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List of active Indian military aircraft

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This article provides a list of active Indian military aircraft currently in service with the Indian Armed Forces, as well as aircraft on order. For a list of historical military aircraft used by the Indian military, see list of historical aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

Air Force

Further information: Indian Air Force and Future of the Indian Air Force
HAL Tejas at Exercise Tarang Shakti 2024
IAF Rafale take off from Dassault Aviation Facility, Merignac, France.
A Su-30MKI firing Brahmos ER
Netra AEW&C on Embraer ERJ 145 platform
C-17 Globemaster III in service
C-295 is replacing HS-748
HAL Prachand
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Dassault Rafale France Multirole DH 8[1]
EH 28[1]
HAL Tejas India Multirole Mk.1 31[2][3]
Conversion trainer Mk.1 Trainer 4[4][5] Used for training; 14 more on order[6]
Multirole Mk.1A 73 on order, 97 more approved[6][7]
Sukhoi Su-30MKI Russia Multirole Su-30MKI Flanker H 259[8][9] 12 more on order.[10]
Mikoyan MiG-29 Soviet Union Multirole Fulcrum 52[1][11][12] Including 12 MiG-29UPG.
Fulcrum B 7[1]
Dassault Mirage 2000 France Multirole -2000H 37[1]
-2000TH 10[1] Used for training.
SEPECAT Jaguar United Kingdom Attack IB 28[1] Used for training.
IS 79[1]
IM 8[1] Maritime strike aircraft carrying Sea Eagle missile.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Soviet Union Interceptor MiG-21 Bison 40[13] Being phased out.[14]
AEW&CS
Embraer R-99 Brazil AEW&C Netra Mk1 3[15] equipped with a Netra AEW&CS.
Beriev A-50 Soviet Union AEW&C A-50EI 3[15] equipped with the EL/W-2090 radar. 2 more planned.[16][17]
Reconnaissance
Boeing 707 United States SIGINT / ELINT 707-337C Phalcon 1[15] Operated by Aviation Research Centre (ARC) of R&AW.[18][19]
Global 5000 United States SIGINT / ELINT 2[15]
Gulfstream III United States ELINT SRA[20] 3[15]
Boeing 737 United States SIGINT / ELINT 737-700 2[15]
Gulfstream G100 Israel surveillance 1125 Astra 2[15]
Tanker
Ilyushin Il-78 Soviet Union aerial refuelling Il-78MKI 6[15]
Transport
Boeing 777 United States VIP transport 777-300ER 2[21] Used as Air India One for presidential flight
Embraer Legacy 600 Brazil VIP transport 4[22]
Boeing C-17 United States strategic airlifter 11[15]
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Union strategic airlifter Il-76MD 17[15]
C-130J Super Hercules United States tactical airlifter C-130J-30[23] 12[15]
Airbus A321 Europe transport A321-200 4[15]
Antonov An-32 Soviet Union tactical airlifter 103[15] 53 are the 32RE variant[24]
EADS CASA C-295 Spain tactical airlifter C-295W 6[25] 50 more on order — HS 748 replacement[26]
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 United Kingdom tactical airlifter 56[15] To be replaced by EADS CASA C-295
Dornier Do 228 Germany tactical airlifter 228-201 61[15] license built by HAL[27]
Helicopters
Boeing AH-64 United States attack AH-64E 22[15]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack Mi-25/35 15[15]
HAL Prachand India attack 10[28] 66 on order[29]
HAL Rudra India attack 16 50 on order.[30]
CH-47 Chinook United States transport CH-47F 15[15]
Mil Mi-17 Russia utility Mi-17V-5 222[15]
HAL Dhruv India utility 95[15]
HAL Light Utility Helicopter India utility 6 on order[31]
Alouette III France/India liaison Chetak 79[15] license-built by HAL. A fleet of around 120 aircraft.[32]
Cheetal 18[33]
SA 315B Lama France/India utility Cheetah 18[15]
Trainer Aircraft
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Advanced trainer Hawk 132 102[15]
HAL Kiran India Intermediate trainer 77[15]
HAL HTT-40 India Basic trainer 70 + 36 on order [15]
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland Basic trainer Mk II 74[15]
Pipistrel Virus Slovenia Ab initio trainer 72[34][35]
UAV
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Mk 1 N/A
Mk 2 4 [36][37] 2 on order[38]
IAI Searcher Mk 1/2 [39]
MQ-9 Reaper United States Surveillance/ Combat SkyGuardian 0 8 on order[40]
ALS-50 India loitering munition 100[41]
Kadet Loitering Aerial Munition 50+ on order Developed by DRDO and KDS

Multiple variants; Weight - 15 to 120 kg; Warhead - 2 to 40 kg; Max. Endurance - 12 hrs; Max. Range - 150 to 300 km; Canister launched and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) variants[42][43]

Army Aviation Corps

Further information: Army Aviation Corps (India)
HAL Rudra attack helicopters during Rudra Shakti 2024 exercise
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Helicopters
Boeing AH-64 United States attack AH-64E(I) 6 on order[44]
HAL Prachand India attack 90 on order[29]
HAL Rudra India attack 75[45][46]
HAL Dhruv India utility 76[46][47] 19 more on order[48][49]
Alouette III France/India liaison / utility Chetak 190[50][51] - 200[52] license-built by HAL
SA 315B Lama France/India liaison / utility Cheetah
UAV
Drishti-10 Israel/India Reconnaissance 1[53] 2 on order[54]
IAI Searcher Israel Mk 2 <100[55]
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Mk 1 >30 [56]
Mk 2 4 Deployed in Ladakh and Northeast.[57]
MQ-9 Reaper United States Surveillance/ Combat SkyGuardian 0 8 on order[40]
Ideaforge Switch [58][59] India Surveillance 1.0 undisclosed quantities on order[58]
NewSpace NIMBUS India Swarm drones Mk-III 75 Part of autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarm (A-SADS)[60][61]
NewSpace BELUGA India Swarm drones 25
Raphe MPhibr MR-20[62] India Cargo 48[62]
Further information: Indian Naval Air Arm and List of Indian naval aircraft
Heliborne operation from HAL Dhruv MK-III
A Boeing P-8I Neptune of Indian Navy
MH-60R Seahawk helicopter of Indian Navy
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-29 Russia multirole MiG-29K 40[63] 7 KUB variants provide conversion training
Maritime patrol
Boeing P-8 United States ASW / patrol P-8I 12[64]
Dornier Do 228 Germany surveillance 228-201[27] 31[65][66] 6 on order[66]
Britten-Norman BN-2 United Kingdom utility / patrol BN-2B/2T[67] 4[64]
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India utility 24[64]
Kamov Ka-31 Russia AEW 14[64] employs a Planar array radar
Kamov Ka-27 Russia ASW Ka-28 14[64]
SH-60 Seahawk United States ASW / SAR MH-60R 6[68] 24 on order[69]
Westland Sea King United Kingdom SAR / utility Mk.42B/C[70] 25[64] six are UH-3H variants
HAL Chetak France/India liaison / utility 42[64]
Trainer Aircraft
Pipistrel Virus Slovenia Ab initio trainer 12[35]
BAE Hawk United Kingdom Jet trainer Hawk 132 17[64]
HAL Kiran India Jet trainer 20[64]
UAV
IAI Heron Israel Surveillance Mk 1 ~8 [71]
MQ-9 Reaper United States Surveillance/ Combat SeaGuardian 2[72] (On lease) 15 on order[40]
Drishti-10 Israel/India surveillance 2[73][74]

Coast Guard

A Dornier Do-228-101
Further information: Indian Coast Guard
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime patrol
Dornier Do 228 Germany reconnaissance 101/201[27] 36[75] 2 on order[76]
Helicopters
HAL Dhruv India utility Mk. I / Mk. III 4 / 16[77][78][79] 9 Mk.III on order[80] 6 more planned[81]
HAL Chetak France/India utility 17[82]

See also

References

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