Ruskies will squeeze us for Super Sukhoi upgrade for sure after we pulled out of FGFA. Our naive approach to Tech Transfer has left us vulnerable to this tactic unfortunately and dependent on Ruskie OEM for critical spares so we will have little choice.
Buying latest missile has become complicated because major part of R77, R27, R73 complex tech is from Ukraine and Ruskies have lost access to that thanks to their own misadventures. BUT here we have actually played card well by shifting focus to Astra and ASRAAM so we don't have to depend on Ruskie
For MiG29UPG when the deal was originally signed the AESA version of radar only existed as trade show display piece. Plus their AESA tech is unproven and suspect. Our Uttam project will yield better results in long term
Well we have no other option for the Sukhois.
Russkies are using the R77-1 so it may be used by us too. Or may be the I Derby. ASRAAM is a wvr missile and not BVR. Also NATO missiles wont be integrated with a russian jet. So to match the american AMRAAMs MKIs and Migs have to either use the R77-1 or the I Derby.
Forgive me, but i am not too confident at Astra 1 matching the AMRAAM.
Remember, even Tejas cant use any European missile due to the Israeli radar.
What i also learnt is that METEOR can be integrated with the Mk2 in addition to the Rafale. Thats an option we must look at.
Uttam is some years far, the point is what can IAF do now to get back the BVR edge.
Right now PAF is happy to stay 20Km inside their airspace and fire Amraams at our Mkis forcing us to take evasive manuevers. By the time we recover, they have turned tail and gone back.
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