot be seen in isolation from air-to-air refuelers and AWACS, there is a good reason for such platforms to be called force multipliers
3. However, it is ridiculous that we have IN Mig 29s delivered with no Vik around in the near future, at a time when such capacities are very badly needed
As for PAF's stronger fleet...well from the times of the SAS in WWII to Pebble Island, PNS Mehran, Kamra, and Camp Bastion, there are other ways to reduce a country's air force than shoot it down in the air...and not cross nuclear redlines while at it
