The 11 BRD based at Air Force Station Ozar, is a Fighter Aircraft Repair Depot of Indian Air Force and the only one for fighters.
It is presently working on capacity upgradation of the MiG-29 fighters serving as one of the frontline fighters with completion of this up gradation the aerial duration of the aircraft will be increased from the present flying time of 45 minutes to nearly 100 minutes on internal fuel only.
Also with air to air refuelling it will be considerably more. The revamping work on the planes will thus include features like air-to-air-refilling, head-up display change, helmet monitoring system, additional combat gears etc.
Air Commodore Samir Borade, Station Commander of the IAF Station Ozar in Nashik, told the Press that MiG-29 fighter planes were being upgraded so as to make them a formidable 4.5 generation fighter jets. “The upgraded MiG-29 will be fully equipped for delivering weapons, including missiles. Upgradation is in final stages,” said the Air Commodore.
Commodore Borade said that the 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the station is also carrying out a large scale indigenisation of spares which are being manufactured by Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in Nashik itself.
Thus three squadrons up upgraded MIG 29 and may be another two Squadrons, in case we are able to get hold of the Malaysian ones, together with upgraded Mirage 2000 will be in a much better position to defend the Indian airspace even with the existing strength.
This will give the much needed time for the LCA, AMCA and FGFA to head towards 45 squadron initially and towards 65 Squadrons in the foreseeable future.
At present, the depot is working towards developing Air Force – Industry – Academia interaction to take up new technology projects. 11 BRD is also undertaking Repair and Overhaul (ROH) of Su-30MKI aircraft.
“The first Su-30MKI overhauled by the depot successfully took off in April this year. This aircraft will be inducted in the operational squadron soon,” said Borade.
The innovation of Su-30MKI ejection seat test bench was appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Air Force Day last year.
The depot is the first unit of the IAF to be accredited with ISO and has recently upgraded to ISO 9001 – 2015 and ISO 14001-2015.
