maintenance
ISLAMABAD: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly grounded two IL-76MDtransport aircraft at its Chandigarh base due to critical maintenanceissues, underscoring persistent challenges in sustaining its aging fleet.This development, emerging from internal assessments, highlights a broaderpattern of operational inefficiencies that have plagued the IAF’sheavy-lift capabilities.
The IL-76MD, a Soviet-era strategic airlifter acquired by India in the1980s, is integral to troop deployment, cargo transport, and humanitarianmissions. However, sources indicate that structural fatigue, enginemalfunctions, and delayed spare parts procurement have rendered theseaircraft inoperable, forcing a temporary halt in their utilization.
The grounding at Chandigarh, a key northern airbase, comes amid heightenedscrutiny of the IAF’s maintenance protocols. Experts attribute the problemsto inadequate overhaul schedules and reliance on outdated Russian-suppliedcomponents, which have become increasingly scarce due to geopoliticaltensions and sanctions. In recent years, the IL-76 fleet has encounteredrecurrent issues, including hydraulic failures during mid-flight operationsand corrosion in airframes exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Theseshortcomings not only compromise mission readiness but also posesignificant safety risks to personnel. Reports from aviation analystssuggest that at least a quarter of the IAF’s IL-76 inventory has facedsimilar downtime in the past decade, leading to disruptions in logisticssupport for border deployments and disaster relief efforts.
Comparatively, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) demonstrates a markedlysuperior maintenance record, maintaining its fleet with disciplinedregimens and diversified sourcing strategies. While the PAF operates a mixof Western and Chinese aircraft, its emphasis on indigenous repaircapabilities and timely upgrades has ensured higher availability rates. Forinstance, the PAF’s C-130 Hercules transporters, analogous in role to theIL-76, boast operational readiness exceeding 85 percent, attributed torobust training programs and partnerships with reliable internationalvendors. In contrast, the IAF’s poor maintenance history is evidenced bymultiple incidents, such as the 2019 crash of an AN-32 aircraft due toengine failure and the 2021 grounding of MiG-21 fighters over safetyconcerns. These events reflect systemic deficiencies in fleet management,including underfunded depots and a shortage of skilled technicians.
Further exacerbating the IAF’s woes are operational shortcomings in fleetsustainment. Budgetary constraints have limited investments in moderndiagnostic tools, resulting in reactive rather than preventive maintenanceapproaches. The IL-76 fleet, in particular, suffers from compatibilityissues with upgraded avionics, leading to frequent software glitches andintegration failures. Additionally, logistical bottlenecks in importingcritical parts from Russia have been compounded by bureaucratic delayswithin the Indian Ministry of Defence. Critics argue that these problemsstem from a lack of strategic foresight, as the IAF continues to depend onlegacy platforms without accelerating transitions to newer models like theC-17 Globemaster, of which India possesses only a limited number.
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The implications of such maintenance lapses extend beyond immediateoperational disruptions. They undermine India’s aerial deterrence in aregion marked by territorial disputes, particularly along its borders withPakistan and China. While the PAF has invested in advanced simulators andpredictive analytics to preempt failures, the IAF’s approach remainsfragmented, often reactive to crises rather than proactive. This disparitywas starkly apparent during joint exercises, where PAF assets demonstratedsuperior endurance and reliability.
In response to these challenges, Indian defence officials have initiatedinquiries into the Chandigarh incident, pledging enhanced oversight.However, without substantial reforms in procurement and training, the IAFrisks further erosion of its capabilities. The grounding serves as acautionary tale, emphasizing the need for comprehensive modernization toalign with contemporary aerospace standards.
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1876543Source:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/iaf-maintenance-issues-exposed/article67891234.eceTags:India, Pakistan, IAF, PAF
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