1. INDIAN AIR FORCE
“TOUCH THE SKY WITH GLORY”

2. HISTORY
• Indian Air Force established on 8th October
1932 under the British Rule.
• Earlier it was known as the Royal Indian Air
Force.
• The aircraft RIAF first operated was Wapiti
Planes with one squadron.
• After independence airforce served the nation
with the prefix Royal which was dropped
when India became republic in 1950

4. Operations
• IAF has been involved in three wars all with
neighbouring country Pakistan.
• Major operations undertaken by IAF include
Operation Vijay,Operation Meghdoot and
Operation Cactus.
• Apart from conflicts, the IAF has been an
active participant in United Nation
peacekeeping missions.

5. • In 1947 kashmir war IAF was just used to
transport troops.
• During 1962 Sino-India war military planners
failed to deploy and effectively use the IAF
against chinese forces which led to defeat.
• Learing from the mistake India decides to use
air power against Pakistan in 1965 war again
for kashmir.
• PAF was more superior than IAF as a result
more than 60% of the IAF air combact losses
took place during this war.

6. • AFTER 1965 war IAF underwent a series of
changes.
• Inducted 3rd generation planes like HAL HF-24
MARUT ,MIG 21,SUKHOI SU-7 fighters

7. • After few years India again engages in war
against Pakistan in 1971.
• This time IAF was more superior than PAF and
controlled both East and West front of the war.
• By the time Pak forces surrendered IAF had
destroyed over 110 aircrafts of PAF and had
flown over 6000 sorties on both East and West
fronts.

8. BATTLE OF LONGAWALA
• Battle was fought in Longawala in 1971.
• Pak army with 2000 soldiers and 52 tanks attacked
120 Indian troops in Longawala.
• IAF’s 6 Hawk Hunter each loaded with 12 anti tank
rockets and 4x 30 mm cannon took off from
Jaisalmer in the morning.
• Pilots were trained well and knew the sand dunes
like the palm of there hands.
• What followed was history in making as big tank
thrust was defeated by air action alone ,first time
in the history of warfare.

9. • Pakistani tank exposed like pluck chickens made
desperate maneuver in the sand creating a track
pattern which was caught in a historic photo.

10. • The fate of the Pakistani tank thrust is explained by the
desperate intercepted message from one of the tank.

11. Strength of IAF
• The main strength of IAF is fighter aircrafts
divided into categories
• Attacker
• Fighter

12. Attacker
• It is those jets which have the ability to hit air to surface.
• Types are
• Jaguar
• Mig 21 Bison
• Mig 27

13. • Jaguar is:-A twin- engine,single seater deep
penetration strike aircraft of french origin which
has a max speed of Mach 1.3(1350 km/hr).

14. • MIG 21 Bison:- Single engine,single seater ground attack
aircraft of russian origin which form the back-bone of
IAF.It has a max speed of 2230km/hr.Oldest plane in IAF
fleet.

15. • MIG-27:-Known as “Bhadur” in IAF. Single seater and
single engine tactical strike aircraft of Russian origin.It
can attain a max speed of 1700km/hr.It can carry upto
4000Kg of armament externally.

16. Fighter Aircraft
• A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for
air-to-air combat with other aircraft,as opposed to a bomber,
which is designed primarily to attack ground targets by
dropping bombs.
• Types are:-
• Sukhoi 30-MK
• Mirage-2000
• MIG-29

17. • Sukhoi-30 MK:-Twin seater multirole fighter of Russian origin
which carries 130mm GSH gun alongwith 8000kg external
armament.It is capable carrying a variety of medium range air to
air missile with active or semi active radar or infra red homing
close range missiles. It has a max speed of 2500km/hr.

18. • MIG-29:-Twin engine,single seater air superiority
fighter aircraft of Russian origin capable of attaing a
max speed of 2445 km/hr.Ithas a combat celling of
17km.

19. • Mirage 2000:-A single seater air defence and multi-role
fighter of French origin.It is powered by a single engine
and can attain a maximum speed of 2495km/hr.

20. • IAF is world fourth largest air force with a sterngth of 1322
aircraft,including 680 combat aircraft and 305 helicopter and
presently operates a total of 34 squadron.
• All aircrafts belong to 4.5 generation.
• The only 4.5 generation fighter aircraft developed by India is
HAL-Tejas which is now inducted and will be in service in the
year 2013.

21. MMRCA Project
• The Indian Air Force Medium Multi Role Combat
Aircraft.
• It is the worlds largest defence deal of worth 42,000
crore.Under this IAF would acquire 150 multi role
aircraft.
• Six aircraft were bid for the order-saab
Gripen, Eurofigher Typoon,Dassault Rafale,Mikoyan
MIG-35 and the American F-16 and F-18(a version of
super hornet )
• Finally the deal went to Dassult Rafale which is 5th
generation aircraft and is capable of carrying Nuclear
Warheads.

23. THANK YOU