Latest news with #IAF
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Old photo of plane wreck falsely linked to Indian Air Force crash in July
A decade-old photo of a jet wreckage has resurfaced in posts falsely claiming it depicts an Indian Air Force Jaguar training aircraft that crashed during a routine operation in the northwestern Rajasthan state on July 9. The June 3, 2015 AFP photo of the old disaster was taken in the eastern Odisha state. "Air Force's Jaguar fighter jet crashes in Churu, two pilots martyred," reads a Hindi-language Facebook post shared on July 9, 2025. The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed a jet crashed in the Churu district of western India's Rajasthan state during a routine training mission on July 9, killing two pilots onboard (archived link). The post shares a breaking news graphic with a photo of a plane wreck in a field surrounded by people. Hindi-language text repeats the claim. The same image circulated across Facebook, Threads and X on the day of the crash. However, reverse image searches found the photo is of a different crash in 2015. The photo was published by BBC in a February 27, 2019 report about misinformation circulating during rising tensions between India and Pakistan (archived link). It is credited to AFP and captioned, "Wreckage of an Indian Air Force jet. Photo: June 2015." Keyword searches found the same photo in AFP's archives, published on June 3, 2015 (archived link). The caption reads, in part, "Onlookers look at an Indian Air Force advanced jet trainer aircraft (A 3492) which crashed in a paddy field at Kudurasahi in Mayurbhanj district, some 365 kms north of Bhubaneswar on June 3, 2015". Mayurbhanj disrict in the eastern Odisha state is more than 1,340 kilometres (835 miles) from Churu (archived link). The same photo was used in reports by local outlets The Hindu and The Telegraph about the 2015 crash, which said the accident occurred due to a technical glitch and both pilots were able to eject in time (archived links here and here).
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
India likely to get 3 Apache attack choppers from US for its Army on July 21
File photo: Apache attack helicopter NEW DELHI: The first consignment of three Apache attack helicopters from the US for the Indian Army is likely to reach the country on July 21 that will enhance the combat strength of the land force. The AH-64E, also known as 'tanks in the air' due to its heavy-duty firepower, will be delivered to the Hindon Air Force Station on July 21. The remaining three helicopters are expected to be delivered by the end of the year. Previously, IAF had purchased 22 Apaches under a deal with the US govt and Boeing in 2015. The US completed delivery of all 22 Apache attack helicopters to the IAF in July 2020. Two squadrons of the IAF are already active — one located in Pathankot, which houses the first eight Apache helicopters and the other one in Jorhat, operating as HU-137 Squadron. Later in the year, when US President Donald Trump, during his first term, visited India, New Delhi signed a deal worth $600 million to buy six Apache helicopters. The Army formed its first Apache squadron in Jodhpur over 15 months ago but its deployment was delayed due to global supply chain issues and shifting geopolitical climate. These helicopters were earlier scheduled to arrive between May and June 2024, but the deployment was delayed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like "혈액순환 대박입니다!'' 특허 받은 ''이것'',,면역력, 혈행, 활력 싹~ 20대처럼 가뿐해져!! 카이스트 건강비결 더 알아보기 Undo Capable of carrying out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operating in hostile airspace with threats from ground, the addition of these attack helicopters to the Indian Army will provide a combative edge to India in any future joint operations as the IAF already has AH-64Es squadrons. The AH-64E Apache, also known as the Apache Guardian, is a highly advanced, multi-role combat helicopter known for its enhanced capabilities in network-centric and multi-domain warfare. Apache helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art targeting systems that provide accurate data on the target in all weather conditions. They also have night vision navigation systems, which will make the offensive capabilities of the Army even more effective.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Eightieth birth anniversary of Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is celebrated by Indian Air Force & his Ludhiana village.
Issewal (Ludhiana): In the quiet morning light of this Punjab village, an old school whispers Nirmal's name — telling village children the story of his Gnat's wild thunder. Eighty years, and still he answers — in every fighter jet that splits the dawn. Medals, memories, memorials stand testimony: he is not gone. In a moving tribute to one of its bravest sons, the Indian Air Force is marking the 80th birth anniversary of Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, the only IAF officer ever awarded the Param Vir Chakra, country's highest military honour. His nephew Amardeep Singh, the custodian of the late officer's medal, has been invited to attend the commemorative function in Srinagar. Sekhon's story is the stuff of legend. On Dec 14, 1971, during the war against Pakistan, he took on six enemy aircraft singlehandedly in a desperate bid to defend the Srinagar airbase. He downed two Pakistani F-86 Sabres — shooting down the first and damaging the second in a dogfight at tree-top height — and engaged two more of these superior jets before his Gnat fighter took a fatal hit. He never returned, but his courage left a mark on the nation's soul. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo His 42-year-old nephew, Amardeep Singh, who lives with his mother Jagnandan Kaur in Ludhiana, said the family was honoured to be part of the celebrations. "It is a great honour for us that the IAF is remembering my uncle in such a grand way," he told The TOI on way to Srinagar. "The IAF chief is expected to attend. We are proud that my uncle is the only Air Force officer to receive the Param Vir Chakra." Even though Sekhon left no children, his memory is alive in the lives of those he touched — and the village he left behind. Amardeep's father, Sukhminder Singh, who died in 2011, and Nirmal Jit had married on the same day in 1970. A year later, Nirmal laid down his life in battle. The wife of the late officer later remarried, but the legacy lived on — in medals, memorials, and memory. Back in Issewal village, pride mingles with grief. Villagers speak of Sekhon with reverence. "What he did was unthinkable," said Avtar Singh, 68. "He took down enemy jets alone. Such bravery is rare. We all remember him." His cousin, 77-year-old Daljit Singh Sekhon, still recalls the ride they shared in July 1971 on a Jawa motorcycle. Daljit said: "He told me, 'If there is a war, I'm going to snatch the medal.'" That war came just months later, and so did the medal — posthumously. Daljit also welcomed the growing recognition of Sekhon's sacrifice. "The IAF and state govt honour him every year, and that matters," he said. In recent years, a flurry of initiatives have sought to preserve Sekhon's memory. An island in the Andaman and Nicobar group was named after him in 2023. Issewal's school, village gate, and govt dairy bear his name. Principal Bhupinder Kaur of the local govt school said they held a commemorative function every Dec 14. Locals take pride in being from a village that has sent more than 65 men into the armed forces. Nachhatar Singh claims there's even talk of a film on Sekhon's life, with Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh linked reportedly to the project. But even as the nation pays tributes to its hero, villagers point to basic needs left unmet. Daljit Singh said waterlogged village ponds, incomplete sewerage lines, and a lack of recreational space for children remain unresolved issues. "We want a park where our children can play, and we want our hero's village to be as proud in its upkeep as we are in his sacrifice." MSID:: 122575309 413 |
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
₹20,000 crore project: Indigenous Awacs gets go-ahead, to be developed by DRDO
India's Air Force will soon get six new, large Awacs. The government has approved the Awacs India project. DRDO will collaborate with Indian companies and Airbus. They will integrate advanced systems onto A321 aircraft. This project enhances India's defense capabilities. It also positions India among nations with indigenous Awacs technology. The project may also create export opportunities. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The government has given a go-ahead to the production of next generation airborne early warning and control systems (Awacs India) which will be a major force multiplier for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and propel India into a select league of nations with such indigenously developed the project, expected to cost around ₹20,000 crore, the IAF will get six large Awacs that will be capable of tracking enemy aircraft, ground sensors and other equipment at large distances, besides acting as a flying operations control the government clearances in place, the Defence Research and Development Organisation will work with a host of Indian companies as well as Airbus to integrate a complex antenna and other systems onboard the A321 already has six of the aircraft that were taken from Air India in the past. These aircraft will undergo complex structural modifications and integration of a range of systems, including a dorsal fin mounted on the top that will enable an all-round radar project is expected to take around three years for completion and would give Indian companies valuable expertise in working on complex systems from the development stage. It includes a fully indigenous mission control system and AESA India programme - also referred to as the Netra MkII - has been spearheaded by DRDO, which also recently got a go-ahead from the government to move into the prototype production stage for fifth generation Advanced Multirole Combat is also the first time that an Airbus platform will be used for such an application, marking an entry into a domain that has traditionally been dominated by Boeing. The project could also open up export opportunities for India in the future as air force currently operates the much smaller 'Netra' early warning aircraft, which have been successfully utilised in conflicts with Pakistan. It also has three IL76 'Phalcon' systems that were jointly developed with Israel and Russia but the fleet has faced major technical and availability issues.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The humiliating way Israel achieved air superiority in Iran during the 12-Day War
As news hit the airwaves that Israel was conducting airstrikes on military and nuclear sites in Iran, Israel commandos were on the ground inside the Islamic Republic, communicating with the Israeli Air Force and Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency. The announcement came as the war began, but what Mossad and the commandos were able to do inside unfriendly territory before the shooting ever started is the bigger surprise. The Israel-Iran War, also known as the 12-Day War in some circles, began on June 13, 2025, as Israeli fighters began surprise attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Their targets weren't limited to bases and enrichment centers. The IAF struck Iran's air defenses, key military and civilian leaders, and nuclear scientists. In the first day alone, some 200 fighters hit 100 targets across the country. 'We achieved full control of the Iranian skies and every location we chose to operate in. This was made possible in part thanks to the joint efforts and subterfuge of our air forces and commandos on the ground,' Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said in a June 2025 press conference. 'These forces operated covertly in the heart of enemy territory, securing operational freedom of action.' Zamir was the first Israeli official to publicly admit that Israel had troops deployed inside Iranian territory. Along with Mossad, the commandos sabotaged Iranian air defense systems and missile launchers. Other operatives were able to set up a covert drone base located just outside of Tehran, an installation that allowed the Israelis to smuggle precision weapons and commandos inside the country. These drones targeted surface-to-surface missiles that Iran would have fired back toward Israel. The precision weapons and commandos smuggled into the Islamic Republic are what allowed Israel to operate so freely in Iranian airspace during those 12 days in June. Air Superiority was established almost immediately. Some 30 Iranian generals and nine nuclear scientists were killed in the first minutes of the air assault. It was 'groundbreaking thinking, bold planning and surgical operation of advanced technologies, special forces and agents operating in the heart of Iran while totally evading the eyes of local intelligence,' an unnamed Israeli official told the Times of Israel after the 12-Day War. Israel also struck nuclear sites across Iran, including a centrifuge workshop in Isfahan, the nuclear facility at Natanz, and the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant. The United States also struck the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites. Iran and its allies and proxies were still able to fire hundreds of ballistic missiles and more than a thousand explosive drones toward Israel in retaliation for the strikes. Iran also claims to have captured dozens of drones and hundreds of Mossad operatives in the days since the June 24, 2025 ceasefire was announced. Despite the overwhelming effort, air superiority, and combined firepower of the United States and Israel, Iran's ability to enrich uranium, along with its nuclear stockpile, is far from destroyed. The Pentagon said the 12-Day War instead set Iran's nuclear program back by two years. 'The Iranian nuclear project suffered a hard, broad and deep blow and sets it back by years,' Zamir added to his televised statement. 'The campaign is not yet finished. We must remain on guard – many challenges await.' We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. Wounded Ukrainian soldiers with bionic arms want to return to the front lines Someone once hacked Iran's nuclear program using AC/DC songs on full blast That time a Marine general led a fictional Iran against the US military – and won
