IAF turns to 3D printing, indigenous solutions to tackle Russian spares shortage

New Delhi, August 19. Facing prolonged delays and rising costs in procuring spare parts for its Russian-origin aircraft, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is increasingly turning to 3D printing and domestic industry to keep more of its fleet operational.

The technology is being used to manufacture replacement rubber components such as seals, gaskets, ducts, brackets and rubberised fabric linings. Many of the Russian-origin aircraft operated by the IAF have been in service for several decades, making the procurement of obsolete components from original manufacturers increasingly difficult and time-consuming.

Instead of waiting for imported parts that can take months to arrive, the IAF can now digitally design and manufacture certain replacement components within days. The initiative is being undertaken at the Air Force’s Base Repair Depots (BRDs), which are responsible for aircraft repair, overhaul and major upgrades.

A report in The Tribune, citing sources, stated that the IAF initially restricted 3D printing to non-critical components but is gradually expanding the technology to more critical applications. Each component undergoes testing for flexibility, sealing capability and durability before being cleared for use on an aircraft.

Traditional rubber-part manufacturing generally involves injection or compression moulding, with a dedicated and often expensive mould required for each component. Modern 3D printing technologies using flexible thermoplastic elastomers and soft photopolymer resins can eliminate the need for such specialised moulds.

The approach also allows the Air Force to maintain reusable digital designs and manufacture individual components or small batches whenever required, potentially reducing both procurement timelines and costs.

The initiative forms part of the IAF’s broader effort to increase self-reliance in aircraft maintenance and reduce dependence on overseas suppliers.

The Air Force is also working with Indian companies to develop domestic alternatives to imported Russian lubricants and other consumables, including engine oils, hydraulic fluids and greases used across aircraft systems ranging from turbine bearings to landing gear.

The challenge has become more pressing as the IAF operates a large Russian-origin fleet, including around 270 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, about 70 MiG-29 fighters and Mi-17 helicopters. Disruptions to Russia’s defence-industrial supply chains following the Russia-Ukraine conflict have added pressure to an already complex spare-parts ecosystem.

The IAF has sought to address these gaps in partnership with Indian industry. Its Sankalp-2026 compendium, which identifies technical requirements and “problem statements” for domestic manufacturers, includes a range of maintenance requirements covering lubricants, hydraulic fluids and other consumables needed to keep aircraft systems functioning between major overhauls.

The Air Force is also seeking greater participation from private-sector companies rather than relying exclusively on established public-sector defence manufacturers.

Alongside efforts to manufacture physical components domestically, the IAF is pursuing advanced technologies to improve the way aircraft are maintained. It has partnered with IIT Bombay to develop an artificial-intelligence-based system for monitoring the health of Sukhoi-30MKI engines.

The project aims to move maintenance away from rigid, predetermined servicing schedules towards predictive and condition-based maintenance. Researchers are developing a physics-informed AI model that will generate a “health index” for individual engines by analysing sensor readings, diagnostic information and other operational data.

The system is intended to identify signs of deterioration early and alert maintenance personnel before a component or engine develops a serious fault.

Together, the initiatives reflect a broader shift in the IAF’s maintenance philosophy – from dependence on imported spares and fixed maintenance cycles towards on-demand manufacturing, indigenous sourcing and data-driven predictive maintenance.

For an air force operating a large fleet of ageing Russian-origin platforms, such technologies could help reduce aircraft downtime, improve fleet availability and strengthen India’s efforts to build greater self-reliance in defence maintenance and manufacturing.