The Rafale when it enters service. Will of course have to fight whatever opponent it comes across. Which, could be an Advance 5th Generation Fighter. Which, could be of Russian, Chinese, or American Design. Who could predict what India could face in another 15-20 years.
Broken down...what it means is that because India took 20 years to make LCA: A superb 4+ gen plane made from scratch with little to no support from outside without any internal abilities to talk of, we will take the same time for AMCA after having all the capabilities in hand now. Lets see...only time will tell who is right.
On the other hand, China with no own technological accomplishments to talk about will have truckloads of J-20's and J-31's before we can blink an eye. I am seriously scared! Pun intended please.
While Pakistan gets Chinese planes after paying for them, USA gifts planes and warships to Pakistan for free! Who is to say that F-35 will not be facing us from that border as well?
Bottom line: According to you an F-35B purchased YESTERDAY is the only thing that will save India from a sure total doom 20 years down the line. Another matter that its a plane that is grounded and still under testing. Another matter that it may take years even for that to enter Indian service IF we buy it. You do have other commitments first...right? Or has everyone else backed out?
I see no reason in your discussion other than the above which I find just fantastical and not requiring time on my part on a daily basis. You have still to explain the VALUE of F-35B vis-a-vis other possible planes for Indian Navy requirements which you dont seem to have.
I clearly support the F-35 and very proud of the fact! What we don't have Indian supporters that promote the PAK-FA?
Big difference between supporting and peddling. Especially when the merchandize is a piece of unproven junk.I clearly support the F-35 and very proud of the fact! What we don't have Indian supporters that promote the PAK-FA?
Yes why not. The whole world will be one happy family the day americans, Russians, Europeans and Indians building one fighter. Sure why not.
Same old! You will not learn. Changing the grammar doesn't make your point different. I quit. You win! Congratulations! Your point is made.
India has a bleak chance of going for a PAK FA and F-35 config due to the very fact that both are different aircrafts and would require immense logistical supports to maintain..in which case the PAK FA seems to have a higher probability of being accepted..Secondly, ya even I agree that the AMCA should be a 6th gen stuff..Its not that I am against the F-35 being taken for consideration but the problem with the US goods is they come with too many barriers to operate, I mean in case of a conflict with India's western neighbour the F-35s might face a situation where the system might not allow Indian pilots to take down the US-made aircraft they use, given the similarity with the systems..until the US supplies India with the source codes to change configurations..which is highly unlikely...The Russian stuff scores over that coz somehow the end-user law is not that stringent for India in their case, ofcourse there is a chance that they might sell the PAK FA to China, but aircrafts will have different source codes and ofcourse local customisations, which will make the difference...since future warfare will be more based on these little changes
SH International version, Rafale M and F-35C, available to India.
That was kinda a rhetorical question. SH international is notional only, so if anyone wants it by 2025, they'd better get serious pretty soon (nothing remotely official even speculated). Rafale yes, Rafale M... same as SH international; if something official doesn't happen real soon... nope. Russian models: even more unlikely unless development begins in earnest quickly. Anything Chinese: totally unavailable without a radical shift in international policy.
Yeah. Also SH comes with performance degradation compared to Rafale M. The least likely contender here.
Dunno what you are talking about. The CATOBAR version of Rafale is Rafale M. It's been in production since the beginning of the program. The first active squadron was Rafale M.
Meaning it will be finished a lot sooner since only ~60 are planned for the French Navy. By the time India gets around to holding an IAC II fighter competition (say, 2020), the F-35C will likely be the only competitor in mass production. Rafale M might still be a possibility, but India would have to pay top-dollar for a low-volume product that's middle-aged.
Having a "firm requirement" for 42 of *something* isn't anywhere close to actually putting a vendor to work building it. If IAC II tender is held sooner, then it'll probably be the Rafale M (with SH as a remote possibility); if it's held later, then the F-35C is probably the only option; if it's held MUCH later, then the AMCA becomes a possibility.
