Once pitched to India under the MRFA contract, five Boeing F-15 fighter jets have been confirmed lost since January 2026, all during combat missions. On 2 March, the United States Air Force (USAF) lost three F-15E Strike Eagles that were shot down and crashed over Kuwait. It was reported as a result of friendly fire.Continue reading “F-15EX: Why India Sidelined U.S. Air Superiority Jets As It Hogs Headlines For All The Wrong Reasons: OPED”
Category Archives: Military Aviation
Beyond the Cockpit: Air Marshal Anil Chopra on the IAF, Modern Air Warfare, and Surviving a 22-G Ejection
Air Marshal Anil Chopra—known for his distinguished flying career and his post-military service shaping defence policy through strategic think tanks like CAPS (Centre for Air Power Studies) and advisory bodies in military justice and SIDM (Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers)—recently sat down on Dostcast to unpack India’s operational readiness. From evaluating the multi-domain capabilities ofContinue reading “Beyond the Cockpit: Air Marshal Anil Chopra on the IAF, Modern Air Warfare, and Surviving a 22-G Ejection”
IAF Chief in France – Likely Contours of the Rafale Deal
Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh was on an important four-day visit to France to advance the mega ₹3.25 lakh crore ($39 billion) deal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets. This visit came immediately after the Indian Defence Ministry issued a formal Letter of Request (LoR) to the French government.Continue reading “IAF Chief in France – Likely Contours of the Rafale Deal”
Russia Remains a Good Bet for Military Aviation Technologies
Russia showcased the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC)’s Superjet SJ-100, and the turbo-prop Il-114-300 aircraft at the Wings India 2026, in Hyderabad. India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) had earlier signed a MoU with UAC to make the near 100-seat SJ-100 regional jet in India. Russian aviation giant UAC had signed a deal to supply six Il-114-300Continue reading “Russia Remains a Good Bet for Military Aviation Technologies”
F15 Eagle the Great Combat Platform But Couldn’t Match the Sales of the Smaller Brother F-16 Fighting Falcons
Nearly 50 years after being introduced, and having seen many upgrades, the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Falcon continue to compete for sales. Latest variants of both have been vying for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) (MRFA) (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft). Both have very creditably served the home country’s US Air Force (USAF) and have been inContinue reading “F15 Eagle the Great Combat Platform But Couldn’t Match the Sales of the Smaller Brother F-16 Fighting Falcons”
Indian Navy Signs for 26 Rafale-M – Significant Commonality with IAF Rafale
India has signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France for the purchase of 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets for the Indian Navy (IN) that includes 22 single-seat and 4 twin-seat versions. The IGA was signed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of Armed Forces of France Sebastien Lecornu remotely. The signed copies of the agreement,Continue reading “Indian Navy Signs for 26 Rafale-M – Significant Commonality with IAF Rafale”
LCA the Flagship of Atmanirbharta – Need to Succeed Quickly
The IAF Chief expressed serious concerns with the sluggish pace of Tejas production. “Technology delayed is technology denied,” said Air Chief Marshal AP Singh while speaking at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar. Only 40 aircraft have been handed over in 10 years, averaging just four a year. Further, the deliveries of Tejas LCA Mk1A haveContinue reading “LCA the Flagship of Atmanirbharta – Need to Succeed Quickly “
IAF’s Significant Global Air Reach
Indian Air Force (IAF) is now routinely exercising and demonstrating the long operational range of its fighter aircraft through missions deep into the neighbouring seas and the Indian Ocean. The global reach of its transport aircraft has been seen and appreciated during the Covid-19 pandemic and the support provided in various calamities and evacuations. ThisContinue reading “IAF’s Significant Global Air Reach “
Make in India Rafale
In a big boost to Make-in-India, Dassault Aviation of France and India’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will partner for Rafale aircraft fuselage manufacturing at a dedicated facility in Hyderabad. The key structural sections of the aircraft, to be manufactured in India, include the central fuselage, rear section, lateral rear shells, and the front section.Continue reading “Make in India Rafale”
The Great MRFA Competition – Mother of All Deals – G2G Best Option
The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently revealed its intent to conduct an open tender for the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) project, aiming to procure 114 jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is poised to be one of the largest defence procurement projects in recent years. The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) forContinue reading “The Great MRFA Competition – Mother of All Deals – G2G Best Option”