Indian Su30 MKI fighter jets have the worst serviceability rate of 55%
Shares
NEW DELHI: In a rare, official admission of the dismal state of the combat aircraft fleet, the government has admitted that at any given point of time, just over half of the planes in the air force inventory are in a state to fly, with a large number of platforms grounded due to technical issues. While there have been indications in the past by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as well as air force officials that the aircraft availability rate the percentage of assets prepared to fly at any given day is abnormally low, the defence ministry has now admitted to a parliamentary panel that this stands at only 55 per cent. Just over 350 of the approximately 700 combat aircraft in the air force's inventory are in a state to fly and undertake operations. Worryingly, the government has also admitted that almost 20 percent of the air force fleet is grounded throughout the year due to a lack of spares. (TOI)
