The Indian Air Force has lost 27 aircraft, including 15 fighter jets and helicopters, in crashes since 2016, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said on Wednesday, 26 June.
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.
CRASHES FROM 2016-18
In the financial year 2016-17, six IAF fighter jets, two helicopters, one transport aircraft and one trainer crashed, pushing the total to ten.
The next year (2017-18), the air force lost just three aircraft, two fighter jets and one trainer aircraft in crashes.
AIRCRAFT LOST FY19 ONWARDS
The number rose sharply in 2018-19 with the IAF losing 11 aircraft, 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 27 February.
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.
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