Indian Air Force: News & Discussions

[johnj]

If all that you say is true why don't we just order 200 Mk1a & who cares whether Mk2 comes in 2028 or 2030? Also, why is the Chief of Air staff keep insisting on MRFA 2.0? What additional capabilities does he want that can't be provided by Tejas Mk1A? (Do note that MRFA 2.0 is not about stealth).

Need more combat range for deep strike, long range strike, cap etc, and IAF considered mwf.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Important for defence from the PLA Ratshit Force pre emptive strikes on static targets(air bases).

 

[SilentlAssassin265]

No aim120c7/c8/d in paf.
Can a Mk1 take on F16 blk 52 with AIM 120C one on one? - its depend on israel/drdo spj/ew pod.
Except stealth aircraft LCA capable of defending/intercept any jet including mki,j10.f16,j16 etc
we still using mig21 and used to intercept f16, jf17.

Stealth aircraft will mostly be used for SEAD missions rather than air to air battle as stealth gets compromised while firing a weapon and using afterburner

 

[ezsasa]

Important for defence from the PLA Ratshit Force pre emptive strikes on static targets(air bases).

Akash is there for airbases isn't it?

 

[johnj]

Stealth aircraft will mostly be used for SEAD missions rather than air to air battle as stealth gets compromised while firing a weapon and using afterburner

F22, Su 57 etc are air superiority fighters, J20 is more like interceptor.
Only F35 capable of SEAD missions against high end AD s/ms.
Stealth aircrafts designed for primarily to avoiding AD s/ms not for SEAD missions. SEAD missions mainly done using stand off missiles,ARMs etc.
B21 & H20 capable of SEAD missions.

 

[blackleaf]

Need more combat range for deep strike, long range strike, cap etc, and IAF considered mwf.

Maybe not 200. But we need more MK1As if we are ever going to reach the 42 squadron sanctioned strength anytime soon.

 

[binayak95]

F-35 Will Get New Radar Under Massive Upgrade Initiative | The Drive


While we sit on the SU30MKI upgrade, the US is upgrading the F35 with every single block.

 

[Eagle Eye]

While we sit on the SU upgrade

In first slot 84 su30 mki will be upgraded,all with Indian components. Will take 4-5yrs,some like asea rader underdevelopment. -source idrw.
Yaa IAF wakeup too late.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Akash is there for airbases isn't it?

Not sure if Rohini can track ballistic missiles, if they can then one additional ring of defence.

 

[silverghost]

Maybe not 200. But we need more MK1As if we are ever going to reach the 42 squadron sanctioned strength anytime soon.

I honestly now feel that ADA/HAL should have taken IAF's feedback & focussed on Mk2. We would have had one already flying by now. Serial production by 2025. Water under the bridge anyway!

 

[Gyyan]

I honestly now feel that ADA/HAL should have taken IAF's feedback & focussed on Mk2. We would have had one already flying by now. Serial production by 2025. Water under the bridge anyway!

Problem is we stop at the first upgrade.
Everyone inducts even the shittiest of aircraft and then upgrades it to a formidable fighter not to mention others mostly do a CDR after rollout but we do it in design phase to save money.
We should have kept upgrading aircraft and keep them fielding faster there should have been plans for tejas mk1B and so on improving it to something even better.
Examples are everywhere even pakistanis do this look at thunder on how it started as the shittiest plane to come out in the decade and then they kept upgrading it and fielding it faster now it's a formidable fighter jet.

 

[Blademaster]

Problem is we stop at the first upgrade.
Everyone inducts even the shittiest of aircraft and then upgrades it to a formidable fighter not to mention others mostly do a CDR after rollout but we do it in design phase to save money.
We should have kept upgrading aircraft and keep them fielding faster there should have been plans for tejas mk1B and so on improving it to something even better.
Examples are everywhere even pakistanis do this look at thunder on how it started as the shittiest plane to come out in the decade and then they kept upgrading it and fielding it faster now it's a formidable fighter jet.

The problem is that the GoI is so stingy with its purse. The MoD keeps dragging everything out and the Finance Ministry questioning every little item to no end. Bureaucracy at work here.

 

[MirageBlue]

I honestly now feel that ADA/HAL should have taken IAF's feedback & focussed on Mk2. We would have had one already flying by now. Serial production by 2025. Water under the bridge anyway!

What feedback?

 

[MirageBlue]

Mig 35 is a decent platform if we get the full TOT, from building the airframe to engine. If they offer 100%.
MK 2 is still on drawing if ever it materialises.

Move on..the MiG-35 is a dead duck now. There is not going to be any nation looking for a Russian fighter (except for Iran which has no other choice) given what is happening in Ukraine. Their Military-Industrial complex will be under sanctions and there will be tremendous backlash if any large military deals are signed with them in the near future.

Besides, the Russians themselves haven't yet done much with the MiG-35. The future for the IAF is the Tejas Mk1A, Tejas Mk2 and the MRFA. MiG-35 doesn't fit in anywhere.

 

[JBH22]

Move on..the MiG-35 is a dead duck now. There is not going to be any nation looking for a Russian fighter (except for Iran which has no other choice) given what is happening in Ukraine. Their Military-Industrial complex will be under sanctions and there will be tremendous backlash if any large military deals are signed with them in the near future.

It is interesting for its price tag on the condition that we can wrest Russia to give full TOT.
Russian MIC is still in better shape than it was in 1990s, so let's wait and see who blinks first.

Besides, the Russians themselves haven't yet done much with the MiG-35. The future for the IAF is the Tejas Mk1A, Tejas Mk2 and the MRFA. MiG-35 doesn't fit in anywhere.

I doubt we can afford a fleet of +100Rafale,hence the possible entry of Mig 35.
But as discussed IAF is no longer interested with new Russian platform.

 

[SilentlAssassin265]

It is interesting for its price tag on the condition that we can wrest Russia to give full TOT.
Russian MIC is still in better shape than it was in 1990s, so let's wait and see who blinks first.


I doubt we can afford a fleet of +100Rafale,hence the possible entry of Mig 35.
But as discussed IAF is no longer interested with new Russian platform.

If iaf wanted Russian platform they would have kept fgfa alive, it would have been better choice than su30 upgrade

 

[MirageBlue]

If iaf wanted Russian platform they would have kept fgfa alive, it would have been better choice than su30 upgrade

Dropping the FGFA was one of the wisest decisions that the IAF took, despite the sunk cost of $270 million. That program is genuinely going nowhere. Russia is hesitant to even use the Su-57 in the Ukrainian theater for fears of a massive PR embarrassment. Despite the fact that the Ukrainian theater is the perfect lab to hone and finetune the Su-57 and taste combat.

 

[Corvus Splendens]

Dropping the FGFA was one of the wisest decisions that the IAF took, despite the sunk cost of $270 million. That program is genuinely going nowhere. Russia is hesitant to even use the Su-57 in the Ukrainian theater for fears of a massive PR embarrassment. Despite the fact that the Ukrainian theater is the perfect lab to hone and finetune the Su-57 and taste combat.

Would've been a good replacement for the Su30 in the heavy category atleast. The payload capacity and range is nothing to sneeze at. Not to mention this thing flies with a lot of onboard sensors.

 

[MirageBlue]

Would've been a good replacement for the Su30 in the heavy category atleast. The payload capacity and range is nothing to sneeze at. Not to mention this thing flies with a lot of onboard sensors.
View attachment 188509

Replacing the Su-30MKI with AMCA Mk2 would be more than good enough. The benefits it offers to India over a Su-57 design that India had 0% say in, are immeasurably greater. And anyway the oldest Su-30MKI doesn't need replacing till 2040, so why should the IAF be stuck in a program where it had so little say in, till then? A good Su-30MKI upgrade program will keep the fleet relevant till 2045 easily.

For the FGFA program, we would've had a Su-57 line at Nashik to replace the Su-30MKI line and have been paying royalty to Russia with forced imports of raw materials (as it was in the MKI contract). Nothing would've been learnt by our engineers and our own AMCA program would've ground to a halt since IAF cannot support 2 5th gen designs in large numbers. It was a JV only in name, since the IAF and HAL had almost no say in it's design or it's requirement definition phase.

With the AMCA, the IAF is involved from the get-go and has to take ownership of the program for it to have a successful 5th gen fighter program. They know it well and the alternatives are very limited to say the least.

As it stands, the RuAF itself isn't using the Su-57 to take on any Su-30SM missions. The bulk of the RuAF air defence effort is still in the hands of it's Su-35, Su-30SM and Su-27 fleet.

 

[Corvus Splendens]

As it stands, the RuAF itself isn't using the Su-57 to take on any Su-30SM missions. The bulk of the RuAF air defence effort is still in the hands of it's Su-35, Su-30SM and Su-27 fleet.

That's because the mission profile in Ukraine doesn't require it's use. The Su-57 was designed for air superiority hence the PAK-FA designation. Plus NATO airborn intel assets are watching everything wide awake and Russians are bracing for eventual direct involvement of NATO forces. Also the fact that they only built a squadron's worth of Su-57s doesn't help either.