IAF lost 27 aircrafts in crashes since 2016, defence ministry tells Lok Sabha; figure includes 15 fighter jets, helicopters

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force lost 27 aircraft, including 15 fighter jets and helicopters, in crashes since 2016, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_6796051” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The quantum of provisional loss in 11 cases of crashes was approximately Rs 524.64 crore, he said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. In the 2016-17 fiscal, six IAF fighter jets, two helicopters, one transport aircraft and one trainer crashed. In 2017-18, the air force lost two fighter jets and one trainer aircraft in crashes. The number rose sharply in 2018-19 with the IAF losing seven fighter jets, two helicopters and two trainers. This included the crash of the MiG-21 fighter jet which was being piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman during a dog-fight with Pakistan Air Force planes on February 27. On the same day, an Mi-17 helicopter also crashed killing six air force personnel. In 2019-20, so far, an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed in Arunachal Pradesh, killing 13 air force personnel earlier this month.