Notwithstanding the recent crash of a Sukhoi Su-30 combat jet, the first since it was inducted 12 years ago, the Indian Air Force was “very happy” with the aircraft and is going ahead with plans to more than double the Sukhoi fleet strength by 2015, the government said on Wednesday.

“The Sukhoi fighter aircraft is one of the most advanced in the world and the IAF is very happy with it. The Air Force feels it is the best as far as Indian conditions are concerned, “Defence Minister A K Antony said in the Rajya Sabha. He said the IAF was planning to have a fleet of 230 Sukhoi jets by 2015. The IAF, at present, has 98 Sukhois jets.

Antony’s intervention came after several members asked questions about the reasons for the crash of a Sukhoi jet in Rajasthan in April while his deputy M M Pallam Raju was replying to the question.

Raju did not rule out the possibility of technical failure but maintained that the court of inquiry ordered into the mishap would look into the possible reasons. The black box of the crashed Sukhoi was badly damaged and has been sent to the UK for retrieving information, he said.

“There are certain standard operating procedures that a pilot follows before takeoff. If anything was in disorder, he would have aborted the take-off. But, once they are in flight, there is probability of malfunction in so many systems...,” he said.