Raju's Resource Hub
Su-30 MKI– Highly Modern (4+ gen) Russian Aircraft. Developed version of Su-27 (first russian jet to perform the cobra manoeuvre) which means high agility. It carries One X 30mm GSH gun alongwith 8000 kg external armament. It is capable of carrying a variety of medium-range guided air to air missiles with active or semi-active radar or Infra red homing close range missiles. It has a max speed of 2500 km/hr (Mach 2.35). Capable of launching BrahMos missiles, which gives it a big edge over others in the list.
Dassault Rafale– India Recently bought 36 of these in a bid to modernise the inventory of IAF. A highly capable fighter that has one of the best HUDs in the world, making it pilot friendly. It has a wide variety of weapons it can fire including, but not restricted to Mica, Magic, Sidewinder, ASRAAM and AMRAAM AA missiles; Apache, AS30L, ALARM, HARM, Maverick and PGM100 air-to-ground missiles and Exocet / AM39, Penguin 3 and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
MiG-29 UPG– This is the upgraded version of one of the most famous Russian Fighters ever created. IAF became the first foreign Air Force to order the MiG-29 in 1986. It is a very agile fighter and is a rugged dogfighter. The digital FBW systems in the UPG has made it “the most advanced version of the MiG-29,till date” according to the Mikoyan Guerevich itself. It is capable of attaining max. speed of 2445 km per hour (Mach-2.3). It has a combat ceiling of 17 km. It carries a 30 mm cannon alongwith four R-60 close combat and two R-27 R medium range radar guided missiles.
Mirage 2000– A single seater air defence and multi-role fighter of French origin powered by a single engine can attain max speed of 2495 km/hr(Mach 2.3). It carries two 30 mm integral cannons and two matra super 530D medium-range and two R-550 magic II close combat missiles on external stations. It was recently significantly upgraded with Thales RDY 2 radar, which allows for very long-range engagement of targets in the air, automatic tracking of targets, mapping of targets on the ground using Doppler beam-sharpening techniques, and the ability to track and engage targets which are moving on the ground. And yes, this jet is our hero from Balakot airstrikes.
HAL Tejas– The one true Indian on the list. The Tejas is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air to air, air to surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry. In the air to air arena, the Tejas carries long range beyond visual range weapons, with highly agile high off-boresight missiles to tackle any close combat threat. A wide variety of air to ground munitions and an extremely accurate navigation and attack system allow it to prosecute surface targets over land or at sea with unparalleled accuracy, giving the Tejas true multi/swing role capability. It will be replacing the ageing MiG-21.
MiG-21 Bison– This is a controversial entry as many people will argue that since it is a platform which is over 60 years of age, it should not be placed above SEPECAT Jaguar and MiG-27. However, the MiG 21 never seems to have aged. It is by far the IAF’s favorite fighter with over 800 of them operated since the 1960s. It is also by far the most experienced veteran having seen many dogfights and CAS ops since 1965, the most recent being the standoff between India and Pakistan in 2019. They have a cult following in India but are deemed to retire by 2021, to be replaced by the Tejas. It has a max speed of 2230 km/hr (Mach 2.1) and carries one 23mm twin barrel cannon with four R-60 close combat missiles.
SEPECAT Jaguar– A twin-engine, single seater deep penetration strike aircraft of Anglo-French origin which has a max. speed of 1350 km /hr (Mach 1.3). It has two 30mm guns and can carry two R-350 Magic CCMs (overwing) alongwith 4750 kg of external stores (bombs/fuel). This aircraft will soon be gone like its Russian cousin by the name of MiG-27. India is the last operator of this jet in the world with France, Britain and Oman having retired it. Indian Jaguars were used to carry out reconnaissance missions in support of the IPKF in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. They later saw an active role in the 1999 Kargil War