MMRCA 2.0: News & Discussions

IndianHawk

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Took a relook at numbers as available open source.

Wikipedia says we have 622 fighter jets ( including training varients of mig21 and jaguar).
((272 su30mki + 65 mig29 + 49 mirage + 4 rafale +18 lca + 91 jags + 39 jag trainers + 54 mig21 + 30 mig21 trainers ))
Which means 34.5 sq are active !!
So the shortage is currently of 7.5 sq== 135 jets .

Out of above numbers if Jaguars can wait for mwf to replace it from 2026-27. Then only decline in next 2-3 years will be mig21 bison 54+30 == 84 units.

Now to replace them we will get in next 2-3 years
32 more rafale + 21 mig29 upg + 22 more lca mk1 + 12 more su30mki== 87 units. And each of them 2-3 times more capable than mig21 and multirole.

So by 2023 we will have 625 units .

Now out of 130 jags we almost 80 were fit enough to serve longer so rest 50 can be retired as mk1a comes in .

So by 2027 we will have 83 new mk1a - 50 older jags == 33 more jets .

So number in 2026-27 will be 658 == 36.5 squadron.

So shortage is basically of 5.5 sq== 100 jets to reach 42 squadrons.

From there on mwf will start replace remaining jags+ mig29 older + mirages by 2035.

Even then some 40 jags build in 2000s will keep serving till 2040. And now purchased 21 mig29 will serve atleast 25-30 years till 2045.

Also AMCA mk1 will start entering service by 2030-32 and then AMCA mk2 by 2035-37.

So all in all at any given time we are short of 100-150 jets from 42 sq goal but we won't fall below 34 sq in any case.
 

aditya10r

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Took a relook at numbers as available open source.

Wikipedia says we have 622 fighter jets ( including training varients of mig21 and jaguar).
((272 su30mki + 65 mig29 + 49 mirage + 4 rafale +18 lca + 91 jags + 39 jag trainers + 54 mig21 + 30 mig21 trainers ))
Which means 34.5 sq are active !!
So the shortage is currently of 7.5 sq== 135 jets .

Out of above numbers if Jaguars can wait for mwf to replace it from 2026-27. Then only decline in next 2-3 years will be mig21 bison 54+30 == 84 units.

Now to replace them we will get in next 2-3 years
32 more rafale + 21 mig29 upg + 22 more lca mk1 + 12 more su30mki== 87 units. And each of them 2-3 times more capable than mig21 and multirole.

So by 2023 we will have 625 units .

Now out of 130 jags we almost 80 were fit enough to serve longer so rest 50 can be retired as mk1a comes in .

So by 2027 we will have 83 new mk1a - 50 older jags == 33 more jets .

So number in 2026-27 will be 658 == 36.5 squadron.

So shortage is basically of 5.5 sq== 100 jets to reach 42 squadrons.

From there on mwf will start replace remaining jags+ mig29 older + mirages by 2035.

Even then some 40 jags build in 2000s will keep serving till 2040. And now purchased 21 mig29 will serve atleast 25-30 years till 2045.

Also AMCA mk1 will start entering service by 2030-32 and then AMCA mk2 by 2035-37.

So all in all at any given time we are short of 100-150 jets from 42 sq goal but we won't fall below 34 sq in any case.
All of this is good but we need to build up squadron numbers fast,really really fast.
Chinese have some 7 military airbases in tibet and xinjiang in close proximity.Granted they cannot take off with fuel and payload in those regions but they also have a good fleet of tanker aircrafts and bombers which they will use to fire SOW on strategically important locations from distance.
We need a credible air defense and Offensive capability to take out those bases deep inside chinese territory.

IAF should immediately look to expand to 50 squadrons in 10-15 years,no more fooling around.We cannot give pakistan a chance as well.

1. More AWACS:immediately order 9 more NETRA awacs on top of present 3,get the additional 2-3 Phalcon AWACS and go full afterburner on the new A330 AWACS.
2.More Tankers:Its a clear cut 2 dozen A330MRTT.Our Il-78s are too old and will need replacement in next 5-10 years.
3.More rafales: Preferably 8 more squadrons(144 jets) over next 10-12 years with local production and no ToT or offset clause,that thing only inflates the price a lot.
4.More LCA:Get the Mk1a in the air quick and order a total of 10 squadrons(180 jets) of both Mk1 and Mk1a(currently we have ordered 7 squadrons 123 jets).
4.Quick development of Mk2 MWF:It should be developed quickly ASAP and ordered in good numbers(200+).Because Mk1a lacks range and payload so it will be rather limited in its use in chinese border,very much limited to Ground controlled interception and CAS while this will be able for CAP Interdiction OMNI-ROLE missions and recon and long range strike missions.
5.More local PGM:Its no more a "good to have weapon",its a very fucking essential part of CAS and air strikes now.And in a 2 front war this will be very very important.Order local LGB/PGM in great quantities.
6.More BVR missiles:ASTRA and SFDR should be the norm,R-77 and METEOR,MICA are too expensive and have integration issues.

___________________________________________________

Our local systems must be developed quickly and ordered in really huge numbers.

The mig-29 deal is a useless piece of shit,Rather should order more 18 rafales.Mig-29s are obsolete for today and will be a dead meat by 2030s.Have zlich range and payload.
 

IndianHawk

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Chinese have some 7 military airbases in tibet and xinjiang in close proximity.Granted they cannot take off with fuel and payload in those regions but they also have a good fleet of tanker aircrafts and bombers
Ya but they don't have many hardened shelter and on open ground their plane will be destroyed even in hotan 400km away.

About bombers as hvt said they won't survive . Only stealth bomber can challange iaf.

Rest I agree with.
 

aditya10r

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Ya but they don't have many hardened shelter and on open ground their plane will be destroyed even in hotan 400km away.

About bombers as hvt said they won't survive . Only stealth bomber can challange iaf.

Rest I agree with.
Granted,That totally depends on wether we act preemptively or not,If we do then Cheeni air force can be neutered in 12-24 hours with minimal losses of not then we might end up taking a blow.Plus cheenis are also developing a Long range stealth bomber like the B-2 so we gotta watch out for that in the long run.

As a side note:speaking of Long range operations we should consider something long range deep penetration and strike aircraft based on AMCA.Very much like F-111 Aardvark and the Proposed FB-22 Raptor.It will act as a huge force multiplier,would really help in precision air strikes and SEAD missions deep inside china or even help in power projection.
 

Blue Water Navy

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LOL Neighbour ho to aisa....:smash::yo:

Territorial dispute "Kahaani Har Neighbour ki"
:hehe:


China's Border Disputes
  1. Japan -- Parts of South China Sea particularly Senkaku Islands, Ryukyu Islands are claimed by Japan and both countries are at loggerheads with this boundary issue
  2. Vietnam -- China claims large parts of Vietnam on historical precedent (Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644). Also, Macclesfield Bank, Paracel Islands, parts of the South China Sea and the Spratly Islands.
  3. India -- China occupies 38,000 sq km Indian territory that goes by the name Aksai Chin. It also stakes claim on Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh. It was this expansionist policy that led to the recent clashes between the PLA and the Indian Army.
  4. Nepal -- China claims parts of Nepal dating back to the Sino-Nepalese War in 1788-1792. China claims they are part of Tibet, therefore part of China.
  5. North Korea -- Baekdu Mountain and Jiandao. China has also on occasion claimed all of North Korea on historical grounds (Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368).
  6. The Philippines -- Parts of the South China Sea are contested between the two countries. The Philippines took this to the International Court of Justice, where they won the case but Chinese did not abide by the order of the ICJ.
  7. Russia -- 160,000 square kilometers still unilaterally claimed by China, despite China signing several agreements.
  8. Singapore -- Parts of the South China Sea are contested by both countries.
  9. South Korea -- Parts of the East China Sea. China has also on occasion claimed all of South Korea on historical grounds (Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368).
  10. Bhutan -- Bhutanese enclaves in Tibet, namely Cherkip Gompa, Dho, Dungmar, Gesur, Gezon, Itse Gompa, Khochar, Nyanri, Ringung, Sanmar, Tarchen and Zuthulphuk. Also Kula Kangri and mountainous areas to the west of this peak, plus the western Haa District of Bhutan.
  11. Taiwan -- China claims all of Taiwan, but particular disputes are Macclesfi eld Bank, Paracel Islands, Scarborough Shoal, parts of the South China Sea and the Spratly Islands. The Paracel Islands, also called Xisha Islands in Vietnamese, is a group of islands in the South China Sea whose sovereignty is disputed among China, Taiwan and Vietnam disputes with Burma.
  12. Laos -- China claims large areas of Laos on historical precedent (China's Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368).
  13. Brunei -- Over Spratly Islands.
  14. Tajikistan -- Chinese claims based on historical precedent (Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912).
  15. Cambodia -- China has, on occasion, claimed parts of Cambodia on historical precedent (China's Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644).
  16. Indonesia -- Parts of the South China Sea.
  17. Malaysia -- Over Parts of the South China Sea, particularly the Spratly Islands.
  18. Mongolia -- China claims all of Mongolia on historical precedent (Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368). In fact, Mongolia, under Genghis Khan, occupied China.
Source : https://www.indiatvnews.com/fyi/ind...es-south-china-sea-india-border-ladakh-629333
 

piKacHHu

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With this problem with China we will need machines. Our army and navy doesn't need much adjustments but our air force does. Gripen will be a smart choice for air force but its going to take time for it to come into play because many things in Gripen are still untested. And also it will be not a single supply chain.

On the other hand f16 will be great for times like now. As we need machines asap. Tejas mk2 is also a good option but still its even behind gripen. God knows what we will do.
In this "Enemy at the Gates" situation that we are facing right now, we have to fight with what we have right now. IAF simply don't have time to induct new platform and evolve its tactics for air combat. At best they can buy MKI, 29-UPG to compensate attrition. Plus the air combat nowadays has become too much technology-centric. We may surprise our enemy or push them back a bit like the Japan did at Pearl Harbor, but the technological gap, if it continues to exist, will eventually come to bite your butt at some point of time. And to imbibe new technology advancements, it needs time and continuous training. May be we can get a dozen of Rafales now, but the development of confidence over the machine will take some time.

In the hindsight, I feel if MRCA 1.0 deal has gone through in 2012-2013 with any of the aircraft viz. F-16, Gripen, F-18, Rafale or Typhoon as a winner (Except Mig 35), we would have been in a much better position to mount air attack/defend on both the fronts (Probably by now, we would have 4-5 squadron worth of truly modern aircraft). That UPA era was a lost decade from armed force modernization perspective. Hope the babus and DRDO learn from this experience otherwise every time such situation erupts , our RM has to run towards Russia or US for emergency armament purchase.

For Gripen v/s F-16 part, I would definitely prefer Gripen as it has better performance stats. SAAB claims its operating cost is low as compared to its peers and has decent development potential as we are seeing with E/F variant. Even the current Gripen C/D with AESA+Meteor combo is quite a capable fighter.
 

apurva dave

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Took a relook at numbers as available open source.

Wikipedia says we have 622 fighter jets ( including training varients of mig21 and jaguar).
((272 su30mki + 65 mig29 + 49 mirage + 4 rafale +18 lca + 91 jags + 39 jag trainers + 54 mig21 + 30 mig21 trainers ))
Which means 34.5 sq are active !!
So the shortage is currently of 7.5 sq== 135 jets .

Out of above numbers if Jaguars can wait for mwf to replace it from 2026-27. Then only decline in next 2-3 years will be mig21 bison 54+30 == 84 units.

Now to replace them we will get in next 2-3 years
32 more rafale + 21 mig29 upg + 22 more lca mk1 + 12 more su30mki== 87 units. And each of them 2-3 times more capable than mig21 and multirole.

So by 2023 we will have 625 units .

Now out of 130 jags we almost 80 were fit enough to serve longer so rest 50 can be retired as mk1a comes in .

So by 2027 we will have 83 new mk1a - 50 older jags == 33 more jets .

So number in 2026-27 will be 658 == 36.5 squadron.

So shortage is basically of 5.5 sq== 100 jets to reach 42 squadrons.

From there on mwf will start replace remaining jags+ mig29 older + mirages by 2035.

Even then some 40 jags build in 2000s will keep serving till 2040. And now purchased 21 mig29 will serve atleast 25-30 years till 2045.

Also AMCA mk1 will start entering service by 2030-32 and then AMCA mk2 by 2035-37.

So all in all at any given time we are short of 100-150 jets from 42 sq goal but we won't fall below 34 sq in any case.

I doubt Goi and iaf spent all that money on raffel to buy just 36 pretty sure there will be a follow on order of 36 at the very least if not more we all know how iaf loves the mirages
 

Flying Dagger

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Took a relook at numbers as available open source.

Wikipedia says we have 622 fighter jets ( including training varients of mig21 and jaguar).
((272 su30mki + 65 mig29 + 49 mirage + 4 rafale +18 lca + 91 jags + 39 jag trainers + 54 mig21 + 30 mig21 trainers ))
Which means 34.5 sq are active !!
So the shortage is currently of 7.5 sq== 135 jets .

Out of above numbers if Jaguars can wait for mwf to replace it from 2026-27. Then only decline in next 2-3 years will be mig21 bison 54+30 == 84 units.

Now to replace them we will get in next 2-3 years
32 more rafale + 21 mig29 upg + 22 more lca mk1 + 12 more su30mki== 87 units. And each of them 2-3 times more capable than mig21 and multirole.

So by 2023 we will have 625 units .

Now out of 130 jags we almost 80 were fit enough to serve longer so rest 50 can be retired as mk1a comes in .

So by 2027 we will have 83 new mk1a - 50 older jags == 33 more jets .

So number in 2026-27 will be 658 == 36.5 squadron.

So shortage is basically of 5.5 sq== 100 jets to reach 42 squadrons.

From there on mwf will start replace remaining jags+ mig29 older + mirages by 2035.

Even then some 40 jags build in 2000s will keep serving till 2040. And now purchased 21 mig29 will serve atleast 25-30 years till 2045.

Also AMCA mk1 will start entering service by 2030-32 and then AMCA mk2 by 2035-37.

So all in all at any given time we are short of 100-150 jets from 42 sq goal but we won't fall below 34 sq in any case.
Jags that we have aren't upgraded due to lack of engine and plan is stalled. So they will be retiring unless Rolls Royce engine are considered for it. And I do think we must invest in to upgrade 50- 60 around and keep the remaining for spare parts etc. As this is the quickest means to keep 3 Sqd ready to serve


Now The Total Squadron
Su - 14 by 21
Mig 29 3 current (1 more might be procured by 22)

Mirage 2 Sqd.

That's 20 Sqd.

Jags 4 Sqd. ( Only 1 or 2 were upgraded with AESA 2052) Not sure

Mig 21 ( to be retired by 21/22 completely)

2 Rafale by 22
3-4 Tejas by 21/22

That comes around 29-30 Squadron by 22

We are critical short of 3-4 squadrons here and Rafale have excellent chances to get some .
 
Last edited:

aerokan

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Exactly, we have already the production line for Tejas and MKI, better upgrade the shit fathoms of it to push Tejas MK2, AMCA. War scale level approach to private industry will churn jets in 2 years like never seen before.
HAL already said it before that they are willing to open a fourth line for Tejas MK1A if IAF wants it. Meaning allocate money and sign the deal and they can get whatever they want. Govt fast tracked Su30MKI and MiG29 deliveries... but not Tejas.
 

WolfPack86

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‘114 Make In India Jet Much More Complicated Than MMRCA’
India’s quest to buy and locally build 114 new fighter aircraft will be “much more complicated” than the country’s notoriously doomed earlier effort for 126 fighters. In some straight talk from India’s only military airframer, the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), its chairman R. Madhavan has told Livefist that it is going to be very difficult (for the Indian Air Force) to formulate requirements that cater for deeply disparate aircraft types that have lined up to compete.


For a while now, India’s proposed program to choose a foreign fighter and build it in country through a Strategic Partnership, has reminded observers of the aborted Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA) procurement program, which consumed years and millions, but didn’t result in a decision to buy and build 126 fighters. Instead, the collapsed deal spawned a separate effort that resulted in India settling for a much smaller quantity — 36 — of the winning aircraft, France’s Rafale.


The new program is following a similar path in many ways. Like with the M-MRCA, the new program seeks to buy a few jets off the shelf from the winning company, and then build over 100 of the rest in India at a new private sector facility. Like with the M-MRCA, the new effort is also seeing a line-up of deeply different jets, from heavy twin-engine fighters, to medium jets to light single-engine fighters.

Speaking to Livefist, HAL chairman R. Madhavan said, “The Indian Air Force will now have to make a RFI/RFQ (request for information/quotation) which meets both single and twin engine varieties. It will be very difficult to formulate an SQR (staff qualitative requirement) which covers both. So we have to wait and see how the IAF plays it, how they want their aircraft to be defined. Based on that, we will submit our quote.


While the Made in India fighter program is intended to create aerospace capacity in India’s private sector, HAL already has potential skin in the game. In 2018, HAL unveiled a three-way partnership with Boeing and Mahindra Aerospace to support Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet pitch in the contest. Since then, Boeing has decided to also make available the new F-15EX depending on how the Indian Air Force defines its requirements.

Boeing now has both the F/A-18 as well as the F-15, which even the US Govt is buying. So Boeing has two offers in the 114 fighter jet program. Other than that, MiG-35, Su-35, Gripen, Rafale are also there. So it’s still a very open contest,” Madhavan said.


Asked specifically if the proposition reminded him of the doomed M-MRCA, Madhavan said, “It’s going to be much more complicated than the MMRCA. With the F-15 and Su-35, which are in a much higher weight category compared to the others. Their armament carrying capabilities change, maneouverability changes. It’s going to be difficult to cover both varieties with one SQR.”


While procurement circles would generally agree, the fact that the HAL chief has decided to speak out on the issue is significant, especially since the IAF is HAL’s principal customer. Also, given the current 114 fighter program replaced an short-lived quest for a single-engine fighter, and you have a situation where a protagonist in the proceedings has fired directly at how the program is configured.

Despite warning signs, the M-MRCA had seemed like a highly structured selection process that would defeat the obvious challenges of evaluating totally disparate fighter types. Former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik had even openly suggested patenting the M-MRCA evaluation process to license it to other countries looking to buy jets. In the end, the contest stalled, crashed and burned, was hauled over the coals by India’s national auditor, and resulted in India signing up for 36 of the winning jet, the Rafale, in 2016, over a decade after the M-MRCA program began.


The first IAF Rafale jets are expected to arrive in India next month, with deliveries to progress every few months.


Amidst border tensions with China, there has been heightened interest within the Indian establishment over speeding up critical procurements. And while there had been a quibble between India’s new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the IAF chief over whether the 114 fighter program would go through amidst budgetary pressures and a stress on self-reliance, the HAL chairman was categorical in his view that the program, while delayed, would definitely go through.

The Chief of Air Staff was categorical that we need these 114 fighters. It will not be junked, the only problem is timelines. In the present financial situation, it may not happen immediately,” Madhavan said.


While the Covid19 pandemic had muddied waters in terms of armement procurement priorities and timelines, border tensions with China have brought those back front and center, possibly offsetting potential delays in programs moving forward.


Livefist has detailed the contours of bids by several of the contenders, including Boeing’s F/A-18 pitch, Saab’s Gripen pitch and Lockheed-Martin’s pitch of the F-16 variant that the company markets as the F-21 for the Indian contest.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Moscow last week amidst a border escalation between India and China following an incident in the Galwan Valley that left several troops on both sides dead. In Moscow, he is understood to have obtained assurances on speedy delivery of India’s S-400 Triumf air defence systems by next year, and to clear decks for an anticipated order for 12 additional Su-30 MKI jets (which HAL will license build at its line in Nashik) and 21 MiG-29s built from old airframe shells, but brought up to upgraded standards. Livefist had detailed those programs here.
 

WolfPack86

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Boeing’s India Plans Sharpen Around F-15 & Super Hornet
While India still hasn’t defined the kind of fighter it wants in an ongoing contest for 114 jets, Boeing’s plans appear to have become more well-defined than before. There are now multiple indicators to suggest that Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III jet is now primarily pointed at the Indian Navy, while the F-15EX is shaping up to be Boeing’s protagonist in the Indian Air Force requirement.


Livefist learns that Boeing will shortly receive a requested license to formally market the F-15EX to the Indian Air Force, with an announcement possibly imminent. It was in February that it was first revealed that Boeing planned to add the F-15EX to an Indian Air Force campaign that had thus far only involved the F/A-18 Super Hornet. While the F/A-18 will theoretically remain available to the Indian Air Force, it is becoming clear that Super Hornet energies are being pointed far more prominently at the Indian Navy, making what appears to be space for a more prominent positioning of the F-15EX for the IAF.


To be clear, the Indian Air Force hasn’t yet defined its requirements, and potentially has on its hands a contest where it must choose between jets as disparate as the F-15 and Su-35 at one end and the Gripen E and F-21 at the other. India’s decision last week to proceed with plans to acquire more of its existing jet types — 12 more Su-30 MKI and 21 MiG-29 UPG jets — has stirred a debate over whether priority urgency needs to be applied instead on the 114 Make in India jet program.


I wouldn’t hypothesise about the requirements, but the reason we’ve applied for a license for the F-15EX is so that we can offer an entire spectrum of capabilities. And depending on how the requirements get panned out, we are comfortable and confident. But it’s still to early to say if it will be a single or twin engine,” said Ankur Kanaglekar, Head of India Fighter Sales at Boeing Defense in an interview to Livefist now up on our YouTube channel, linked here:

Asked specifically about the F-15’s expanding role in the campaign, Kanagalekar said, “A lot of years have passed, the technology has improved, the geopolitics has changed. I would rather wait to see the requirements before commenting on plans on the air force side.”

The invocation of geopolitics by Boeing’s India fighter campaigns head is significant, especially since it comes at a time when US-India relations have made major strides forward in an atmosphere of tensions with China. Two US Navy carrier battle groups have entered the western Pacific in recent days, with open saber rattling between both sides. But there’s plenty happening in India too, and not just on its border with China.


It is Livefist‘s assessment that the F-15EX will be much more prominently projected by Boeing as an IAF fighter going forward. The new strategy comes right ahead of the deliveries of India’s first Rafale jets this month. The Rafale had defeated Boeing’s F/A-18 in the erstwhile M-MRCA contest for 126 jets. That quest famously spiraled into the ground though, with the current Narendra Modi government then choosing to buy 36 Rafales, a fraction of the originally intended 126. Boeing brandishing of the F-15EX to the Indian Air Force may therefore be seen as a move to offset the clear advantages the Rafale now has by virtue of being in Indian inventory, and therefore making a default case for further orders.


There will be more opportunities very soon to hear more about the F-15EX program, but won’t be able to share very much owing to the stage of the process. The US Air Force is interfacing with the Indian Air Force on that,” Kanaglekar said.

The emphasis of the F/A-18 Super Hornet for the Indian Navy’s 57 jet contest is visible too. Boeing art, including the image that headlines this piece, all specifically show the Super Hornet in Indian Navy colours. But the emphasis goes way beyond graphics. On the naval front too, the F/A-18 faces a fight against the Rafale, though Boeing believes the geopolitical/technological ecosystem and scale that comes with the Super Hornet make it a contender even if the Rafale has a ready ‘commonality’ case for the Indian Navy deal too.


The Indian Air Force and Indian Navy have two very distinct requirements,” contends Kanagleka. “It’s a different world altogether when you’re talking about naval aviation. It is the other benefits that the Indian Navy will get from the collaboration, the growth potential, the fact that tremendous amount of scale exists out there will not be available anywhere else. Several dialogues are happening with the Indian Navy.


In February 2019, Boeing entered into a three-way partnership with HAL and the Mahindra Group to support the F/A-18 pitch to India. Asked if that partnership would apply for the F-15EX too, Kanaglekar said, “It’s too early to say. Requirements will drive our business case and discussions. We are fully committed to Mahindra and HAL on the F/A-18 campaign. We will wait for requirements to see how things will pan out.”


Boeing’s partner HAL has made clear its sentiments on how difficult it will be for the IAF to draft requirements in the 114 jet program that covers disparate fighter types.


On the Super Hornet front, Boeing has had several levels of dialog with the Indian Navy over the last year. In February this year, Boeing revealed plans to test the F/A-18 on a ski-jump to prove compatibility on India’s current and upcoming aircraft carriers.

In the 114 fighter program, Boeing’s F-15EX (and F/A-18 Super Hornet) potentially go up against a raft of fighters that include the Rafale, Su-35, MiG-35, Gripen E, Lockheed Martin F-21 and Eurfighter Typhoon. It remains to be seen how evaluations will play out, considering the huge energies spent on the M-MRCA field trials and tests, a contest described by a former Boeing India head as ‘a beauty contest on specs’.
 

WolfPack86

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Boeing ropes in HAL and Mahindra defense for F-15EX Push in India

Strike optimized and latest variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle multirole fighter, F-15EX from Boeing has been offered to India which was confirmed earlier this year and now media reports confirm that state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence have also been roped in as Partners if F-15EX is selected by Indian Air Force (IAF) for its requirement of 114 fighter jets in latest Tender. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence are also partners in F-18 E/F Block-III fighter jet which is also on offer to IAF by Boeing. F-15EX is from Heavyweight class Fighter like Sukhoi Su-30MKI but it was offered to India in response to Russia being allowed to offer India for the first time Sukhoi Su-35 which too belongs to the same class as F-15EX. Industrial watchers have said that IAF is not keen on F-18 E/F Block-III fighter jet since it is a Carrier-based jet which is largely operational with the United States Navy and also in previous MMRCA Tender it had lost to Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale in Technical rounds due to which F-15EX a variant of the F-15 Strike Eagle which is a two-seat fighter that can be flown by one or two aviators and was built for Strike missions is on offer also now. F-15EX, though, is a fourth-generation aircraft that lacks the stealth characteristics but has been upgraded with latest sensor fusion coming out of the F-35 and F-22 stealth fighter jets which can operate in contested enemy airspace. USAF has plans to induct 80 F-15EX and Qatar signed a contract to buy 36 F-15QA (An export variant of F-15EX). Industrial watchers feel that F-15EX will be positioned as Strike optimized jet which can deliver long-range standoff munitions and can fill the void left behind by Mig-27 Strike aircraft after there were retired by IAF. F-15 was designed for air superiority in the pre-stealth era but F-15EX added stealth characteristics and optional opt for conformal weapons bay (CWB) which can four Air-to-Air missiles for High-risk missions in heavily contested airspace.
 

Synergy

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Since there are many aviation experts here. I would like to know about the maneuverability of F16 (F21, whatever you wanna call it) & Gripen NG, which one is better?!
somewhere I read, F16 was designed to counter MiG29 and F15 to counter SU27 family. whereas Grippen was designed to counter SU27 family fleets.

not sure about maneuverability, but Grippen NG looks better (theoretically).


I've some more confusions. anybody please shed some light on these.

we floated MMRCA to replace MiG21. so only F16 and Grippen should have been the potential candidates. but...

we are not going to buy F16 as PAF has those but we were ready to buy SU30 though PLAF has those (SU27 family and clones).

we were ready to buy SU57 alongwith MMRCA. now if we add that money to MMRCA, will we be able to buy and maintain F35? what can be the price for 114 F35?
how much efficient is F35 in air superiority role (theoretically)?
(assuming a GtoG deal).

(sorry for these lame questions).
 

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