Cost of IAF’s lesson: 50 squadrons lost

Source: The post is based on the article “Cost of IAF’s lesson: 50 squadrons lost” published in “ Business standard” on 1st September 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

News: The article explores the history of aircraft accidents in the Indian Air Force from 1952 to 2021. It focuses on the significant number of aircraft and pilot losses, which have affected its operational capability and led to worries about training, equipment quality, and policy choices. The article also highlights the comparison with international benchmarks and underscores the requirement for improved aircraft and training approaches.

Data related to Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Accidents

Total Aircraft Lost: Over 70 years (1952-2021), the IAF lost 2,374 aircraft to crashes.

Breakdown: This includes 1,126 fighters, 1,248 non-combat aircraft, 229 trainers, and 196 helicopters.

Pilot Casualties: These accidents resulted in the deaths of 1,305 pilots.

War Losses: Only 143 aircraft, or about 1 out of every 8 lost, were combat casualties.

Accident Rate: In the 1990s, IAF’s accident rate was between 0.89 and 3.99 per 10,000 hours of flying. In comparison, the US Air Force’s rates were 0.29 in the 1990s, 0.15 in the 2000s, and 0.1 between 2010 and 2018.

What are the reasons for the IAF’s accidents?

Human Error: A significant number of crashes were ascribable to human error, encompassing not only pilot mistakes but also training lapses and potentially other human-involved errors in the broader scope of aircraft operation and maintenance.

Technical Defects: Crashes were due to technical issues, like poor maintenance and a shortage of spare parts, particularly for MiG variants after the Soviet Union’s dissolution.

Nature: Hostile weather and bird strikes were natural causes behind some crashes.

Obsolete Aircraft: The extended use of older aircraft, notably the MiG-21s referred to as “flying coffins” and “widow makers,” played a role in the high accident rate.

Training Issues: There were issues with basic training and the use of outdated trainer aircraft like the HPT-32. The absence of advanced jet trainers (AJT) was also a concern.

Policy Delays: Delays in decision-making, such as the time taken to introduce newer trainer aircraft like the Pilatus PC-7 Mark II and the Hindustan Turbo Trainer 40 (HTT-40), contributed to the accident rate.

What’s the Future for the IAF?

The IAF is transitioning from older, single-engine Soviet-era planes to newer, twin-engine Western aircraft. This could change the accident rates and operational capabilities in the future.