Air Force
The ‘Tejas’Light Combat Aircraft: This month HAL is expected to deliver three aircraft to the IAF, taking the total number of Tejas to nine. Experts described Tejas as a “MiG 21-plus”, meaning that even though it was modern, its capabilities were a small improvement on those of the MiG 21
The IAF has told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence that it desperately needs more fighter aircraft and air-defence systems, specifically the Russia-made S-400 that is said to knock off an incoming missile at 40 0kmThe MiG 27 “Bahadur”: One of the best ground attack planes when it was imported from USSR in the 1970s (and later license-produced by Hindustan Aeronautics), the IAF has been flying the plane far beyond its service life
The 36 Rafales contracted by the government for about `59,000 crore meets only a fraction of the operational requirement for 210 multi-role combat jets
Modern
Sukhoi 30 MKi: Limited by range but multi-role, the Russian aircraft is expensive to maintain by lifecycle cost
Searcher Mark II: Unmanned Aerial Systems. Imported from Israel. These can see far but are not combat-capable, as in they are not meant to be armedC-17 Globemaster III: The heavy-lift transport aircraft by Boeing was landed last week at Advanced Landing Ground at Tuting Arunachal near China border
C-130J Hercules: Even if the first ones are of 1960s vintage, this lot is among the recent acquisitions
Outdated
Mirage 2000: Was imported from France in the 1980s, it is now being upgraded by Dassault on contract. The fighter jet is the IAF’s strategic aircraft
The Jaguar: British-French origin Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft is in the fading category. Multi-role aircraft can take over its responsibility of ground-attack
MiG 21: Upgraded and called the Bison, the fighter jet has an endurance of just 30 minutes. It was originally an air-defender but IAF altered utility profile
ARMY
Modern
Smerch 9K58: The mulitiple launch rocket system was acquired from Russia about 10 years ago to replace the Grad IV. The missiles can hit targets up to 90 km
Helmets: Army has begun issuing lighter helmets that can withstand more pressure than the ‘patkas’Outdated
INSAS 1B1 Assault rifle
INSAS 1B1 assault rifle, light machine guns and carbines. Also, there are complaints of rifle jams
5.56 mm It fires bullets of this caliber but it is of 2003 vintage
Army wants an assault rifle that fires 7.62 x 51 mm caliber bullets
Helicopters
Helicopters such as Chetak, Cheetah are ageing; Army has inducted the HAL built Dhruv in its utility fleetBullet Proof Jacket
Army wants lighter BPJs that will absorb bullets fired at 200 m with 15 Kilos WEIGHT. The BPJs can stop a bullet fired from 400 m but not closer
BOFORS 155 mm GUN
155mm field Howitzers-77B were inducted in the 1980s. Army is conducting trials of modern guns, including the US-made M777
Air Defence
The L70B and the Schilka are of 1970s vintage. They have been put through multiple refits. Army wants very short range air defence systems that can be shoulder-fired
T-90 MBT
T-90 main battle tank may be modern but the same cannot be said of the Arjun tanks
NAVY
Its anti-submarine warfare ships like the INS Kamorta are being commissioned without Active Towed Array Sonar System that can detect submarines.