IAF looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from foreign sources

I think , as per my personal opinion, India will not receive any of these 2 5th gen jets before 2031-2032 if it is ordered this year, which highly unlikely to be possible... Pakistan is trying to achieve aerial superiority over IAF with J35 because they are now lacking it due to presence of Rafale with Meteor... Even if India acquires a 5th gen jet ( say F35) but with not extra long range BVRAAM, then the jet makes no sense.... Even without a 5th gen fighter India can counter J35 well with help of Rafale and Upcomming Tejas Mk2 with help of extra long range BVRAAM (300+ km) with jamm proff capabilities ( I'm hoping for GANDIVA ) ...To counter PAKISTAN & CHINA successfully in long term , we can't rely on imported systems... Let's say India acquires F35 in response to J35 to Pakistan, and then Pakistan gets Chinese J36 stealth 6th generation jet in response, then what India will do ? Going to buy F47 of USA?... India should develop its own capabilities rather than getting trapped into CAT & MOUSE plot of CHINA... I don't know what our policy makers and security analysts are thinking but it is evident that India has to invest in R&D of future technologies much more and an increase in Defence Budget is need of time... We can't trust anyone, be it USA/RUSSIA/ISRAEL/FRANCE, completely.
Dude you think China will hand over J36 or even J50 to Pakistan? 🤣. It's like you handing over Mercedes to your best friend. China will give Pakistan J36....in 2060 when it deploys 7th gen en masse.
 
I think they are impressed by F35 during Kerala halt.
The F-35 at Karela was the B variant, which has faced several issues due to its inherent design compromises, especially related to its STOVL capability.........However , we're looking at the F-35A, which is a completely different platform......more capable, more reliable, and free from the limitations of the B model......It's superior across all major 5th generation fighter performance parameters & is without a doubt the most advanced fighter jet in service today.
 
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Just because you've been offered the chance to screwdrive a tin can locally doesn’t magically turn it into gold.......it’s still a tin can, and that’s exactly what the Su-57 is.......All the local assembly and hype can’t hide the fact that it's an overhyped, under delivering platform that falls far short of true fifth generation standards..... We have no option other than F 35A until AMCA arrive period.
 
The logical step imo would be to buy 2 more squadrons of Rafale, order the next 97 Tejas Mk1A, and focus on AEWCS and tankers first.

For the interim measure, work with Russians to see if we can loaclise Su57 with our own components. Like I am pretty sure that our 1st AESA would perform better than their best. If they agree to let us modify , get them to participate in MMRCA and order 114 Su57.
 
Just because you've been offered the chance to screwdrive a tin can locally doesn’t magically turn it into gold.......it’s still a tin can, and that’s exactly what the Su-57 is.......All the local assembly and hype can’t hide the fact that it's an overhyped, under delivering platform that falls far short of true fifth generation standards..... We have no option other than F 35A until AMCA arrive period.
Wait till you Hear the Preconditions that will come with F 35

What we are doing is Creating a Situation where we can Jusify the purchase of SU 57

And tell the Americans that your Preconditions are Excessive and Cannot be implemented

Two such Preconditions I can already guess

American personnel at Airbases

No Networking with our existent Radars or IACCS

Then there is the issue of S 400 and the Newer VORONEZH Counter Stealth , Long range radar

US deployed Its people on JACOBABAD to prevent F 16 Block 52 being accessed by China
 
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Dude you think China will hand over J36 or even J50 to Pakistan? 🤣. It's like you handing over Mercedes to your best friend. China will give Pakistan J36....in 2060 when it deploys 7th gen en masse.
Look , I'm not saying that it'll obviously happen, but as per THREAT & RISK ANALYSIS I have to assume all the possible situations because THERE IS NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE IN GEOPOLITICS... Yes , J36 or, J50 are the most sophisticated systems that China is building/having and these are pinnacles of Chinese technology... So China will try to protect them, But when its geopolitical game will be shifting away from China , especially in South Asian & Indo-Pacefic zone, then China can go to any level to protect its interests.
 
I have a feeling that this MRFA of 114 will be split between the Rafale G2G deal and a fifth-generation import.

Rafale F 5 and SU 57

I have a feeling that IAF will say We will take AMCA with the New 120 KN engine

AMCA MK1 will be limited to a few prototypes

Because it is already underpowered with 414 engine as compared to the AMCA MK 2 and SU 57
 
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I have a feeling that this MRFA of 114 will be split between the Rafale G2G deal and a fifth-generation import.
Logic and the decreasing no. of planes in service point towards it. HAL's lukewarm delivery rates has led us to a point where a purchase of 4.5 gen has to happen. Safran and DA have made investments in India and need to something to feed their production lines (which they are setting up). Further suddenly the babus in the MoD feel maybe IAF does deserve some VLO air frames.
 
By the looks of things, any 5G fighter we choose will be a political decision. Post Op Sindoor and the retirement of MiG-21s, the GoI knows it can't slack off on boosting IAF squadron numbers any more. Public interest in mil affairs has increased.

Putin will pull out all stops to sell Su-57 to India when he visits later this year. I suspect he will offer a 'package deal' including perhaps SSN tech. (Much like the 2001 combo deal for MKI+ Gorshkov + T-90S w/Chakra-2 as the centerpiece. Afaik, at least Gorshkov was tied to Akula and Fulcrum was tied to Gorshkov)
But without peace in Ukraine, Russia will find it hard to meet our delivery timelines)

Trump seems to be using the same 'all or nothing' approach. An F-35 deal might just be the thing that tips the Indo-US trade deal in our favour. (market access in agri and dairy being out of the question + stave off BRICS related sanctions currently in the works).

But let's not forget that Trump defied US arms control policy by clearing the sale of MQ-9B to India in his previous term (with local production and reportedly with consultancy thrown in for DRDOs own MALE drone project)

Also, the US did accommodate some Indian concerns in CISMOA/COMCASA so I'd expect similar exceptions on F-35.
 
Rafale F 5 and SU 57
An indianised Su-57 will take 2-3 years towards the deal and 5 more years to develop and certify. Meaning its better to wait for AMCA.

I have a feeling that IAF will say We will take AMCA with the New 120 KN engine

AMCA MK1 will be limited to a few prototypes

Because it is already underpowered with 414 engine as compared to the AMCA MK 2 and SU 57
Its already agreed upon to buy few squadrons of AMCA mk1. There is no reason to go back on that when all numbers are dwindling.

Logic and the decreasing no. of planes in service point towards it. HAL's lukewarm delivery rates has led us to a point where a purchase of 4.5 gen has to happen. Safran and DA have made investments in India and need to something to feed their production lines (which they are setting up). Further suddenly the babus in the MoD feel maybe IAF does deserve some VLO air frames.
Correct, Dassault is making all the right moves last few years. Most of the Rafales will be assembled in India.
 
Its already agreed upon to buy few squadrons of AMCA mk1. There is no reason to go back on that when all numbers are dwindling.

AMCA MK 1 will be ready for serial production in 2033 , at the earliest

Till that time ,ie 2033 we can have a CUSTOMISED SU 57 With AL 51 and GAN AESA

Now if we can get AL 51
It can be our Bench mark for The New 120 KN engine , for which we will invest 61000 crores

We have already rejected AL 41 when we walked out of FGFA
 
AMCA MK 1 will be ready for serial production in 2033 , at the earliest

Till that time ,ie 2033 we can have a CUSTOMISED SU 57 With AL 51 and GAN AESA
What do you mean till that time? it will take 2033 just to get first custom Su-57. Same timeframe as AMCA.
 
What do you mean till that time? it will take 2033 just to get first custom Su-57. Same timeframe as AMCA.

AMCA MK 1 will be compared to SU 57 and Rafale F 5 from day 1

And that is where disagreements will begin between IAF and DRDO

By the way we have only contracted For 100 odd 414 engines

And these will be used by MK 2

AMCA MK 2 with 120 KN engine , is what IAF really wants
 
AMCA MK 1 will be compared to SU 57 and Rafale F 5 from day 1

And that is where disagreements will begin between IAF and DRDO

By the way we have only contracted For 100 odd 414 engines

And these will be used by MK 2

AMCA MK 2 with 120 KN engine , is what IAF really wants
What are you trying to say here? If we are receiving AMCA at the same time, then why spend over $10 billion on an import? The whole point of importing fifth-generation aircraft is a stopgap solution.
 
I cannot comment on which 5th gen platform will wiggle itself into the IAF. However, from the perspective of falling squadron strength, I would place a bet on the Rafale being inducted in more nos. These provide an opportunity to keep the squadron strength steady for the next couple of decades.

The more favorable aspects:

1. Availability.
2. Timely delivery.
3. Free from geo-political constraints as it has already been inducted in certain nos.
4. Domestic setup and acceptance by IAF (they seem to be onboard with its performance post OP Sindoor).

So DA fanboys can cheer. It is a good aircraft. If France had a 5th gen. platform, I would place my bet on its procurement.

This is what happens when the planning is poor and the procurement lackadaisical. 2/3 squadrons would have to be 5th generation. Integration (with everything already in play) once again will be a challenge.

Do not expect Putin to wave a wand and India to buy SU-57 (the IAF does not seem very impressed).

I do not know if Tejas Mk2 will see the light of the day. If it can, I would decrease the MRFA by half for 4.5 gen.
 
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> Without local mfg made available like with the russian platforms, no foreign procured jet will see numbers such as su30 or mig 21 sort.

It's supposed to be a stop gap measure . At least that's the news in the media. As such the purchase will be restricted in numbers as far as F-35 goes if we go in for it & as far as the Su-57 goes it makes no sense to mfg it here when it's a WiP to begin with & MKI izing it will take a good 10-15 years apart from resources both men material & money to be thrown at it.

Further if we were to consider the timelines of our expected war against China that's at the end of the decade . The priority is therefore get a readymade platform at the earliest , train , develop tactics & deploy ASAP .

It it isn't possible , don't waste your time & resources , focus on what can be done & attained in that period & do it.


> IAF consciously will not buy a fighter jet that comes with operational strings attached to it dictated by foreign OEM country .
Isolate it from the rest as far as the F-35 goes & use the Rafale as the via media between F-35 & other FAs in our fleet networked into the IACCS & other such network grids.

The Rafales would be using NATO lines of communication & simultaneously can be rigged to communicate with the rest of our fleet thereby effecting co operative targeting something that the PAF has achieved (?).

Of course this is assuming the Rafales themselves are networked into those systems. If not the assumption is we could lean on DA & the French government to co operate. Otherwise wth are the IAF throwing in their lot for more Rafales ?

> If the platform is heavyweight class, that platform may be nuke delivery enabled ie will be considered part of triad (some nos)
Irrelevant. We already have air delivery platforms to handle that.
> if selling country is not willing to offer localisation [and / or] indigenous weapon integration, that jet will see low sqn nos aka few gold plated items.
Answered this one above.
> We are yet to see any diversion from our chalked out strategy irrespective of pressure from foreign countries (so far).
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Look I'm not at all in favour of either the F-35 or the Su-57 since both come with their baggage. At the same time I'm unaware if they would be inducted before the decade is out that too in full strength.

Inducting them later in my limited knowledge just doesn't solve the purpose while at the same time spending more time than necessary on negotiations whether price or technical is self defeating .

Can still understand technical discussions especially if it is for the F-35 w.r.t the carve outs we receive & more importantly how do we link it up with our network assuming we can or to the extent possible .

Time is of the essence & the more time we spend on these formalities the less time we get to actually properly induct this FA.


I think the above points are sort of proven and established rule for any import case now and will be bedrock for whatever 5th gen jet we get.

if USA agree to offer their run down product in their terms, it will be small 2 sqn. Same goes for rus 5th gen esp if tied with a 4.5gen.
If local mfg allowed that jet will see higher nos inducted & MRO set up.
If the product doesn't meet our requirements run down or not , better not to get into it.

Local mfg is the enemy of quick induction besides the equivalent program we're running.

The need of the hour is clarity of thought. What do we need the VLO / LO FA for , in what nos , in what shape , with what exceptions & how fast ? These are the only parameters we ought to consider as of now .

Add any more parameters to it & we risk jeopardizing the entire procurement as it then moves into MRFA / MMRCA territory. We know what that means don't we ?
 
What are you trying to say here? If we are receiving AMCA at the same time, then why spend over $10 billion on an import? The whole point of importing fifth-generation aircraft is a stopgap solution.

Stopgap essentially means ,that IAF does not want to be left High and dry if AMCA MK 1 does
Not fulfill their needs

There are so many Technologies yet to be realised

They have seen how long it took to modify MK 1 to MK1A

They will happily take Tejas MK 2 because that is meant to replace Older planes and it is an enlarged MK 1A

But they won't compromise on AMCA since they have to contend with J 35

AMCA MK 2 is the definitive stealth plane that they are looking for with a Newer 120 KN engine
 
You're referring to the shield. Where's the sword? For us to penetrate Chinese ADS + ISR particularly space based assets we need the tip of the spear to be VLO. Where's it?

Otherwise we'd be reduced to fighting a defensive air war. I don't need to emphasize what that leads to especially in the wake of the war in Ukraine or the just concluded Iran Israel war
I agree. Hence I said that AMCA become that spear.
You've got to make AMCA at any cost.
But while it is developed, make a potential shield.

Instead if you spend on imported sword that leaves you with less resources for the shield or your own spear... It will be fatal. Given that the imported sword won't be sharp enough ( source code, limited no., dependency) .

Make a sturdy shield. And make and unleash your sword.

P.S. It's no doubt a very hard decision because I don't see any option that is full proof. Any option have tradeoff.. some short term and some long term. It depends on what IAF wants and ready for. To take risk in short term. Or to not and leave future for future.

While China is a threat, pls remember that China is not without its enemies. Neither is pakistan. It's a cold war between China and USA, it is going on ... This is how a cold war looks like. And I don't believe China would want a full hot war near it's borders. India needs pragmatism and great game thinking. You can see it in the Jaishankar way of handling europe.

There no perfect answer. All we can do it speculate while those who have all the details ( GOI, IAF etc) will make the decision.
 
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