Article Posted on : - Dec 16, 2011

NEW DELHI (PTI): In view of increasing rate of accidents involving IAF combat aircraft, Defence Ministry has decided to set up a committee under a senior bureaucrat to suggest measures to check these mishaps.

The Defence Ministry will set up the Committee under an Additional Secretary-level officer to look into the recent air crashes and suggest measures to check their occurrence in future, IAF sources said here.

The decision in this regard was taken at a recent meeting chaired by Defence Minister A K Antony, they said.

IAF has its own Flight Safety Directorate headed by an Air Marshal-rank officer.

The IAF lost eight combat aircraft in mishaps this year itself which include its latest Su-30MKI combat aircraft that crashed in Pune on Tuesday.

The eight crashed aircraft include one each MiG 29 and Jaguar and six MiG 21s.

The Ministry has expressed serious concern and is surprised over the accident involving the SU-30MKI, which is the latest and the most-advanced aircraft of the IAF.

In last three years, the IAF has lost 30 fighter aircraft and 10 helicopters in various crashes.

26 defence personnel including 13 pilots have lost their lives in these crashes along with six civilians on the ground.

In a recent flight-safety review meeting, the IAF had told the Defence Minister about the steps taken by it to check the air crashes.

The IAF has also decided to allow only senior pilots to fly the ageing MiG 21s which have maintenance problems.