BANGALORE: Chief of the Air Staff S.P. Tyagi on Thursday said the Indian Air Force was poised to make major purchases from the United States and Russia, besides other countries.

The Government would soon sign a pact to import 40 Sukhoi-30 MKI planes from Russia. It was also negotiating a deal with Lockheed Martin of the United States for purchasing six Hercules C-130 aircraft for special operations.

Among other aircraft planned to be inducted the next two years were 80 medium lift helicopters (Mi-17s) from Russia, 12 VIP helicopters for which the EH-101 (British) and Sikorsky 92 (U.S.) were contenders, 10 Cheetah helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and six IL-78 refuellers (Russia). The British Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers would begin deliveries in September.

In a statement, Air Chief Marshal Tyagi said the IAF was trying to reduce the number of types of aircraft in its inventory. Maintaining spares and training crew was a logistical challenge and the IAF wanted to have as few variants as possible. Hence, the mega order for 126 fighter aircraft would be given to a single vendor and not distributed to two or more companies.

"The answer to all this is to start manufacturing our aircraft," he said, hours before an indigenously developed plane — considered safe for training rookie pilots — suffered a mishap, which led to a temporary suspension of the Aero India flying display.

"We are keeping an eye on what they [the companies] are sending across the borders," he said adding that it was difficult to keep track of companies in the era of mergers. Lockheed Martin had supplied F-16 fighters to Pakistan.

A European analyst said the IAF chief's formulation was "interesting." It could mean that the order for 126 planes could be headed for Russia, as MiG variants comprised more than half the IAF fleet.

However, a representative from a U.S. company cautioned against "over-interpreting" the statement.

He felt the tender was still in the early stages and the IAF chief was perhaps referring to the existing inventory comprising Anglo-French Jaguars, French Mirage-2000, Russian MiG-21, 23, 27, 29 and Sukhoi-30 MKI. Besides, the IAF also had helicopters of Russian, French and Indian origin and Russian transport planes.

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