This is so correct I support you completely, Would like to add "Tanks are destroyed by RPG & IED" we need to induct arms and keep developing and evolving..... awesomely put there are so many incidences where imported arms have not worked ...... we should think......... let the soldiers evolve these arms not babus .... thats what Israel has Done....
The radar they asked for LCA was as big as RAFLE's. And they changed their missile specs to much higher weight , higher launch stress inducing WVR missiles in 2004 , leading to complete redesign of the wing in FSED-phase -2 in 2004. Now a refueling probe, fully internal EW suit(incidentaly no single fighter in IAf has one when inducted) and specs that are picked from the best of MIg-29 and Mirage-2000, All incrementally .then moan the fact that we are waiting for the fighter for three decades!!!!!.
Even after miracle of miracles ADA some how drags the LCA to IOC-1 call it a mig-21++ and say it is a ceremonial IOC.
Why should a serving IAF chief call a fighter,
1. that carries a RAFALE sized radar ,
2,with the capacity to integrate 120 km range same Meteor BVR missile ,
3.with the least clean config RCS among IAF fighters,
4. With higher thrust to weight ratio and wing loading than the Mirage-2000 ,
meaning a better ITR, crucial in quicker launching of high off bore sight WVR missiles at the first pass ,
the most important thing in close combat,
a MIG-21 ++ on red letter IOC day in front of all the global media?
Which other fighter in IAF has all of these qualitied rolled into one in a highly demanding ASR?
Then just give a 40 fighters in number order for mk-1 , jinxing any fast paced full blown production line of over 24 fighters a year,
And give a even more demanding ASR for the mk-2 , that too with just 84 fighters ordered!!!!.
Don't they know low in number order will automatically result in higher import content and higher cost due to economies of scale?
If you buy RAFALE you dangle the number 160 + 60 , and for PAKFA 160 +64. But when it comes to Arjun or tejas ration the order in such a manner that local production never stabilizes and no meaning ful contribution from local industry.
TheTATAs are making body panels for American helos, just because of the higher number of orders and a definite order visibility.
The forces deny this important criterian for private player participation by making clouds hanging forever over local products.So no private player is going to put the money in for production line despite repeated entreaties from DRDO.
A case in point is the close down production line of MRF factory which made the Arjun rubber tracks,.
By repeatedly playing the same game the criminal politico- forces nexus have snuffed off the prospect of local arms designing capacity and any chance of export dollars for the industry all with an ulterior motive of feathering their swiss bank nest.