IAF to have 42 combat aircraft squadrons

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is mulling over increasing its sanctioned strength of combat aircraft from 39.5 squadrons to 42 squadrons, a parliamentary panel report has said. "The IAF vice chief has informed that target has been fixed to reach a level of 42 squadrons," the report of the
Standing Committee on Defence, said.

The Committee had laid its report in the Parliament on Wednesday. The current squadron strength of the force is 33. A squadron comprises around 18 to 20 aircraft.

In view of increasing Chinese military deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the IAF has been strengthening its presence in the northeastern sector and has plans of deploying four squadrons of the air superiority Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft there by 2015.

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