Aircraft in Indian Service – Complete List of Indian Military Aircraft, Static GK & General Awareness for Competitive Exams with Memory Tricks

Introduction

India operates one of the largest and most diverse military air fleets in the world, with close to 2,000 aircraft spread across the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Navy's Naval Air Arm, the Army Aviation Corps and the Indian Coast Guard. What makes this fleet unusual is its mix of origins: Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG-29UPG fighters, French Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets, American C-17 Globemaster III airlifters and AH-64E Apache helicopters, British-origin Jaguar and Hawk aircraft, and a growing line of indigenous platforms such as the HAL Tejas, HAL Dhruv, HAL Prachand and the DRDO Netra AEW&C. No other major air force runs this many platforms from this many countries in parallel.

Questions on aircraft in Indian service appear almost every year in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, RRB NTPC, RRB Group D, CDS, AFCAT, NDA, Territorial Army, Insurance and State PCS examinations. The most common question patterns are aircraft-to-country matching, identifying which platform is indigenous, naming the role of a specific aircraft, and statement-based questions on new acquisitions such as the Rafale-Marine deal or the C-295 programme. This article organises every important platform into clean, exam-ready tables. To build a strong base in related General Awareness topics, you can also work through the Static GK notes section on TheJobsMe.

Defence aviation is also one of the highest-yielding areas in current affairs, because the fleet changes every year. The MiG-21 was formally retired on 26 September 2025, the first Made-in-India C-295 rolled out of Vadodara in May 2026, the Netra Mk1 AEW&C received Final Operational Clearance in June 2026, and the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) proposal for 114 Rafale jets received Acceptance of Necessity on 12 February 2026. Aspirants should therefore read this Static GK base along with the daily current affairs updates to stay ahead of the latest inductions and retirements.

Core Concepts: How Military Aircraft Are Classified

Before memorising names, it helps to understand the vocabulary that examiners use. Most objective questions test whether you can match a platform to the correct category, so these definitions are worth learning first.

• Fighter or combat aircraft - Armed aircraft designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. Examples in Indian service include the Su-30MKI, Rafale and Tejas.
• Multirole fighter - A single aircraft able to switch between air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance and maritime strike in the same mission profile. The Rafale is marketed as an omnirole fighter, a step beyond multirole.
• Air superiority fighter - Optimised primarily for shooting down enemy aircraft and controlling airspace, such as the MiG-29UPG.
• Ground attack or deep-penetration strike aircraft - Built to strike targets deep inside enemy territory at low altitude, such as the SEPECAT Jaguar.
• Fighter generations - A shorthand for technology level. The Jaguar is roughly 3.5 to 4 generation, the Mirage 2000 and MiG-29UPG are 4th generation, the Su-30MKI, Rafale and Tejas Mk1A sit at 4.5 generation, and the upcoming AMCA is India's 5th generation stealth programme.
• AEW&C versus AWACS - Both are flying radar stations. AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) uses a smaller business-jet class platform with limited coverage, like the Netra. AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) uses a large aircraft with full circular coverage, like the Phalcon on the Il-76.
• Aerial refueller or tanker - Transfers fuel in flight to extend the combat radius of fighters. India's tanker is the Ilyushin Il-78MKI.
• Strategic versus tactical airlifter - A strategic airlifter such as the C-17 moves very heavy loads over intercontinental distances. A tactical airlifter such as the C-130J or C-295 lands close to the battlefield on short, rough or semi-prepared strips.
• Rotary wing versus fixed wing - Helicopters are rotary wing; conventional aircraft with wings are fixed wing. Rotary-wing roles include attack, utility, heavy-lift, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and search and rescue (SAR).
• UAV, RPAS and MALE or HALE - An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or Remotely Piloted Aircraft System flies without a pilot on board. MALE means Medium Altitude Long Endurance and HALE means High Altitude Long Endurance. The MQ-9B Predator is a HALE platform.
• Trainer categories - Pilot training moves through three stages: basic trainer (HTT-40, Pilatus PC-7 Mk II), intermediate jet trainer (HAL Kiran) and advanced jet trainer (BAE Hawk Mk132).

Indian Air Force Combat Aircraft - Fighter Jets

Combat aircraft form the backbone of the IAF. The sanctioned strength of the IAF is 42 fighter squadrons, but the actual number in service is around 29 to 30 squadrons, a shortfall caused mainly by the retirement of the MiG-21 fleet and slow replacement inductions. Each squadron typically holds about 18 aircraft.

Special Mission Aircraft - AEW&C, AWACS and Aerial Refuellers

Special mission aircraft do not fight directly but decide the outcome of air battles by providing early warning, radar coverage, electronic intelligence and in-flight fuel. This category has become a favourite area for statement-based questions.

Transport Aircraft of the Indian Air Force

Transport aircraft carry troops, cargo, artillery and humanitarian relief, and are the reason India can sustain operations in Ladakh, Siachen and the North East. They are also India's main tool for evacuation missions abroad and for disaster relief under Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

Helicopters in Indian Service

Helicopters are indispensable in India because of its terrain: glaciers, deserts, jungles, island territories and the world's highest battlefield. The rotary-wing fleet is shared across the IAF, Army Aviation Corps, Navy and Coast Guard, so the same helicopter often appears in more than one service.

Trainer Aircraft of the Indian Air Force

Pilot training in India follows a three-stage system, and questions often ask which aircraft belongs to which stage. A shortage of trainers is one reason the IAF has had to limit pilot intake, which is why the indigenous HTT-40 programme matters.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Drones have moved from a supporting role to the centre of Indian military planning, especially after Operation Sindoor in May 2025. This is currently one of the most heavily tested areas in defence current affairs.

Naval Air Arm Aircraft of the Indian Navy

The Naval Air Arm operates carrier-based fighters, long-range maritime patrol aircraft, anti-submarine helicopters and airborne early warning helicopters. India operates two aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous INS Vikrant, both using the STOBAR configuration, that is Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery with a ski-jump ramp.

Army Aviation Corps and Indian Coast Guard Aircraft

These two arms are frequently overlooked by aspirants, yet questions on them do appear, especially on the Army's Apache squadron and the Coast Guard's surveillance fleet.

Army Aviation Corps

Indian Coast Guard

Future Aircraft Programmes and Recent Acquisitions

This is the section most closely linked to current affairs. Every programme below has been in the news between 2025 and 2026 and can be asked in either a Static GK or a current affairs framing.

Memory Tricks and Mnemonics

The aircraft list looks intimidating because of the sheer number of names. These tricks group the platforms by pattern so that one clue unlocks several answers.

Trick 1: Country Ladder — "Russia Fights, France Strikes, Britain Trains, India Rises"

Sort the fighter fleet by country of origin and the matching questions solve themselves.

• Russia gives the S and M: Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG-29UPG, plus the Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters and the Il-76 and Il-78 heavies.
• France gives the two R-and-M jets: Rafale and Mirage 2000, plus the Chetak and Cheetah helicopter designs.
• Britain gives the J and H: Jaguar and Hawk, plus the older Avro HS-748 and the naval Sea King.
• America gives the C and A: C-17, C-130J, CH-47F Chinook and the AH-64E Apache, plus the P-8I and MQ-9B.
• India gives the T, D, P and R: Tejas, Dhruv, Prachand and Rudra, plus Netra, HTT-40 and Kiran.

Remember: Russia Fights, France Strikes, Britain Trains, America Lifts, India Rises.

Trick 2: Netra versus Phalcon — "Native is Narrow, Foreign is Full"

This is the single most frequently confused pair in defence GK, and the trick is pure alliteration.

• Netra = Native (Indian, DRDO), Narrow (240 degrees), No dome (flat AESA antenna on the fuselage), on a small Embraer jet.
• Phalcon = Foreign (Israeli radar), Full circle (360 degrees), on a fat Il-76 with a rotodome.

Netra has Narrow eyes; Phalcon has a Full sweep.

Trick 3: Transport Weight Ladder — "17, 76, 130, 32, 295, 228"

Read the numbers in that exact order and you get the transport fleet from heaviest to lightest.

• C-17 Globemaster III — strategic, about 77 tonnes, tanks.
• Il-76 Gajraj — strategic, the old heavyweight.
• C-130J Super Hercules — tactical, special operations, high-altitude landing grounds.
• An-32 Sutlej — medium tactical, Himalayan supply.
• C-295 — tactical, 9 tonnes, replacing the Avro.
• Do-228 — light transport and surveillance.

Seventeen carries the tank, Two-two-eight carries the mail.

Trick 4: Helicopter Roles — "A Attacks, C Carries, M Moves, D Delivers"

The first letter of each American and Russian helicopter tells you its job.

• Apache Attacks — attack helicopter with Hellfire missiles and a 30 mm chain gun.
• Chinook Carries — heavy-lift cargo with tandem rotors and M777 howitzers underslung.
• Mi-17 Moves — medium-lift utility that moves troops and stores.
• Dhruv Delivers — utility and casualty evacuation across all four services.

Apache Attacks, Chinook Carries, Mi-17 Moves, Dhruv Delivers.

Trick 5: The Indigenous Rotary Ladder — "Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand equals Utility, Armed, Attack"

All three come from the same HAL family, and the escalation of firepower matches the escalation of the name.

• Dhruv — the base Advanced Light Helicopter, unarmed utility.
• Rudra — the same Dhruv with weapons bolted on, hence armed utility (ALH Mk IV Weapon System Integrated).
• Prachand — a purpose-built narrow-fuselage attack helicopter, and the only attack helicopter in the world able to operate at about 5,000 metres.

Dhruv is Dutiful, Rudra is Rough, Prachand is Peak — and Peak means 5,000 metres at Siachen.

Trick 6: Rafale Number Chain — "36 plus 26 plus 114"

Every Rafale question in Indian exams reduces to three numbers in ascending order of drama.

• 36 — IAF Rafales under the 2016 deal, at Ambala and Hasimara.
• 26 — Navy Rafale-M under the April 2025 agreement, for INS Vikrant.
• 114 — the MRFA proposal cleared in February 2026, split 18 fly-away plus 96 made in India.

Three-Six flies from land, Two-Six flies from sea, One-One-Four is the future.

Trick 7: The Indigenous Fighter Staircase — "Mk1, Mk1A, Mk2, AMCA"

India's own fighter programmes climb a single staircase, and the order never changes.

• Tejas Mk1 — in service, IOC 2013, FOC 2019.
• Tejas Mk1A — 180 on order, remember it as 83 plus 97 equals 180.
• Tejas Mk2 (MWF) — 17.5 tonnes, GE F414 engine, canards, replaces Jaguar and Mirage.
• AMCA — fifth generation, stealth shaping, internal weapons bay, five prototypes, first flight in the early 2030s.

One, One-A, Two, then Stealth. Light to Medium to Invisible.

Trick 8: Naval Kamov Pair — "31 Sees, 28 Sinks"

Both Kamov helicopters look similar with coaxial rotors, but the numbers separate the roles.

• Ka-31 — the 3 looks like an eye turned sideways, so 31 sees, meaning airborne early warning with a folding planar array radar.
• Ka-28 — 28 sinks, meaning anti-submarine warfare with torpedoes and depth charges.

Ka-31 Sees the sky, Ka-28 Sinks the sub.

Additional Notes

Frequently Confused Facts

• Netra versus Phalcon — Netra is Indian, on an Embraer platform, with 240-degree AESA coverage. Phalcon is an Israeli radar on a Russian Il-76 with 360-degree rotodome coverage over about 400 km.
• Chetak versus Cheetah — Both are HAL licence-built French designs. Chetak is the Alouette III, used for liaison and naval utility work. Cheetah is the SA 315B Lama, the high-altitude specialist of the Siachen Glacier. Chetak is the general-purpose one; Cheetah climbs higher.
• Rudra versus Prachand — Rudra is an armed Dhruv, that is a utility helicopter given weapons. Prachand is a purpose-built attack helicopter with a narrow tandem cockpit.
• Apache versus Chinook — Both are Boeing products from the United States. Apache AH-64E is an attack helicopter; Chinook CH-47F is a heavy-lift transport with tandem rotors.
• C-17 versus C-130J versus C-295 — C-17 is a strategic heavy airlifter of about 77 tonnes. C-130J is a tactical special-operations airlifter for advanced landing grounds. C-295 is a lighter tactical airlifter of 9 tonnes replacing the Avro.
• MiG-29UPG versus MiG-29K — UPG is the upgraded land-based IAF interceptor. MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB are the Navy's carrier-based versions with folding wings and arrester hooks.
• Rafale EH and DH versus Rafale-M — EH is the IAF single-seater and DH the IAF twin-seater. Rafale-M is the Navy's carrier variant with a strengthened undercarriage and arrester hook.
• SkyGuardian versus SeaGuardian — Both are MQ-9B variants. SkyGuardian is the land-surveillance version for the Army and IAF; SeaGuardian is the maritime version with a sea-search radar for the Navy.
• Tejas Mk2 versus AMCA — Tejas Mk2 is a 4.5-generation medium fighter with external weapons. AMCA is a fifth-generation stealth fighter with internal weapons bays. Mk2 flies first; AMCA follows in the 2030s.
• Il-76 versus Il-78 versus A-50EI — All three share the same Ilyushin airframe. Il-76 is the transport, Il-78MKI is the aerial refueller, and the A-50EI is the Phalcon AWACS.
• HTT-40 versus HPT-32 versus Kiran — HPT-32 Deepak was the older basic trainer that was grounded; HTT-40 is its new indigenous replacement; Kiran is the intermediate jet trainer.
• AEW&C versus AWACS — Both provide flying radar coverage. AEW&C uses smaller platforms with partial coverage; AWACS uses large aircraft with full circular coverage and greater endurance.

Repeating PYQ Patterns

• SSC CGL, CHSL and RRB NTPC — Straight matching questions: which country made the Rafale, which aircraft is indigenous, what is the full form of LCA, HAL and DRDO, and who manufactures the Tejas. The safest preparation is to know aircraft, country and role for every entry in the tables above.
• UPSC Prelims — Statement-based questions on distinctive claims. The most repeated triggers are the Prachand's 5,000-metre capability, the C-295 being the first private-sector military aircraft assembly line in India, and the 240-degree versus 360-degree difference between Netra and Phalcon.
• Banking and Insurance exams such as IBPS PO, SBI Clerk, LIC and NIACL — Almost always current affairs framed: the value and date of the Rafale-M deal, the MRFA Acceptance of Necessity, the number of aircraft in the C-295 and Prachand contracts, and the MiG-21 retirement. Candidates covering these should also revise the banking awareness notes where defence-sector financing and PSU topics overlap.
• CDS, AFCAT, NDA and Territorial Army — Deeper service-specific detail: squadron names and numbers such as No. 17 Golden Arrows and No. 45 Flying Daggers, base locations such as Ambala, Hasimara, Sulur and Jodhpur, aerobatic teams such as Surya Kiran and Sarang, and the three-stage pilot training structure.
• State PCS and PSU exams — Questions on indigenisation and Make in India: the Vadodara C-295 line, the Nashik Tejas line, HAL's Bengaluru facilities, and private-sector entry into the AMCA programme.
• Interview and descriptive stages — The squadron shortfall of about 29 to 30 against a sanctioned 42, dependence on multiple foreign suppliers, and the balance between imports and indigenous development are standard discussion themes.

Quick Insight

The Indian air fleet is in the middle of the biggest generational transition in its history, and that is exactly why examiners keep returning to it. On one side, legacy platforms are leaving: the MiG-21 retired on 26 September 2025 after six decades, the Jaguar is being phased out through the late 2020s, and the MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 fleets are approaching the end of their upgraded lives. On the other side, indigenous programmes are finally maturing: the Tejas Mk1A is entering squadron service, the Tejas Mk2 has reached the flight-test threshold, the Prachand has the largest indigenous helicopter order ever placed, the Netra received Final Operational Clearance in June 2026, and the first Made-in-India C-295 rolled out of a private-sector assembly line in May 2026.

Two structural themes tie all of this together. The first is the squadron shortfall: the IAF is authorised 42 fighter squadrons but operates around 29 to 30, which is what drives the urgency behind the 114-aircraft MRFA decision and the accelerated Tejas Mk1A production. The second is Atmanirbhar Bharat in aerospace: private companies such as Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen & Toubro and Bharat Forge are now bidding to build fighter prototypes and assemble transport aircraft, a role that belonged exclusively to HAL for six decades. Operation Sindoor in May 2025 also pushed drones, loitering munitions and airborne early warning to the front of policy discussion. Aspirants should track these developments through current affairs coverage and test their retention with the daily current affairs quiz.

One-Liners for Quick Revision

• Sukhoi Su-30MKI → Russia, licence-built at HAL Nashik → 4.5-generation twin-seat heavy multirole fighter, largest IAF fleet at around 260, carries BrahMos-A, thrust vectoring control.
• Super Sukhoi → Upgrade of an initial 84 Su-30MKI → Indigenous Virupaksha AESA radar, Indian EW suite, Astra and Rudram integration, executed by HAL with DRDO.
• Dassault Rafale → France → 4.5-generation omnirole fighter, 36 aircraft, Ambala No. 17 Golden Arrows and Hasimara No. 101 Falcons, Meteor and SCALP and HAMMER weapons, SPECTRA EW suite.
• HAL Tejas Mk1 → India, ADA design and HAL production → World's smallest lightweight multirole supersonic fighter, IOC 2013 and FOC 2019, No. 45 Flying Daggers and No. 18 Flying Bullets at Sulur.
• HAL Tejas Mk1A → India → 180 on order, that is 83 in February 2021 plus 97 in September 2025, AESA radar and in-flight refuelling probe, third production line at Nashik.
• HAL Tejas Mk2 (MWF) → India → 17.5-tonne medium weight fighter, GE F414-INS6 engine, close-coupled canards, 6.5-tonne payload on 11 hardpoints, replaces Jaguar and Mirage 2000 and MiG-29.
• AMCA → India, ADA with private-sector partners → Fifth-generation twin-engine stealth fighter, about 25 tonnes, internal weapons bays and serpentine intakes, CCS cleared in March 2024 at about ₹15,000 crore, five prototypes, first flight targeted in the early 2030s.
• MRFA → 114 Rafale jets → Acceptance of Necessity on 12 February 2026, 18 fly-away plus 96 made in India, about ₹3.25 lakh crore, government-to-government route, F4 standard.
• Mirage 2000 → France → Delta-wing single-engine multirole fighter, inducted 1985, Kargil 1999 laser-guided bombing and Balakot 2019 strike, upgraded to Mirage 2000I standard.
• MiG-29UPG → Russia → Twin-engine air superiority interceptor, around 60 aircraft, based at Adampur and Jamnagar, mid-air refuelling and R-77 and Kh-31 missiles.
• SEPECAT Jaguar Shamsher → Anglo-French, licence-built by HAL → Deep-penetration low-level strike aircraft, inducted 1979, DARIN III upgrade, nuclear-capable, being phased out in the late 2020s.
• MiG-21 Bison → Soviet Union → India's first supersonic fighter, inducted at Chandigarh in 1963, over 870 procured, retired on 26 September 2025 with No. 23 Squadron Panthers.
• DRDO Netra AEW&C → India on Embraer ERJ-145 → 240-degree AESA coverage, developed by CABS Bengaluru, IOC 2017 and FOC in June 2026, used in Balakot 2019 and Operation Sindoor 2025.
• Beriev A-50EI Phalcon → Israeli EL/W-2090 radar on a Russian Il-76 → 360-degree AWACS coverage up to about 400 km, three aircraft in service.
• Netra Mk1A and Netra Mk2 → India → Six Mk1A on Embraer EMB-145 and six Mk2 on ex-Air India Airbus A321, Mk2 approved on 17 July 2025 at about ₹19,000 crore with roughly 300 to 360-degree coverage.
• Ilyushin Il-78MKI → Soviet Union and Uzbekistan → India's only aerial refuelling tanker, six aircraft, Israeli fuel-transfer system, extends fighter combat radius.
• Boeing C-17 Globemaster III → United States → Strategic heavy airlifter, 11 aircraft, about 77 tonnes payload, carries T-90 and Arjun tanks, based at Hindon.
• Ilyushin Il-76 Gajraj → Soviet Union → Strategic airlifter, around 17 aircraft, the same airframe used for the Phalcon AWACS and Il-78 tanker.
• C-130J Super Hercules → United States → Tactical special-operations airlifter, around 12 aircraft, lands at Advanced Landing Grounds such as Daulat Beg Oldie.
• Antonov An-32 Sutlej → Soviet Union and Ukraine → Medium tactical transport, around 100 aircraft, ideal for Himalayan and North East supply missions.
• Airbus C-295 → Spain with 40 built in India → 56 aircraft for ₹21,935 crore, 16 fly-away from Seville, first Made-in-India aircraft rolled out from the Tata-Airbus Vadodara line in May 2026, replaces the Avro HS-748, 9-tonne payload or 71 troops.
• Dornier Do-228 → Germany, licence-built at HAL Kanpur → Light transport and maritime surveillance, used by the IAF, Navy and Coast Guard.
• Air India One → Boeing 777-300ER → VVIP transport for the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister, operated by the Air Headquarters Communication Squadron with self-protection suites.
• Boeing AH-64E Apache → United States → Attack helicopter called the flying tank, Longbow fire control radar, Hellfire missiles and 30 mm chain gun, 22 with the IAF and 6 with the Army's 451 Squadron at Jodhpur completed in December 2025.
• Boeing CH-47F Chinook → United States → Heavy-lift transport helicopter with tandem rotors, 15 aircraft, lifts the M777 ultra-light howitzer to high-altitude positions.
• HAL Prachand (LCH) → India → Only attack helicopter in the world able to take off and land at about 5,000 metres, first flight 29 March 2010 and inducted 3 October 2022, 156 ordered on 28 March 2025 for about ₹62,700 crore with 66 IAF and 90 Army.
• Mil Mi-17V-5 → Russia → Medium-lift utility helicopter, the most numerous IAF helicopter at around 200 to 250, strong high-altitude performance.
• HAL Dhruv (ALH) → India → Multirole utility helicopter used by all four services, around 300 in total, flies with the Sarang display team.
• HAL Rudra → India → Weaponised Dhruv, ALH Mk IV Weapon System Integrated, 20 mm turret gun, rockets and anti-tank guided missiles.
• HAL Chetak → French Alouette III licence-built by HAL → Light liaison, training and naval utility helicopter in service since the 1960s.
• HAL Cheetah and Cheetal → French SA 315B Lama licence-built by HAL → High-altitude lifeline of the Siachen Glacier, the parent design holds the world helicopter altitude landing record.
• Mil Mi-24, Mi-25 and Mi-35 → Russia → India's first attack helicopters, used in the Sri Lanka IPKF operations, now being replaced by Apache and Prachand.
• Pilatus PC-7 Mk II → Switzerland → Stage I basic trainer, 75 aircraft, acquired after the HPT-32 Deepak was grounded.
• HAL HTT-40 → India → Indigenous basic trainer, 70 ordered in March 2023 for about ₹6,838 crore with an option for 38 more, Honeywell TPE331-12B engine, first production aircraft TH-4001 flew on 24 October 2025.
• HAL Kiran → India → Stage II intermediate jet trainer, around 70 aircraft, replacement Intermediate Jet Trainer still pending since 1999.
• BAE Hawk Mk132 → United Kingdom, licence-built by HAL → Stage III advanced jet trainer, flies with the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, indigenous Hawk-i used as a weapons testbed.
• Pipistrel Virus SW 80 → Slovenia → Microlight ab-initio trainer, 72 aircraft, used at the NDA and Air Force Academy.
• MQ-9B Predator → United States → HALE armed remotely piloted aircraft, 31 contracted on 15 October 2024 for about ₹32,000 crore, 15 Navy SeaGuardian and 8 each for Army and IAF, 50,000 feet ceiling and 30 to 40 hours endurance, 21 to be assembled in India.
• IAI Heron → Israel → MALE surveillance UAV, Heron Mk II adds satellite communication, Heron TP carries heavier payloads.
• IAI Searcher Mk II → Israel → Tactical surveillance UAV for artillery observation and battlefield reconnaissance.
• DRDO TAPAS-BH and Archer-NG → India, ADE Bengaluru → Indigenous MALE surveillance and armed UAV programmes under development.
• IAI Harop and Harpy → Israel → Loitering munitions or kamikaze drones used against radar and air-defence targets in Operation Sindoor.
• MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB → Russia → Carrier-based multirole fighters of the Navy since 2009, around 40 aircraft on INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
• Dassault Rafale-M → France → 26 carrier fighters signed on 28 April 2025 for about ₹63,000 crore, 22 single-seat and 4 twin-seat, deliveries between 2028 and 2031, India the first Rafale-M operator outside France.
• Boeing P-8I Neptune → United States → Long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft, 12 in service, based at INS Rajali Arakkonam, Boeing 737 derived, also used in the 2020 Ladakh standoff.
• Kamov Ka-31 → Russia → Shipborne airborne early warning helicopter with a folding planar array radar, around 14 in service.
• Kamov Ka-28 → Russia → Shipborne anti-submarine helicopter with coaxial rotors, torpedoes and depth charges.
• Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk → United States → Multi-mission naval helicopter, 24 contracted in 2020, commissioned into INAS 334 at Kochi, replaces the Sea King.
• Westland Sea King → United Kingdom → Anti-submarine, SAR and commando assault helicopter, Mk 42B and Mk 42C variants, being replaced by the MH-60R.
• Ilyushin Il-38SD Sea Dragon → Soviet Union → Maritime patrol aircraft of INAS 315 Winged Stallions, phased out after more than four decades, role taken over by the P-8I.
• Army Aviation Corps → India → Operates Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand, Chetak, Cheetah, six AH-64E Apaches at Jodhpur, and Heron, Searcher and SWITCH UAVs.
• Indian Coast Guard aviation → India → Around 23 Dornier Do-228 for maritime reconnaissance plus HAL Dhruv Mk III and Chetak helicopters for search and rescue and boarding operations.
• IAF squadron strength → Sanctioned 42 fighter squadrons → Actual strength around 29 to 30 squadrons of roughly 18 aircraft each, the shortfall driving the MRFA and Tejas Mk1A acquisitions.
• Aerobatic teams → Surya Kiran flies the BAE Hawk Mk132 and Sarang flies the HAL Dhruv → Akash Ganga is the IAF skydiving team.

Once you have memorised these one-liners, reinforce them by attempting the Static GK quiz and by revising related General Awareness chapters in the Static GK notes library. For upcoming Defence, Air Force and PSU recruitment cycles where this topic carries direct weight, keep checking the latest government job notifications so that no application deadline is missed.