List of active Indian military aircraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following list of active Indian military aircraft is a list of military aircraft currently in
service with the Indian Armed Forces. For a list of historical aircraft used by the Indian Military,
see list of historical aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
Contents
1 Indian Air Force
2 Indian Naval Air Arm
3 Army Aviation Corps
4 Indian Coast Guard
5 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
Indian Air Force
Further information: Indian Air Force
Aircraft Origin Role Version Number[1] Comment
Fighter aircraft (615)
Total of 272 on order (to
Multirole air be delivered by 2018-
Sukhoi Su- Russia
superiority Su-30MKI 242[2] 2019).[3] All aircraft to be
30MKI India
fighter upgraded to Super Sukhoi
standards.
1 delivered with 119 more
on order. 8 limited series
technology demonstraters
and testing aircraft
built.[4][5] A total of 294
Mk.I Mk.IA and Mk.II aircraft
Multirole
HAL Tejas India 1 may be ordered to equip
fighter
Trainer 14 squadrons replacing the
MiG-21 and MiG-27.[6]
The first aircraft entered
service on 17 January
2015, with FOC expected
in 2016 and first full
squadron operational by
2017-2018.[7]
Being upgraded to MiG-
MiG-29
59[1] 29UPG standard, the first
Mikoyan Air superiority (9.12B)
USSR six were upgraded in
MiG-29 fighter
10[8] Russia. Remaining aircraft
MiG-29UPG
to be upgraded by HAL.[9]
M2000H 39[1]
Being upgraded. To
Dassault Multirole
France M2000TH 9[1] remain operational until
Mirage 2000 fighter
2040.[3]
M2000I/TI 2[10]
MiG-21MF ("Type 88")
and one squadron of
upgraded MiG-21 Bisons
Mikoyan- MiG21Bison
USSR to be retired in 2017.[11] [12]
Gurevich Fighter aircraft 245[1]
India Remaining 132 aircraft to
MiG-21 MiG21MF
be phased out by 2022 or
2025.[3][13] To be replaced
by the HAL Tejas.
Ground-attack aircraft (230)
Service-life upgrades to be
M/S 115[1]
SEPECAT UK Ground-attack completed by 2020.[3] Also
Jaguar India aircraft operated in a naval strike
T 30[1][14]
role.[15]
All non-upgraded aircraft
to be retired by March
MiG-27 Ground-attack 2016, with remaining
USSR MiG-27ML 85[1]
Bahadur aircraft aircraft to be retired by
2018. To be replaced by
HAL Tejas.[3][16]
Transport aircraft (242)
Total 10 ordered with
option for 6 more. Ordered
only 3 later with delays in
C-17 Strategic clearing funds for further
USA C-17 10[1]
Globemaster transport 3. When funds were
cleared, Boeing had only 1
more on its production
line.[17]
Ilyushin Il- Strategic
USSR Il-76MD 17[1]
76 Candid transport
C-130J Tactical C-130J- 7 more on order.[1] This is
USA 5[1]
Super transport 30SH inclusive of 1 additional
Hercules aircraft ordered in August
2014 to replace the loss of
a crashed C-130J.[18]
Hawker To be replaced with 56
UK Tactical
Siddeley HS HS 748-100 59[1] EADS CASA C-295
India transport
748 aircraft.[19]
All to be upgraded to An-
32RE standard by 2016 (60
An-32 60[1]
Antonov An- Tactical to be upgraded locally and
USSR
32 Cline transport 40 upgraded in Ukraine).
An-32RE 40[20]
To be eventually replaced
by UAC/HAL Il-214.[21]
Dornier Do Germany 14 more ordered in
Utility transport Do 228-201 40[1]
228 India February 2015.[22]
737-200
1
ADV [23]
Boeing 737 USA VIP transport
3
737-700
ERJ 135 4
Embraer
Brazil VIP transport
135,145
145 4
Special-mission aircraft (19)
Ilyushin Il- Russia[Note
1] Aerial refueling IL-78MKI 7[1]
78 MKI
Beriev A-50 Russia[Note
2] AEW&C A-50E/I 3[1] 2 more on order.[1]
Phalcon
Embraer 2 currently undergoing
ERJ-145 Brazil[Note 3] AEW&C 2 testing by DRDO and IAF.
AEWCS 1 more to be delivered.[24]
Operated by the R&AW,
Gulfstream Electronic-
USA IV SRA-4 3[1] India's external intelligence
III warfare aircraft
agency.
Operated by the R&AW,
Bombardier Canada[Note Reconnaissance
4] Global 5000 2[25] India's external intelligence
5000 aircraft
agency.
Reconnaissance
IAI Astra Israel G100 Astra 2[1]
aircraft
Trainer aircraft (230)
15 more to be delivered.[26]
UK Deliveries expected to be
BAE Hawk Trainer aircraft Hawk 132 90 [26][27]
India complete by the end of
2016.[28]
HAL HJT-16 India Trainer aircraft HJT-16 81[1] To be phased out by 2017
Kiran and eventually be replaced
HJT-16II by BAE Hawk (20 Hawks
currently on order).[26][29]
All aircraft delivered by
November 2015.[30] A
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland Trainer aircraft Mk II 75
further 106 may be
ordered.[31]
Helicopters (467+)
Few donated to
Afghanistan Armed
Mil Mi-35 Attack
USSR Mi-35 20[1] Forces. To be eventually
Hind-E helicopter
replaced by Boeing AH-
64E Apache.[32]
Attack
HAL Rudra India ALH-WSI 7 Total of 38 on order.
helicopter
HAL Light
Attack 65 on order.[1] 3 prototypes
Combat India LCH 3
helicopter delivered.[33]
Helicopter
Will be complemented by
Mil Mi-26 Transport [1]
USSR Mi-26 3 Boeing CH-47 Chinook of
Halo helicopter
which 15 are ordered.
Mi-8
34 more Mi-17V5s to be
Mil Mi-8
Transport delivered.[1] Additional 48
USSR Mi-17 300+[34]
helicopter Mi-17V5s may be
Mi-17
ordered.[35]
Mi-17V5
Utility
HAL Dhruv India Dhruv 46[1] 65 more on order.[1]
helicopter
HAL Utility
India Cheetal 14[1]
Cheetah helicopter
SA316B
Utility
HAL Chetak India 74[1]
helicopter
SA319
Indian Naval Air Arm
Further information: Indian Naval Air Arm and List of Indian naval aircraft
Aircraft Origin Role Version Number[1] Comment
Fighter aircraft (39)
MiG-29K
Mikoyan Multirole
Russia 39[36] 12 more on order.[36]
MiG-29K fighter MiG-
29KUB
Ground-attack aircraft (11)
Strike FRS51 8[1]
BAE Sea [Note 5] would retire from service, once
UK aircraft
Harrier INS Viraat is decommissioned.[37]
(V/STOL) T4 3[1]
Maritime patrol aircraft (21)
Maritime
Boeing P-8 P-8I 4 more to be delivered.[1] Possibly
USA patrol 8[1]
Poseidon Neptune up to 12 more to be ordered.[1]
aircraft
Maritime
Tupolev Tu-
USSR patrol Tu-142M 8[1] Being modernised in Russia.[38]
142
aircraft
Maritime All five Sea Dragon variants are
Ilyushin Il- [1]
USSR patrol Il-38SD 5 being overhauled, and will include a
38
aircraft further minor upgrade.[39]
Utility aircraft (33)
Do 228-
101
Dornier Do Germany Utility
25[1]
228 India aircraft
Do 228-
201
Britten-
Utility
Norman UK BN-2 8[1]
aircraft
Islander
Trainer aircraft (37)
Trainer
BAE Hawk UK Hawk 132 17[26] 6 more to be delivered.[26]
aircraft
HAL HJT- Trainer To be replaced by the new HAL
India 20[1]
16 Kiran aircraft HJT-36 Sitara.
Helicopters (101)
Airborne
Kamov Ka-
Russia early 14[1]
31 Helix-B
warning
Kamov Ka- Anti-
Ka-27PL
28 (Helix- Russia submarine 14[1]
(Helix-A)
A) warfare
Anti-
submarine
Mk42B 22[1]
Westland warfare
UK
Sea King
Mk42C 5[1]
Transport
helicopter
Sikorsky Transport
USA UH-3H 6[1]
SH-3 Sea helicopter
King
Utility
HAL Dhruv India 8[1] 16 more on order.[1]
helicopter
SA316B
HAL Utility
India 30[1]
Chetak helicopter
SA319
Army Aviation Corps
Further information: Army Aviation Corps (India)
Aircraft Origin Role Version Number[1] Comment
Helicopters (136)
Attack ALH-
HAL Rudra India 20 40 more on order.[40]
helicopter WSI
HAL Light Combat Attack
India LCH 114 on order.[1]
Helicopter helicopter
Utility
HAL Dhruv India 73[1] Total of 151 on order.[1]
helicopter
Utility
helicopter
Cheetah 23[1]
HAL Cheetah, Utility
India Cheetal 4[1]
Cheetal & Lancer helicopter
Lancer 12
Counter-
insurgency
HAL Chetak & Utility Being withdrawn from service
India Chetak 4[1]
Chetan helicopter and replaced by HAL Dhruv.
Indian Coast Guard
Further information: Indian Coast Guard
Aircraft Origin Role Version Number Comment
Fixed-wing aircraft (38)
Dornier Do India Maritime Do 228-
38
228 Germany surveillance 101
Helicopters (22)
16 more ordered in July
HAL Dhruv India Utility helicopter 4[41]
2014.[41]
HAL Chetak India Utility helicopter Chetak 18
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Note: The Indian Armed Forces operate a number of Unmanned aerial vehicles split between the
three service branches.
Aircraft Origin RoleVersion Number Comment
UAVs
A small UCAV that homes into enemy radar
IAI Harpy Israel UCAV 5+ emissions - destroying both itself and the enemy
radar. In service with Indian Air Force.
A small UCAV that homes into enemy radar
IAI Harop Israel UCAV 10 emissions - destroying both itself and the enemy
radar. In service with Indian Air Force.
Heron I In service with Indian Air Force and Indian
IAI Heron Israel UAV 50+
Heron II Navy. 15 more ordered in December 2013.
Searcher
IAI II
Israel UAV 100+ In service with the Indian Army.
Searcher Searcher
I
DRDO
India UAV 12+ In service with the Indian Army.
Nishant
DRDO Target A small target drone in service with the Indian
India 39
Lakshya drone Air Force and Indian Navy.[42]
See also
List of historical aircraft of the Indian Air Force
List of Indian naval aircraft
Currently active military equipment by country
Military of India
Indian Air Force
Indian Naval Air Arm
Future of the Indian Air Force
Border Security Force - who operate their own fleet of aircraft for security purposes
