New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) may have successfully conducted a daring air raid against terrorist camps in Pakistan’s Balakot in February, but when it comes to a key metric, the IAF doesn’t compare well with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Whether it is pilot to aircraft ratio, or target practice and an ever-depleting squadron strength, the situation is a matter of serious concern.
The IAF currently has a ratio of 1.5 pilots per aircraft as against 2.5 pilots per aircraft for the PAF, top sources in the defence establishment told ThePrint.
Effectively, this implies that the PAF can carry out day and night operations more efficiently than the IAF in case of a full-scale war. The reason behind this is that aircraft can be made to carry out even six sorties a day, but the pilots have to deal with the limits of human endurance.
The IAF also depends a lot on simulation instead of preferred actual bombing practice.
The all-important Western Air Command, which looks after the entire air space with Pakistan and parts of China, does not have a single firing range to drop larger calibre bombs.
Not only this, the IAF does not have a single range to carry out high altitude bombing — a shocking fact given that India shares its borders with China at high altitudes, both in the north and the east.
Also read: 2 months after Balakot, Pakistan changes nuclear weapons tune – they’re for deterrence only
Sanctioned strength
The IAF has a sanctioned fighter squadron strength of 42 and officers strength of about 12,500. Each squadron consists of 16-20 fighter aircraft.
While the shortfall in terms of sanctioned officer’s strength is only at about 2 per cent every year on an average, it’s important to note that the sanction was given in the 1970s.
“The sanctioned strength, which includes fighter pilots, has increased marginally all these years. The pilot strength cleared when India was flying the MiGs. Now we have about 270-odd Su30 MKI, which are twin seats, meaning more pilots are consumed,” said a source.
“Also, as against the sanctioned squadron strength of 42, the IAF currently has only 30, and hence the force has a pilot to aircraft ratio of 1.5. If the squadron strength increases, the ratio will come down,” said the source.
The IAF is looking at increasing the pilot to aircraft ratio to about 2.2, said sources.
Gagan Shakti
Last year, the IAF carried out a massive all-air exercise, Gagan Shakti, spanning the entire length and breadth of the country, which saw months of planning. The aim behind the exercise was to put to test the IAF’s war strategy.
In a bid to stretch and ensure maximum number of sorties, especially keeping day and night operations in mind along with a two-front war scenario, the IAF enlisted all serving and medically fit officers below the age of 48 for Gagan Shakti.
Usually, pilots above the rank of a Wing Commander don’t usually fly as they get tied down to more desk-oriented jobs. Despite enlisting such pilots, the pilot to aircraft ratio rose only to 2.
“But this increase of 0.5 in ratio was a huge boost to flying operations as we were able to do record number of sorties and were also able to stretch the endurance level of aircraft to the maximum,” said a source said.
The exercise, held from 8-22 April 2018, saw over 11,000 sorties, including approximately 9,000 sorties by fighter aircraft.
Over 1,400 officers and 14,000 men were pulled out of training establishments and deployed for the exercise, to augment existing resources.
Also read: Untold story of an IAF Canberra & its crew, 60 years before Wing Commander Abhinandan’s MiG
Firing ranges
At present, the IAF fighter pilots practice their bomb-dropping skills on simulators because of the non-availability of firing ranges.
“No matter how much simulation one might do, there is a huge difference between actual dropping of bombs from the aircraft to hit a target and the one fired from the joystick in front of a large computer,” a source said.
The main issue is with high altitude ranges. The IAF does not have high altitude ranges and the only one available — the Tosa Maidan range in Jammu and Kashmir — was taken over by the state government.
“The IAF has asked the government for two high altitude ranges — one each in Ladakh area and in Arunachal Pradesh. The force is waiting for the decision since 2015,” a second source said.
The Western Air Command currently practices firing at the SK Range near Halwara in Punjab. However, heavy calibre bombs cannot be dropped there because of the size of the range.
“The IAF had identified a place in Thukrana in Rajasthan for creating a range for heavy calibre. But the new Land Acquisition Bill increased the prices phenomenally and it became out of budget for the IAF,” said the second source.
The IAF has to depend on Pokhran range for heavy calibre practice. However, sources said it’s done on a bare need basis because it’s a logistics nightmare to bring in aircraft from across the country.
Also read: Balakot shows India needs to take its technological military edge beyond Pakistan’s reach
Writer is bias fool Muslim with false notion of better than Hindu, in the disguise name of American Christian.Shekhar Gupta is cheap class editor, and low esteem person. Shame on your Journalism.
Are you paid from Pakistan? After reading your article. It seems someone paid you to publish such bullshit.
Pakistan is ready. Come on! Even when you did not attack pak army we did in daylight. What r you waiting for? After crying for war war war when we initiated where is your response. Gazwa hind lurks in your mind surely…. And again paaaaakistan is ready just do it man
Chal Jhoota
Their pants are still in deep shit…. they have blocked air space for commercial planes – no media was allowed for 45 days… and this worm is claiming bakistan is ready ..!!! joke of cosmic level… Lolzzz
Muhammadriyaz don’t type something silly
But remember fifty percent of population in Pakistan is found to be obese that is a major cause of diabetes, as revealed in the latest scientific survey on obesity conducted across Pakistan. Now I hope you are also not obese.
Came to say that indian pilots are obese and got roasted by a common indian citizen .
Lol the professionalism of IAF can be easily understood by ..Doing a rescue mission in between an aerial engagement???
What a strange news. Supreme court bans 10year old vehicles, and big hue and cry. But no one has thought how 15+year old aircrafts will protect the nation. So much of noise on Raffale.
Please Indian Airforce needs urgent state of the art aircrafts. It should be loud and clear. INDIA FIRST, & INDIA ONLY SHOULD BE FIRST.
Worse off not only on pilot strength front but also with pilot cababilities and skills. Shooting down of your SU-30 by a JF- 17 Thunder in IOK’s area and Mig 21 in our Azaad Kashmir area clearly leaves no ambiguity.
We shot your F16 with a vintage aircraft. Pigs does come in group. Lion comes in singles. That’s our vardhman. You Imran pissed in pants and let off vardhaman
It is a condemnable news expose. Nothing but under estimating and explaining with, presumably for lowring the morales our military strength.
Authors of such articles should be dealt with seriously.
The author is boosting Pak strength and condemning our Government internationaly to gain benefits from hidden sources.
Authorities may please take care and deal with such anti national activities.
Freedom of expression should not be beyond nationalism.
Congratulations Indians for making world record of losing 9 fighter jets in 45 days. This is just Indian things.
Remember India lost 5 pilots and arrested 1 abhinandan without declaration of war.
Indians say that they strike in Balakot, while there is no human lost or any infrastructure except 1 crow and few trees. And Indian air force left pay load and ran away.
While Pakistan strike in day light.
Engaged 6 targets successfully including the target of weapon depo and Indian air chief martial.
Pakistan shot down 2 Indian jets and 1 chopper.
Killed hundreds of Indian soldiers on border on that day.
That was real surgical air strike.
Indians lost the dogfight too.
Yeah, that is why Pak didn’t allow any visitors to the godforsaken bombed area for a month after the incident
Bro first of all where are these kinds of drugs available in your country, secondly thanks for reacting the way we wanted you to react, the power of Indian diplomacy has left you and your army covering thrash burns and marks and pretending you are not hurt which leaves you non liabke to take any step against the Indian action. Moreover our Air chief marshal is fine and safe and all ready to tickle your Pakistan’s ass whenever needed and all the other things you wrote like bombing our ammu depo and killing 100 soldiers please do tell me the drug used while writing this even you army would laugh if he reads it. See as of now I see you as a dumb teenager who had listened crap in schools and had pasted all those made up stories on the website of our antinationals. PEACE until we choose to break it ?
I didn’t read the comments but as far as i know Indians Nature After Knowing The Truth And Their Weaknessess
Indians Be Like,
Its A Pakistani Publication.
In Short They Can’t Accept The Reality And Whole World Witnessed That Fact After 27Feb 2019.
Yeah… bakistan won all wars against HINDUSTAN…!!!
Vishal of indian navy clearly states that we surpass Pakistan. We should comparewith China. So the author’s point of high altitude range is valid
Dear Indians please try to accept your limits, stop boasting around like Superman. Admit you lack everything in almost everything. Send your Bollywood heroes they will wipe out the entire terrorists. You win wars only in movies and not in reality. Even after your Indenpendence since 1947 you are very far behind compared to today’s modern world.
That’s understood Joe. We are far behind. We have issues. But we will solve it ourselves. But, What is your problem??.
If you are an American, then you guys are the root cause for so many problems. You give Millions of dollars to our beggar neighbour, who only uses that money to send in terrorists and destabilize our country. Historically you were always on the wrong side as far as India was concerned.
Atleast we don’t trouble you or ask for help to solve our problems. We are trying to solve it ourselves and move on.
You too move on my friend, if you don’t like. We are like this. Change. We will. But at our place.
Dear Joe Smith it’s your good luck to share your comments in India against India. You must share your comments against North Korea in North Korea you will be tied with cannon and you will fly in air
Ok
He isn’t an American.he is a stupid Pakistani not with an American name boosting to be an American and degrading India as usual
Alexa / Philipa, u have written as if u r a military guru, wanting to teach the bests of the world with your bullshit theory and statistics. Tell me honestly how much Raga paid you….. to write this something more nicely and creatively than him?
What you expect from rice bag converts.
This guy snehash was not even true with his religion. You expect to speak truthLook at the rice bag convert. Alex Philip and add some more, so that you sound like Italian Vatican. Sold out guy since chidhood
First of all what the credentials of the author. Is he a war veteran, worked in the intelligence, or is a soldier. What’s you knowledge about winning a war. Americans lost in Vietnam. Russians had to back off from Afghanistan. There are hundreds of things involved. Are u trying to tell our enemies how many pilots we have and things like that etc. I seriously doubt the motives behind such articles.
Where did this guy crawl out from? Maybe the light is blinding him & he cannot see the truth. Then again he may not be able to bear the truth!
I wonder what his real name is!
First of all take this point into consideration that Balakot air strike was utter failure by IAF, secondly IAF pilots are far behind in combat skills than PAF pilots. Successful sorties against terrorists hideout made PAF one of the best pilots in the world.
don’t make me laugh. if thats the case then there will be no terrorist camps in pakistan, but on the contrary there are many. habitual losers on drugs having delusions u are superior. combat skills are the reason IAF is a potent force. third rate economy with no hope, religiously intolerant and a world class concubine to China and USA. ur whole existence is a lie,
The above news says that
Pakistan has 2.5 pilots per aircraft
India has 1.5 pilots per aircraft
What about the quality of training..?
Does Pakistani pilots match the quality of our pilots?
Abhinandan Varthman has shot down their F-16 using an ageing mig-21
What if Abhinandan had Rafale?
Pigs and donkeys can’t be compared with IAF pilots.
Just bcoz Pakistan has F-16 it does not mean it can defeat India.
F-16 needs well trained pilot and Pakistan don’t have it.
During the joint military exercises with US Airforce the US Airforce pilots have praised indian Pilots for their skills, bravery and commitment.
I pity on the guy who is bringing such news.
lol, in which world your living? all missiles of Abi None Done were found. no F16 ws down even not fly
Do You Have Any Proof Of F16???
Lets say i am from Norway.
Give me any Evidence to prove your Words?
And Yes Dnt Say
“DG ISPR ny Do Pilots Kahy Thy Is Liay Hamari Assumption man Li Jay K Hum Ny F16 Giraya”
World is not supporting india’s narative
Hi I am not sure from which country you belong to but I trust my Indian Air Force marshal more than the politicians of my country & he publically showcased media the F-16 missile parts along with prudent evidence of F16 electronic signature.
Whereas Pakistani Army didn’t allow international journlist till 2 months to visit the site after the attack. If the air strike wasn’t successful what is their to hide.
think rationally
Why us government will say that their modern F16 was thought down by conventional mig21.
If they says they will have to suffer a lot of financial loss as no one Willing to buy an F16 get.
Just dare to enter again. We replied with befitting answer. Our truth was like daylight strike and your lie was darknight ambiguous assumption. Why india is portraying like capitulated cargos.
Bu** Sh**
This guy wants to degrade India due to his political affiliation opposing BJP.
Dear friends
don,t believe on shekhar gupta news fact. this is the guy who have been taking money from lokheed martin to demolished the actual strength of indian fighter plane. there is a group such reporters who takes money to advertise lokheed martin fighter plane by showing the historic and capable performance details on newspaper and media also instead of indian fighter or russian and european fighter plane’s performance and capabilities .they decide what to be shown in paper about planes and what not to be shown.this man and his media intellectual group is under charge of money laundering. they run agenda of congress and always have interpreted with the real facts about history and political history of this country. since 1947 the media taught us the wrong history about the nation.
I am a retired Indian Navy personnel(CPO UC1), and from my experience and analysis from what i have seen during my 27 years in sea i can confidently say that Indian Naval air arm is superior from pakistan air force leave IAF which is far superior than many developed countries.
Special mention:: Criticizing government is good i appreciate that but dont be so ignorant while posting such anti national things publicly and if you say IAF personnel are not well trained i can accept that but how can you say that PAF pilots are more trained unless and until you are one of them.
Mr. Vishal. You are right sir. This is a cheap article, aimed at some cheap publicity. But unfortunately, we have many such writers within the country and also outside, who make a living out of just maligning our armed forces.
And also such reports are put out mainly by armament manufacturers, to influence the government or the forces to select their product.
I did see in the Bangalore Air show in 2017. The media was so much of praise for the F16. Lockheed Martin even offered free rides to certain bollywood actor which was effectively covered by the media.
But just a few metres from the F16 was parked our own LCA Tejas. Media wouldn’t even bother.
Even then IAF is far more better than PAF, PAF inspite of having more pilots they couldn’t even reach their target, while IAF pilots not only reached their targets but also shot down an 4th Gen F-16 operated by PAF with an 2nd Gen MIG-21… So IAF is more powerful than PAF.
JAI HIND
I suspect a mal-intention of publishing this article
The print is trying to act like strict Indian parent….but again based on class 10 and 12 marks u cannot judge the students quality………
At present in the current situation we all should praise the IAF .. Indian Army and Navy….rather than publishing all these non sence…
You people should rather focus on Rahul Gandhis marrige issue…and if it happens..then further…
I think we Indians and all armed forces donot need any suggestions from your side…..and i think day will come u will be sitting in pakistan and writing all these bullshit again….in pain…
Thank you
The number of idiots and third class people arising articles is increasing by the day.
They just don’t care at the reviews.
No wonder these rascals are called presstitutes
It takes several thousand soldiers to win a war….but dropping 2 atom bombs defeated Japan…hope you will understand how technology works…more the advanced tech lesser the people involved.
But keep on writing as you have to obtain praises and recognition from anti-india gang
Is it a Pakistani publication, seems more like an ISI version.
Rajaji said Commies are No.1 enemy of the State. Snd how RIGHT he was. The Print must be from the Commie Gang. That is why no sense of pride and sense of propreity even about what should be reported, what should not be. This article is written as if the author is a military strategist. We will IGNORE the Pakistani Bums writing shit here.
Ah! In a way misleading the Pakistani bums that Indians are ill prepared may also turn out in our favor.
Yet all I can say is one thing. The US kinda Democratic Press Freedom may be perilous for this country. Perhaps it is right that an autocratic Modi keeping many things close to his heart will achieve better results than Congress and their callous ways
How much low would you stoop The print and The wire ? ,btw they both are notorious anti national elements . These print medias are run by some far left ideologies, so much far that they always cross the line . Many people do share the same ideologies, and i have no personal vendetta against them. But this is bloody poisonous to question the credibility of our IAF, if they are not anti- national , then who are? And these radicals say that our country has gone intolerant.
Lots of keyboard patriots. They know crap and don’t have guts to pick up a rifle and stand at the border or fight terrorists. But, have an opinion and blame a political opponent to show off their patriotism. Be qualified to join the armed forces first, fight the enemy on the field, then sit behind your keyboard and give your opinion. Till then it’s all opinions are just rubbish.
who ever say that Su30mki was shoot down man seriously lacks knowledge ??. Also if india can claim 1 why not both … if he was dead why no parents claimed the body. At the end PAF has more officers then jet’s compared to IAF
In the wake of this article we will soon have Rahul, Tejaswi, Akhilesh, Sachin and their likes joining the IAF to increase the pilot strength. Hope this comes true then these rotten “netas” will come to know what it takes to become a “Fighter Pilot”.
Bhai apna Gyan Apne pass rakh dost kya soch ke Gyan de rahe ho bhai Sahab apke Gyan Ko salam. App Pakistani to nahi ho
निंदक नियरे राखिए, ऑंगन कुटी छवाय, बिन पानी, साबुन बिना, निर्मल करे सुभाय।
Your commentary in our Air Force, might be wrong or right, but I think you forgot, our boys flying for the Air Force, are considered to be one of the best in the world. Ultimately, it’s quality that counts. Regarding the Ratio part, the Govt is very much aware of it and as long as our boys in the sky are ready for any eventuality, our country is safe.
Be positive, this means we have more fighter aircrafts .
We just need flying officers.
It’s very sad to say that immature journalism is harming India
I don’t know how true this is. But, when we destroy the PAF flights, what will they do with pilots?
Very poorly written article. The only point it genuinely makes is the lack of firing ranges in higher altitudes, which should be immediately looked into. The sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons is a vintage number. Today, the range and power of aircraft is much better and this number is now irrelevant, though we ought have much more squadrons than 32 as of now. The pilot to aircraft ratio gives a distorted number. For a given situation, IAF has enough pilots to man required sorties. The conduct of Gagan Shakti itself proves the point. But what is not said and which is more serious is that IAF requires to match up to PLA air force. IAF requires longer range air to air as well as other types of missiles, more 4G+ aircrafts, UAVs, satellite imaging support and AWACs. This is the real issue, which had been fully ignored. ThePrint should review useless articles before publishing.
Lol..you cant see the mirror if shown to you,better to accept your dirty face and wash it rather than cracking the mirror. Modi cant be the cheif editor of the print.
And we know the expertise and moral value of your pilots as well….if you dont: ask abi nandan and his father .
Ashamed to be an Indian.
No doubt the genes of the print is from tukde tukde gang .Sick !!!
Mathematical bankruptcy of the 3rd grade writer who articulated this piece of logical fallacies reflects in the fact itself that Indian Air Force got more aircrafts than shitty counterpart….Wait for some time your fundings have come off age…
While numbers don’t tell the whole story, the pilot to machine ratio is important and has been declining for India since past 25 years.
PAF lacks numbers and quality in machines, but has better trained personnel that can leverage her machines more effectively. This was proven on 26 February and 27th. Abhinandan will forever remember as well as dead pilot of SU-30. India best stick to building toilets.
Abhinandan proved that INDIAN SOLDIERS
ARE BETTER by shooting down an F-16 with a MiG-21 bison, which also proves what you are saying is wrong cause you are an anti-national person
INDIA has better trained personnel, Indian soldiers have Valour which others don’t have.
Shame on you for writing such a thing.
Shah rukh arebt u aware about the destruction we heaped on ure balakot and u didnt dare enter our country only peed and ran away. Rather you did not even accepted the death of ure pilot brought down by abhinandan and killed by ure illeterate citizens. Or u hv forgotten 93000 soldiers were made to rub their noses on our soldiers feet in 1971.
Is it Indian journal …?
Even enemy country would not dare to write this kind of article. Cheap journalism… the comments section has more credible data than yours.
It is unfortunate that analysis is not done by competent persons. Now forces are going hi-tech with UAV’s, Messiles operated beyond visual ranges, space wars, Missiles launching from multiple bases like air to air, land to air etc. Automation has reduced human interferences. Simulations give opportunities with lesser time and cost practice for simultaneous multiple terrain practice. It also ensures skill secrecy of our fighters. Final rehearsal is also done with best air force around the world for further skill enhancement. What else do you need? Russian Old MIG with brave pilots like proud Abhinandan us more competent to bring down F-16. We should invest more in new technology. We are far better than PAK. Please compare our air force with worlds best with potential to defend country and ready to take up challenge.
Ostrich approach or Bollywood approach.
Stuck in two extreme reality hideouts. Comments suggest 3rd world it is. Indeed! Always some problem with digestive system.
Unh….how many times India was runover historically? For many thousand years, right, even before Muslims came over. Isn’t the current Israel copycat behavior putting another nail into repeating what has been the history; another runover. See, the most Israelis are sharp featured, contrast to laid back dull featured. Please make toilets for human use first before getting into false image hideouts.
It isn’t a ostrich or a bollywood approach, it’s a technical approach which requires the use of something known as “brain” (I’m sure you guys haven’t heard of it as your comment proves that) And well, matter of fact, you can run over something only when that thing exists, you guys were inexistent on this world, you think I’m lying, ask your history teacher, but oops, I forgot, you lack sense…..
And rest assured with the “dull featured comment” is it the reason why Indians are taking high profile jobs like CEO’s at majority of the companies
But yeah, I get it, just another butt hurt hater
Yeah, you guys are good at selling, anything everything. But hey, what’s the reason you guys can’t provide toilets to 800 million people? Too much problem of faulty severage lines or fault lines?
Its going to take few more centuries to recover from brain damage of 800 years of rule over. Remember, caste system is right opposite to democracy.
World is watching the hotchpotch of two opposites. You’ve got to deal a lot.
Lesson #1, hit the reality before imagining to stop lying. You guys lie a lot like a parrot.
I am not a technical expert. But being a proud Indian I have a feeling that we did not do the right thing when PAF came at us. Our IAF has not been tested since Kargil….but this is to be taken positively and improvements carried out wherever required
quality matters more than quantity,,, indian are world class pilots and have shown their strength in many air exercises,, and if you are talking about ratio then even usa and japan have 1.5 pilots per aircraft but it doesn’t mean their air force is inferior, go get some research done the print before printing anything baseless about IAF.
and most important you have not to forgot that back in 2004 indian pilots achived 9:1 kill rato against the same f15s, thats not a joke,, it show’s the true potential IAF has
Mr. Somesh, you did a good job taking the side of the IAF. But it looks like you’re the one who’s not got your facts right. The 9:1 kill ratio in favour of the IAF was only because the F-18S had come less loaded and already fatigued. Please go do some “research” on Wikipedia. The internet is free for all.
Having advanced fighter jet is not sufficient….there should be enough competency which PAF pilots lack.
IAF has world class pilots thats why a our Abhinandan with an old MIG had shot down an advanced F16
Mr. Prajwal, instead of teaching others how to conduct a research, first you have to understand that going through an article of Wikipedia is not correct citation for any research work.
Firstly, read the whole thing that I have posted, before replying to me.
Secondly, Mr. Somesh Singh rightly quoted that in 2004, USAF used F-15C (not F/A-18) in the exercise.
Thirdly, there isn’t any thing known as less loaded. The loads of fighters are classified/considered as per the mission the plane is flying.
Fourthly, the only request the IAF made to the USAF was not to use AIM-120 AMRAAM, but the USAF allowed to use AIM-9 Sidewinder, which incase happens to be a short range missile and also happens to be most deadliest close range missile in the world and at that was way superior to any close range AAM missile in the world at that time.
Fifthly, the score was 9:1, as the USAF wasn’t able to fire their weapons at a rate at which the IAF pilots were and USAF used decade old tactics.
9:1 kill ratio achieved by Indians pilots against USAF fighters during the Cope India 04, was also reached thanks to their (IAF pilots) skills as USAF Colonel Greg Newbech said: “What we’ve seen in the last two weeks is the IAF can stand toe-to-toe with the best air force in the world. I pity the pilot who has to face the IAF and chances the day to underestimate him; because he won’t be going home. They made good decisions about when to bring their strikers in. The MiG-21s would be embedded with a (MiG-27) Flogger for integral protection. There was a data link between the Flankers that was used to pass information. They built a very good (radar) picture of what we were doing and were able to make good decisions about when to roll (their aircraft) in and out.”
All the above mentioned information is quoted from the US sites and US documents published in regards of Cope India 2004 and 2005 not from Wikipedia.
Lastly, this is especially for The print.
1. Don’t open your mouth if you are paid by some State. You are journalist and maintain the ethics of a journalist and journalism.
2. Don’t talk about the matters on which you don’t have knowledge about.
This is for all.
In terms of strength of IAF and PAF, both the airforce have good amount of planes and both the airforce are professional and have skilled pilots. But the difference is whose pilots are more skilled.
Merely having large numbers of weapons, is no good. The knowledge of using the weapon, mastery of the weapon, quality of weapon, the motivation level of the soldiers to dominate the area etc. play major role in a combat scenario.
I don’t understand what is the point of discussing things like those mentioned in this article and the events like Feb 27, 2019, IAF and PAK conflict.
World has seen how the mastery of our (IAF pilot) has shocked the west and other supporting countries and media (like ThePrint). When the matter or MiG 21Bis (a 2nd Gen aircraft) engaging an F-16 (a 4th Gen aircraft) was discussed with Russians, their reply was “it is the person sitting in the cockpit matters not the weapon.”
Jai Hind ??
Jai Bharat ??
Bharat Mata ki Jai ??
Jai Hind ki Sena??
The print and The wire have bunch of aholes. Get some sense.
Please remember the kill ratio of IAF Su-30 MKI against USAF fighter planes …… 1:9 ……. Forget abt PAF …. Success depends on the expertise n grit of the pilots which our pilots have achieved …. Bakwas article …. It’s a shame how our own media try to sell news without proof
Well, the writer of this article needs go through the induction process of Indian Air force. Let me tell the editor of this ‘out of the blues’ media that forces in India( Indian coast guard, Army, Navy and Air force) believe in Quality rather than quantity. They don’t want mob in the forces. The selection process in the Armed forces+ ICG does depend on rote learning. I guess, ‘the print’ recruitment process believes in quantity and that’s why we have such an illogical comparison. Anyway,Keep comparing our forces with pakis on baseless facts. But the zeal of our armed forces will always be high.