India’s Sea Harrier Shortage
Related Stories: Asia - India, Avionics, Fighters & Attack, Force Structure, Issues - Political, Missiles - Air-Air, Other Corporation, Radars, Support Functions - Other
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Covering a potential aircraft carrier gap isn’t India’s only naval air issue these days. In response to a Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) question, India’s Defence Minister Shri A K Antony said:
“The Indian Navy is facing shortage of Sea Harrier aircraft. The ongoing upgrade of Sea Harrier programme has also temporarily affected the availability of the aircraft. Contract for the limited upgrade of Sea Harrier aircraft was concluded with M/s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in March 2005 at a cost of Rs. 476.69 crore [DID: about $109.8 million at the time]. The upgradation programme is expected to be completed by 2009.”
India’s Sea Harrier Mk51s are old aircraft, predating the AV-8B+ Harrier IIs currently flown by the US Marines and Italian Navy, and their British GR7/GR9 or Spanish EA-8B counterparts. The V/STOL Sea Harrier fighters were inducted in 1983, with 25 used for operational flying and the remaining 5 as trainers. The current fleet reportedly stands at 13 as of December 2007, due to 17 crashes over the aircrafts’ service lifetime (a known hazard for Harriers). With only 13 aircraft on hand, cycling aircraft in for lengthy upgrades without disrupting already-low fleet numbers becomes a challenge.
The current upgrade program will involve new IAI Elta EL/M-2032 multi-mode fire control radars, RAFAEL’s Derby short-medium range air-air missiles, plus combat maneuvering flight recorders and digital cockpit voice recorders.
UPDATES
Aug 26/09: Sify News reports India’s grounding of its Sea Harrier fleet. Indian navy spokesman P.V.S. Satish:
“The fleet has been grounded for immediate physical checks on all the flying controls…. We’re likely to finish that in 48 to 72 hours and thereafter the fleet will be cleared.”
Aug 12/09: Make it 12 Sea Harriers.
