Chennai Air Show 2024: Top 10 IAF aircrafts that stole the show

The mega air show held along the Marina Beach in Chennai today featured about 72 Indian Air Force (IAF) aircrafts and helicopters to present a scintillating visual experience for the audience.

The sky over Chennai’s Marina beach erupted into a symphony of roaring sounds of fighter jets and vibrant colour and aerobatic formations. From the sleek lines of fighter jets soaring through the clouds to the graceful maneuvers of vintage aircrafts, aviation enthusiasts and public folks alike were treated to a mesmerizing spectacle of IAF’s aerial prowess.

The air show was held as part of the nation’s 92nd Indian Air Force (IAF) Day celebrations. About 72 aircrafts and helicopters of various types and capacities participated in the latest aerial performance, exhibiting their agility and maneuverability through various aerobatic stunts and visual formations.

Here are the top 10 aircrafts that stole the air show today with their mesmerizing performances:

1. Dassault Rafale

The most anticipated model even among the public audience was ‘Rafale’, thanks to the media publicity (and controversies!) all these years. The French-made, twin-engine multi-role combat aircraft showcased its impressive capabilities with a series of daring maneuvers, from high-speed (subsonic, unfortunately) passes to intricate loops and rolls.

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IAF currently has 36 Rafales, which includes both single-seat (‘EH’) and dual-seat (‘DH’) variants. The aircraft is powered by two SNECMA M88 turbofan engines, and can achieve a top speed of Mach 1.8 (750 knots) over a combat radius of 1,000 kms.

2. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

This strategic airlifter, known for its versatility and heavy-lift capabilities, made a powerful impression at the show. The C-17 is IAF’s largest aircraft at present, and is capable of transporting any type of cargo over long distances and even take-off or land in places we can’t even imagine!

With its distinctive four-engine design and wide-body fuselage, the C-17 grabbed the attention of the spectators with its impressive maneuverability and agility, demonstrating its role as a crucial asset for military and humanitarian missions.

3. BAE Hawk Mk.132 (Surya Kiran)

A fleet of 9 aircrafts took the spectators by awe and admiration with their flawless aerobatic demonstrations, performed by IAF’s ‘Surya Kiran’ team. The BAE Hawk Mk.132 trainer aircrafts in donning “day-glo” orange and white livery emptied their smoke canisters for an overt and colourful aerial display.

4. T-6G Harvard

Symbolizing the glorious legacy of IAF, this vintage aircraft made a standalone performance at the Chennai air show, with brisky twists and bank rolls and a complete 360 degree turn. The aircraft, designed by North American Aviation in mid-1930s, has played an important role in IAF’s missions from 1947 to 1989. It is powered by 600 hp Pratt & Whitney radial engine.

5. Sukhoi Su-30MKI

IAF’s premier twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, the Su-30MKI showcased its capabilities with a series of daring aerial maneuvers. From loops and rolls to high-speed passes, the aircraft’s agility and precision left spectators in awe. IAF is known to have about 259 Su-30 aircrafts, playing a vital role in the country’s safety for about three decades.

6. Airbus C295

IAF’s latest addition to its transporter fleet, the C295 twin-engine turboprop aircraft is designed for high operational efficiency and superior reliability in a variety of tactical missions. The aircraft boasts a maximum payload capacity of 9 tonnes, with an operational range of about 5,650 kms.

Read More: Airbus C295: Indian Air Force’s latest tactical transport aircraft

7. HAL Tejas

A proud ‘Made-in-India’ product, the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) is in service with IAF since 2015. It is perhaps the lightest supersonic fighter jet in its class globally, and is powered by F404-GE-F2J3 turbofan engine sourced from General Electric.

8. Mikoyan MiG-29

This Soviet-era fighter jet is part of IAF’s combat fleet for more than three decades. It gained fame during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir, in which MiG-29s were deployed extensively to provide fighter escort for Mirage 2000s aircrafts that carried out targeted attacks. The aircraft is highly reliable and agile to perform a variety of stunts air shows.

9. Douglas C-47 Dakota

Yet another vintage aircraft featured in the air show was the ‘Dakota’ C-47 from the World War II era. It is essentially the military version of the popular Douglas DC-3 passenger airliner. The C-47s have played a crucial role for the IAF in deterring Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir at the time of independence in 1947. The aircrafts continued to airlift soldiers and supplies for Indian missions in the later decades as well.

10. SEPECAT Jaguar

Manufactured by Anglo-French company SEPECAT, this supersonic fighter jet from the 1970s era is known for its dynamic design and combat range. IAF is perhaps the one and only operator of the Jaguars today.

Apart from the aforementioned aircrafts, the IAF’s aerial display at Chennai today also featured the following aircrafts:

• Dassault Mirage 2000 single-engine, lightweight fighter aircraft
• Dornier 228 twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft
• Ilyushin Il-78 that showcased aerial refueling capabilities of IAF
• Embraer ERJ 145 featuring ‘NETRA’ Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS)
• Pilatus PC-7 Mk II trainer aircraft
• Boeing P-8 Poseidon (Indian Navy P8-I) signifying the interoperability of the Indian Navy with IAF
• HAL HTT-40 trainer aircraft

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