HOW INDIA AND PAKISTAN STACK UP IN THE SKIES

A snapshot of how India & Pakistan armies stack up

When it comes to aerial might, India does seem to have an edge over its western neighbor.

New Delhi: Amid frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan and terror attacks in Kashmir, IAF chief Arup Raha asserted that the armed forces are prepared to give a befitting reply to sub-conventional threats and any other challenge facing the country.

INDIAN AIR FORCE

Fighters

Su-30 MKIs (around 240 Sukhois are in service)

MiG-29 (Less than 70 are in service)

Jaguar (Around 120 Jaguars are in the upgradations process)

MiG-27 (Ready to be phased out)

MiG-21 (Over 200 in service. Undergoing phase out)

Light Combat Aircraft (First squadron is being raised with two aircraft)

Mirage-2000 (Around 50 are in operation. Undergoing upgradations with new advanced avionics and MICA interception and aerial combat missiles)

Major Weapons

R-77

Astra (under trials)

Air-to-air missiles

Kh-59, Kh-35, Kh39

Air-to-Surface missiles

KAB- 500 Laser-Guided Bombs

Transport

C-17 Globemaster — Heavy lift transporter provides strategic airlift capability

C-130 Super Hercules — Special operations aircraft

IL-76 — Medium lift transporter

An-32 — Small weight transporter

IL-78 — Midair refueller

Helicopters

Mi-17 V5 — Transport helicopter

Mi-25 — Attack helicopter

Surveillance

AWACS: Russia-Israel joint production system being used by IAF

AEWC (Yet to be inducted)

Future Inductions

Rafale (36 French Rafale 4.5 generation fighter jets to join IAF in three to six years)

15 Chinook heavy lift helicopters

22 Apache attack helicopters

Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (Joint production agreement with Russia yet to be signed)

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE

Fighters

F-16 (Around 75 in service out of which around 18 are advanced block D version. Purchase of more advanced F-16s from the US on hold)

JF-17 (Around 100 in service. It will have around 250 of Pak-China joint production aircraft in service. The light multi-role combat jet is the latest induction in PAF)

Mirage III and V: Around 160 of these old French fighter jets in service

Chengdu F-7: Less than 200 of this Chinese variant of M-21s is in service. It is being replaced by JF-17 Thunder

Transport Aircraft

C-130 — Tactical transport aircraft (Less than 20)

IL-78 — Midair refueller

Helicopters

Mi-17 (Around 45 in service)

Surveillance

SAAB 2000 Erieye Airborne Early Warning & Control

ZDK 03 Chinese Airborne-Warning and Control System

Future Inductions

More of the latest version of F-16s

Second line of JF-17 Thunder

Chengdu J-10 multi-role fighters likely