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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Boeing won't bring commercial jets to the Farnborough Airshow, a first for 16 years.</li><li>It also didn't bring any airliners to February's Singapore Airshow.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeings-candidates-for-ceo-keep-turning-it-down-wsj-2024-6">Boeing</a> isn't bringing any of its commercial jets to this year's Farnborough Airshow, the company confirmed to Business Insider.It's the first time for 16 years that it isn't displaying its airliners at the world's second-biggest air show. Farnborough alternates each year with Paris, the most-attended air show, meaning it's the primary aviation event for 2024. <a target="_blank" href="https://theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatches/boeing-during-farnborough-will-leave-737-max-and-777x-test-aircraft-at-home/">The Air Current first reported</a> on the news.The decision comes as Boeing deals with an ongoing crisis sparked by January's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-airlines-blowout-passenger-lost-shoes-and-socks-to-gaping-hole-2024-3">Alaska Airlines blowout</a>. CEO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-dave-calhoun-failed-to-turn-boeing-around-737-max-2024-3">Dave Calhoun announced he will resign</a> at the end of the year, and several <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lufthansa-ceo-calls-boeing-delivery-delays-extremely-annoying-2024-5">airline bosses have voiced their frustrations</a> with the firm.Boeing also didn't display any passenger jets at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-brings-no-passenger-jets-to-singapore-airshow-2024-2">February's Singapore Airshow</a>. However, the Farnborough decision is more noteworthy.It's a mainstay in the aviation world, where planemakers exhibit new aircraft and announce deals with airlines.At the time of publication, one Boeing airliner, the 787 Dreamliner, is set to be displayed at Farnborough. Rather than being sent by Boeing, however, this is courtesy of Qatar Airways, which is set to exhibit its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-new-qsuite-adding-first-class-to-boeing-777x-2024-3">upgraded QSuite business class</a>.Boeing is instead prioritizing work on a safety and quality plan as it works to regain the trust of regulators and customers following the Alaska Airlines 737 Max incident.In a statement sent to Business Insider, Boeing said: "Our Commercial Airplanes team has been focused on implementing our comprehensive safety and quality plan and working to meet the commitments we've made to our customers.""With these priorities in mind, we decided that rather than prepare and perform flight demonstrations this summer, we are redirecting the engineering and manufacturing resources toward airplane production and certification," it added."For more than a decade, we've brought our 787 Dreamliner, 777X and 737 Max airplanes to airshows around the world, including Farnborough, Paris, Dubai, India and Singapore. We look forward to doing the same in the future. Boeing will have a strong presence of defense, space, and security products — flying and on display."At last year's Paris Air Show, Boeing displayed its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-boeing-737-max-10-testbed-compete-a321neo-2023-7">737 Max 10</a> — the longest version of its narrowbody jet — which is still awaiting certification. Approval has been further hampered by increased regulatory scrutiny following the blowout, when a Max 9 lost a door plug in midair.After the blowout, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-ceo-boeing-alternatives-due-to-delays-and-grounding-2024-1">Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines</a>, Boeing's biggest customer, called the incident "the straw that broke the camel's back." He added that the airline would build an alternative plan without the Max 10 due to the delays.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-boeing-777x-test-aircraft-biggest-twin-engine-airliner-2023-8">777X</a>, an upgraded version of the widebody 777, was also on display in Paris. It was initially set to enter service in 2020, but this has been pushed back to 2025.

Boeing isn't bringing any of its signature jets to the year's biggest air show for the first time in over a decade

Go First is not the first airline to fly into turbulent times in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan says a Chinese surveillance plane violated its airspace on Monday.</li><li>It's the first recorded incursion by China into Japan's airspace.</li></ul>Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane violated its territorial airspace for the first time.The Japanese government<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15403036"> said a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance</a> plane had flown over the Danjo islands, west of the island of Kyushu, for around two minutes.At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-militarys-airspace-violation-is-utterly-unacceptable-japan-says-2024-08-27/"> </a>described the intrusion as "utterly unacceptable" and said it was"not only a serious violation of Japan's sovereignty but also threatens our security.""In recent years, China's military activities in the vicinity of our country have tended to expand and become more and more active," he said.Japan scrambled its jets in response to the intrusion, the <a target="_blank" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japan-scrambles-jets-chinese-aircraft-141556130.html">AFP news wire reported</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japan-scrambles-jets-chinese-aircraft-141556130.html">, </a>though no clashes with Chinese planes were reported.The Japanese foreign ministry said it had summoned China's top diplomat in Tokyo to protest the incident.In recent years, China has become an increasingly assertive military presence in East Asia, and tensions are ratcheting up between Beijing and the US' regional allies, including Japan.Japan scrambled jets in response to Chinese military activity near its airspace 392 times last year,<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://news.usni.org/2024/01/23/japan-scrambled-fighters-555-times-in-the-last-3-months-of-2023-defense-ministry-says"> according to the US Naval Institute,</a> but Monday's incursion is believed to be unprecedented.Among the issues behind the increase in tensions is the dispute over the Senkaku Islands (referred to as Diaoyu Islands in China), which Japan administers but China claims sovereignty over.The Chinese Coast Guard has entered Japanese waters near the islands several times, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-armed-vessels-patrol-waters-around-disputed-islands-angering-japan-2024-06-07/">including an incident in June,</a> and Japan has increased its military presence in the region.China has also clashed with the Philippines over disputed territory in the South China Sea, India over disputed Himalayan territory, and claims to own the entire independently governed island of Taiwan.Analysts believe that seizing control of Taiwan is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-biden-china-going-take-over-taiwan-war-report-apec-2023-12">among Chinese leader Xi Jinping's core goals,</a> but such a move could spark open conflict with the US and its allies, which have offered ambiguous pledges over whether they'd help defend the islands from attack.

Japan says China's increasingly aggressive air force breached its airspace for the first time ever

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Korean Air flight bound for Taiwan had to turn back after a pressurization fault was detected.</li><li>Flight data shows the plane dropped nearly 25,000 feet in five minutes shortly after takeoff.</li></ul>A Korean Air flight bound for Taiwan had to turn back and make an emergency landing after detecting a fault with the aircraft's pressurization system.The Boeing 737 Max 8 plane departed from Incheon International Airport at 4:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, <a target="_blank" href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240622002800315">Yonhap News Agency reported.</a>A pressurization fault was detected while the plane was flying over South Korea's southern Jeju Island, per Yonhap.Roughly 30 minutes after taking off, the plane started descending sharply, dropping nearly 25,000 feet in five minutes, according to data from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ke189#35cbd925">FlightRadar24</a>.This is a common procedure when pressurization issues are detected to avoid further injury to passengers and crew from the lack of oxygen and other risks at usual cruising altitudes.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@garygaryocp/video/7383660626909908225">Videos on social media</a> show the plane shaking and oxygen masks hanging from the ceiling. Yonhap News Agency, citing information from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, reported that 15 passengers were hyperventilating and suffered from eardrum pain when the flight descended."We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident," a Korean Air spokesperson told Business Insider.The spokesperson said 17 passengers were evaluated at medical facilities and were discharged without severe injuries.The aircraft is just under five years old and was delivered to Korean Air in July 2022, per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/boeing-737-max-8-hl8352-korean-air/3xqdq4?refresh=1">Plane Spotters Net.</a>"Our commitment to the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remains unchanged. We apologize to all affected by this incident," the spokesperson said.Passengers on the affected plane reached Taichung International Airport safely on Sunday via a different flight, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/06/24/2003819818">Taipei Times reported.</a><h2 id="48c5b2e6-3010-407e-8a6a-bd2dd19e6dec">A week of plane chaos</h2>The Korean Air news comes after a week in which multiple planes were forced to make emergency landings for various reasons.On Thursday, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/malaysia-airlines-boeing-flight-with-engine-on-fire-2024-6">Malaysia Airlines plane</a> was forced to turn around and head back to Hyderabad, India. A video showed its engine on fire, with sparks flying behind it.Also, on Thursday, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-airbus-turned-back-engine-lining-fell-off-2024-6">United Airlines flight from Connecticut to Colorado</a> was cut short after a piece of its engine cover fell off during takeoff.Boeing planes have also been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-boeing-737-max-planes-have-issues-2024-1">plagued</a> by issues in recent months. In January, a door plug came off a Boeing 737 Max 9 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-airlines-passengers-hit-by-debris-faulty-oxygen-masks-lawsuit-2024-1">Alaska Airlines jet</a> at 16,000 feet, resulting in a gaping hole in the plane.Several Boeing whistleblowers have since come forward with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-whistleblower-faulty-plane-parts-may-be-on-new-aircraft-2024-6">bombshell testimonies</a> alleging that the company cut corners with quality control.There have also been other instances of late where commercial planes encountered sudden drops in cruising altitude that resulted in injuries.In May, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER airplane encountered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honeymooning-couple-endured-60-seconds-of-hell-aboard-sq321-flight-2024-5">turbulence so severe</a> that the plane <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-airlines-flight-turbulence-death-investigation-report-details-2024-5">dropped 178 feet in four seconds</a>.The flight from London to Singapore was cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet over Myanmar when it was thrust up and down rapidly for 62 seconds, leading to one death and over 100 injuries.

Inside the Korean Air Boeing plane that descended 25,000 feet after a pressurization fault

<ul class="summary-list"><li>France's Dassault Aviation may not be able to meet demand for its Rafale fighter jet.</li><li>The Rafale has become popular with India and several Middle Eastern nations. </li></ul>France's Rafale fighter has become so popular that the manufacturer may not be able to meet demand, according to a British think tank. And that could have global implications for nations looking to build up their air forces amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, but who want to avoid the political strings attached to the purchase of Russian or US combat aircraft.Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation "regularly makes a selling point of its ability to begin delivering Rafale combat aircraft to prospective customers just three years from contract signature," according to an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2024/01/dassaults-whirlwind-of-rafale-orders-may-be-too-much-of-a-good-thing/">analysis</a> by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "However, the company's recent flurry of Rafale sales could make that 36-month commitment more challenging and may even jeopardize some future deals."The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/defense/rafale/introduction/">Rafale</a> ("Squall") is flown, or has been ordered by, eight nations: Egypt, Greece, India, Qatar, Croatia, the UAE, and Indonesia, as well as the French Air Force and Navy. The jet first flew in 1986, and is considered a generation 4.5 fighter, with some advanced features such as limited stealth, the ability to supercruise (fly supersonic without using fuel-guzzling afterburners), and the capability to launch long-range missiles such as the Meteor and Mica.France has bought 234 Rafales, and in addition, another 261 have been ordered by various nations, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/01/12/france-buys-42-rafale-jets-for-more-than-55-billion/">Defense News</a>. The question is whether Dassault can meet the demand. IISS calculates Dassault's production backlog at 228 aircraft. The crunch will be particularly acute between 2026 to 2033, when Dassault will need to deliver 174 Rafales to France, 42 to Indonesia, 80 to the UAE and 10 for Egypt."The French aircraft maker aimed to produce 15 Rafales last year but only completed 13," IISS said. "The company has not yet given 2024 production guidance, though output will likely increase this year and next, given the strong demand. Even so, it is unlikely that annual aircraft numbers will quickly reach mid-20s.""If Dassault production averages 20 Rafales per year across both 2024 and 2025, it leaves 188 aircraft to be delivered between 2026 and 2033. This would necessitate a delivery rate of almost 24 aircraft per year."Difficulties manufacturing modern fighters are hardly unique to Dassault. In 1944, at Ford's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/expert-sets/101765/">Willow Run, Michigan factory</a>, a four-engine B-24 Liberator heavy bomber rolled off the production line every 63 minutes. In 2024, Lockheed Martin is struggling to deliver around a hundred F-35s this year, with each stealth fighter requiring around 40,000 labor hours to complete. Not only are today's aircraft more complicated to build, but they also comprise huge numbers of components often spread across global supply chains.But the F-35 does have the advantage of being a global fighter manufactured by several nations, while the Rafale is a national fighter limited by French resources, argued aviation analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://richardaboulafia.com/september-2023-letter">Richard Aboulafia</a> in September.<div type="image" title="Navy aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle Dassault Rafale M" height="932" width="1400" msid="108218362" hostid="261" sizebytes="35722"></div>While Dassault can take some steps such as switching civilian aircraft production to Rafales, bottlenecks are likely to remain. "While Dassault relies heavily on a domestic supply chain for Rafale that insulates it somewhat from global supply-chain snarls, the company and its suppliers are not immune to them," IISS noted. "Engineering-talent shortages could also derail a sharp increase in Rafale manufacturing. Realistically, the Rafale industrial machine would be challenged to more than double its annual output."Nor are sporadic deliveries of a couple of Rafales here and there an option. "Most new customers placing a sizeable contract would want a delivery rate of at least six aircraft per year in order to train coherent groups of air and ground crew and build up full squadrons at a sensible rate — and achieving those numbers may be a hurdle too high," IISS warned.Until recently, sales of the Rafale have been lackluster. But many nations are beefing up their air forces, even as Lockheed Martin has its hands full making enough F-35s, Russia is busy trying to replace aircraft losses from the Ukraine war despite Western sanctions, and many nations are hesitant to buy <a target="_blank" href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/06/30/china-fighter-jets-aircraft-exports/">Chinese jets</a>.All of which is a plus for the Rafale. In a world where fighter sales have been dominated by US and Russian designs since World War II, French jets have offered customers an alternative. In the 1960s and 1970s, Dassault's agile delta-winged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.php?aircraft_id=228">Mirages</a> proved highly effective when flown by air forces such as Israel's.Today, the Rafale is an option for nations that don't want the political and economic baggage that comes with buying American and Russian aircraft such as the F-35, F-16, and Su-35. Or, don't want to depend on a single nation to provide jets.This helps explain why the Rafale has become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2023-11-07/dassault-rafale-gulf-regions-best-selling-fighter-jet">popular</a> with India and several Middle Eastern nations. But the downside for Rafale customers is that they are dependent on a single nation whose defense-industrial base is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240119-macron-urges-french-defence-firms-to-boost-production-to-support-ukraine">already struggling</a> to supply Ukraine and replenish France's own military.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

France's Rafale fighter jet is so popular its manufacturer can't keep up 

The first of the <keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword> aircraft with GE engines are expected to be service ready in 2023 itself, Vikram <keyword id="142" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rai" source="Orion">Rai</keyword> - Country Head, South Asia and Indonesia of GE Aerospace said on Thursday. Air <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, part of Tata group, had signed an order for 40 GE engines, plus a multi-year engine services agreement. "The first of the new aircraft will enter service in late-2023, with the bulk to arrive beginning mid-2025," Rai said in an exclusive interview with ANI. "Air India already has started taking delivery of 36 leased B777 and A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion." Terming Air India's engine order as a "big opportunity" for the jet engines and systems suppliers company, he said it reflects continued confidence in GE Aerospace technology --which has been powering Air India's carriers for more than 40 years. Earlier this month, Air India, in a historic deal, announced it will buy 250 aircraft from Airbus and has also selected Boeing for the purchase of up to 290 planes as part of its growth strategy. Air India was looking for a mix of aircraft to boost their domestic and international network through recent orders. Soon after the divestment of the airline, the airline indicated it was going for a historic order. "This order further deepens that relationship," Rai added. When asked how GE sees Indian aviation space becoming a key player in the coming years with multiple stakeholders or companies looking to expand its base, he said the majority of the aircraft that domestic carriers have on order right now is expected to be powered by engines from GE Aerospace and CFM (a joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines). "Approximately 1,100 of the 1,200 aircraft that are currently on order will be powered by GE or CFM." India is the third-largest civil aviation market and it has the potential to expand exponentially with an increasing number of flyers and the country's economic growth story. "There are currently more people in the middle class--around 440 million--than the entire population of the US. But India has only 700 commercial aircraft, compared to the US's over 5000 aircraft. The potential to grow the commercial aviation market is huge. We are happy to help local airlines and also partner with airframers to bring the best of our technology to this market," he said. In the same breath, he said India is not just a market for GE Aerospace as it is also where it innovates on aerospace technology at its engineering centre in Bengaluru, in partnership with industry and academia. "We also source engine parts from 13 Indian manufacturers and from our own factory in Pune for our global supply chain," Rai added. India aims to develop itself as a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub for defence equipment and systems. "GE helped set up Air India's MRO facility that includes GE90 testing capabilities in <keyword id="4072" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nagpur" source="Orion">Nagpur</keyword> in 2018-19. We are keen to help our partners set up service and maintenance capabilities locally," he told ANI. On a question posed what is GE's medium and long-term plan for Indian aviation space and also has been in touch with any other Indian carriers for similar deals, he, without getting into specifics, said, GE engages with various Indian carriers from time to time. "Other than this historic Air India order some of our notable previous orders for GE and our joint venture partner CFM includes: <keyword id="11911527" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="akasa-air" source="Orion">Akasa Air</keyword> with CFM for its LEAP-1B in 2021; IndiGo LEAP-1A order for 310 Airbus A320neo family aircraft in 2021; IndiGo for LEAP-1A to power 280 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft in 2019; Vistara order for GEnx-1B engines for six Boeing 787 aircraft in 2018," he added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/oyo-plans-to-add-approximately-1800-premium-hotels-in-2023/articleshow/98180189.cms">OYO plans to double premium hotels in 2023 as biz travel surges</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/data-privacy-labels-for-most-top-apps-in-google-play-store-misleading-mozilla/articleshow/98181627.cms">Data privacy labels for most top apps in Google Play Store misleading: Mozilla</a>

First GE-made Air India aircraft to be service ready in 2023 itself

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11893746" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indian-air-force" source="Orion">Indian air force</keyword> is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.</li><li><keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has focused on archrival <keyword id="11893449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword> for decades, but it is now contending with a much larger foe: <keyword id="11892748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword>.</li></ul>Earlier this month, at the end of India's annual Independence Day parade in New Delhi, the Indian Air Force showed off its aircraft inventory in multiple flyovers of the Rajpath, a ceremonial boulevard in the capital.The flyovers included transport aircraft, helicopter gunships, fighters, and fighter-bombers. It was the latest show of force for a military branch that, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-himalayan-clash-india-prepares-navy-to-take-on-china-2021-6" target="_top">like its naval counterpart</a>, is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.Focused for decades on the threat from archrival Pakistan, India is now preparing its air force to fight another much larger foe: China.With roughly 2,000 combat aircraft from its air force and navy, China has the largest aviation force in Asia and the third largest in the world. Worse for India, China's increasingly close relationship with Pakistan is <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/the-china-pakistan-partnership-continues-to-deepen/" target="_top">resulting in closer military cooperation</a>, including joint development of fighter jets.Faced with the potential for an air war against two enemies, the IAF is increasing its size and capabilities.<h2>A significant inventory</h2><div type="image" title="Indian MiG-29 fighter jet" height="1116" width="2000" msid="85853169" hostid="261"></div>With well over 1,000 aircraft itself, the IAF is by no means small. Since India's independence, it has mostly fielded Russian aircraft made entirely in Russia or licensed for local production.Even today, the biggest fleets in the IAF inventory are those of the <keyword id="12004876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mig-21" source="Orion">MiG-21</keyword>, MiG-29, and the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/su-30mki-multirole-fighter-aircraft-india/" target="_top">Su-30MKI</a> - a version of Russia's Su-30 made specifically for and by India. (India signed a contract for the Su-30MKI in the 1990s and has built more than 200 of them domestically since the mid-2000s.)The service also has some European models, such as SEPECAT Jaguars and Mirage 2000s, which are the IAF's <a href="https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0912kargil/" target="_top">primary strike platforms</a>. But those aircraft, which were acquired in the 1980s, are showing signs of age, and the IAF plans to retire them by 2030.India's MiG-21s, first introduced in the 1960s, are also expected to be retired by 2030 - even the modernized MiG-21 Bison models. The jet has <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/11-down-in-5-yrs-3-in-2021-but-many-in-iaf-still-swear-by-mig-21s-despite-its-safety-record/663813/" target="_top">a poor safety record</a>; as of 2013, more than 480 of India's MiG-21s had been involved in accidents that had caused over 200 deaths.<h2>Threats on two fronts</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI" height="800" width="1200" msid="85853174" hostid="261"></div>The Su-30MKI purchase was more than just a general upgrade. It came after the Pakistan Air Force in 1982 accepted the first of 28 US-made F-16s, which seriously increased the PAF's capabilities a decade after it <a href="http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/1971-air-war-battle-for-air-supremacy/" target="_top">last fought</a> the IAF.The US <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistan%E2%80%99s-long-controversial-love-affair-f-16-fighting-falcon-47682" target="_top">paused</a> F-16 deliveries in 1990 because of Pakistan's nuclear program, but they resumed in 2005, and the PAF now has some 75 F-16s. Their use is <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/how-americas-experience-with-pakistan-can-help-it-deal-with-turkey/" target="_top">conditional and closely monitored</a> by the US, but Pakistan would likely have no qualms about using them in an all-out war.In 2019, a <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26836/we-cut-through-the-conflicting-claims-and-misinformation-surrounding-indias-strikes-on-pakistan" target="_top">series of skirmishes</a> between India and Pakistan included airstrikes on each other's territory and resulted in one MiG-21 Bison being shot down by PAF fighters, possibly by an F-16. It was the first time since 1971 that air attacks had been conducted across the Line of Control.During the Cold War, China sold Pakistan its J-6 and J-7 fighters, which were Chinese copies of Russia's MiG-19 and MiG-21. The PAF has also benefitted from Pakistan's closer ties with China in recent years.<div type="image" title="India Kashmir MiG-21 Bison crash" height="998" width="1400" msid="85853179" hostid="261"></div>Their air forces <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">re</a><a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">gularly</a> conduct joint <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1211811.shtml" target="_top">exercises</a>, and they have even jointly developed a fourth-generation multirole combat aircraft, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fc1xiaolongjf17thund/" target="_top">JF-17</a>, of which Pakistan has over 100.China and Pakistan are now <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-pakistan-upgrading-fighter-aircraft-used-against-indian-air-force-report/story-BS87X5ux3Xaj8QqS6jtssN.html" target="_top">planning</a> upgrades to Pakistan's JF-17 fleet, and China has <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chinese-pla-tries-to-psyche-indian-army-by-supplying-armed-drones-to-pak/story-tySb4UnKimFUYIxJdP3xGL.html" target="_top">announced</a> the sale of 50 <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/wing-loong-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-uav/" target="_top">Wing Loong II combat drones</a> to Pakistan. Pakistan may also <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/is-the-chinese-jh-7-an-answer-to-the-pakistan-air-forces-deep-strike-needs/" target="_top">acquire</a> Chinese strike aircraft.China's own air force also poses a threat to the IAF. Particularly worrying for India are the <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j10.htm" target="_top">J-10</a> and <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j11.htm" target="_top">J-11</a> fighters and the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/08/17/chinese-stealth-fighters-head-west-to-confront-india/?sh=5f36556a1b85" target="_top">J-20</a> stealth fighter.The aerial threat from China was abundantly clear after last year's deadly standoff along its disputed border with India.India has a longer history of air operations in the area, but China is <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41065/tracking-chinas-sudden-airpower-expansion-along-its-western-border" target="_top">rapidly building and expanding</a> air bases and defenses along its western borders.<h2>A major modernization</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet" height="1333" width="2000" msid="85853182" hostid="261"></div>Appreciating the threats, the IAF has committed to modernization.In 2016, India signed a contract with French firm Dassault Aviation four 36 Rafale multirole fighters. Twenty-six of them have been <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-has-received-26-rafale-aircraft-till-date-govt/article35585665.ece" target="_top">delivered</a> so far, and some have <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/indian-air-force-deploys-first-rafales-in-east-to-counter-china-121072900013_1.html" target="_top">already been deployed</a> to counter possible Chinese aggression.The IAF has also purchased 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters and 22 AH-64 Apache gunships, both of which have also been <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/iaf-deploys-apache-attack-helicopters-and-chinooks-in-ladakh-increases-combat-air-patrols/445072/" target="_top">deployed</a> to the border region.India has developed its own lightweight <keyword id="12004878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fighter-jet" source="Orion">fighter jet</keyword>, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/tejas/" target="_top">HAL Tejas</a>, and has about 20 in service. The original order for 40 fighters was supplemented by <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rs-48000-crore-landmark-deal-india-clears-purchase-of-83-tejas-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/80251469.cms" target="_top">an additional order</a> of 83 improved Tejas Mark 1A variants, with a second production line <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/govt-clears-rs-48000-cr-deal-for-83-tejas-mk-1a-all-you-want-to-know-about-the-aircraft/584743/" target="_top">built</a> to speed up production.To meet its needs in the near-term, India is <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/after-tejas-india-moves-ahead-to-procure-more-mig-29s-sukhois/articleshow/80320199.cms" target="_top">buying</a> another 21 MiG-29s and 12 Su-30MKIs. It is also <a href="https://tass.com/defense/1316503" target="_top">upgrading</a> its MiG-29 fleet and modifying its Su-30MKIs to be able to fire Brahmos cruise missiles.<div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet" height="1326" width="2000" msid="85853185" hostid="261"></div>The IAF is also seeking 114 medium multirole combat aircraft.The US-made F/A-18E/F and F-15, the French-built Rafale, the European-made Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russia's MiG-35 and Su-35 - all twin-engine jets - are in the running, as are the single-engine Swedish-built JAS 39 Gripen and US-built F-21, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lockheed-martin-unveils-f21-fighter-jet-to-compete-for-india-contract-2019-2" target="_top">version of the F-16</a> designed specifically for India.India also has a number of high-profile domestic projects in development. It plans to fly a prototype from its own <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/indias-5th-gen-aircraft-iaf-to-model-its-amca-on-us-f-35s-instead-of-j-20-or-su-57-jets-experts/" target="_top">fifth-generation stealth fighter program</a> by 2025 and recently <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/hal-announces-unmanned-fighter-jet-207899" target="_top">unveiled</a> an unmanned fighter jet program.India has relied on foreign suppliers for much of its military hardware - especially <a href="https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/07/21/russia-sees-india-as-prospective-buyer-for-checkmate-jet-but-will-iaf-want-it.html" target="_top">Russia</a>, with which it has a longstanding but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-s400-purchase-risks-us-sanctions-amid-competition-with-china-2021-5" target="_top">increasingly fraught</a> relationship - but many of the new acquisition efforts will require some degree of local production as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" program aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing.Amid ongoing tensions with China and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china-pakistan-india-jockey-position-afghanistans-new-great-game-2021-08-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed uncertainty</a> about the future in Afghanistan, India's efforts to expand and modernize its air force show how serious it is about countering the threat from its two most contentious neighbors.

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