Rafale DH/EH of Indian Air Force : News and Discussions

Will this mean China will 'sell' J35 to PAF even tho PAK can't afford it? From now onwards, major Chinese armaments imported by PAK will all be on loans?
Chinese if they want can throw it for free although I heavily suspect it will be a degraded version of J35 with inferior radar and stealth, Chinese wouldn't want the best of the best premier naval fighter go to the Paks. Even then the degraded J35 is a serious threat.
Based on incomplete basic knowledge and lot of misguided hopium.
But J35 does pose a serious threat right? Its LO at worst and harder to detect with PL15 at least initially we stand to lose a handful of not more of our jets and even tankers/AWACS. Over time of course we can blunt them by mercilessly bombing Pak airbases to make sure that J35s can't take off. But at the initial stages we face higher losses.
 
Even 24-36 J-35 will drastically change force balance between India and Pakistan.
This isn't about hyping wonderwaffe. The tactics required to counter 5G with 4G is very expensive in terms of airframe quantity + expected attrition.
5G are massive force multipliers


Read this thread
What do you think about this perspective?

When you only have 4th + gen, you 'want to believe' they are competitive with 5th gen
When you have 5th gen, you 'know' the 4th + gen are just targets, All the bravado in the world won't change this

India needs to get their 5th gen in the air now

 
Last edited:
When you only have 4th + gen, you 'want to believe' they are competitive with 5th gen
When you have 5th gen, you 'know' the 4th + gen are just targets, All the bravado in the world won't change this

India needs to get their 5th gen in the air now

The emerging school of thought for fighter jets heading into the 2030-2040s is :
  • MUMT + CCA : Reconnaissance and ISR
  • 5th Generation : Air Dominance/ Air Superiority + Strike Role in Air Defence rich environment
  • 4th Generation+ : Strike Role and Force Projection
  • 4th Generation- : Interception/ Constabulary duties and Limited Strike Role
What IAF is looking at :
  • MUMT + CCA : Ghatak, CATS
  • 5th Generation : Su 57E (2-3 squadrons) + 200 AMCA (after 2034-2035)
  • 4th Generation+ : Su 30MKI (upgraded), Rafale F4
  • 4th Generation- : Tejas MK1A
 
MUMT and CCA are all Expendables

They will be used to know the Enemy SAMs ,.for subsequent SEAD /DEAD missions

Manned fighters are going to remain the most essential weapon of any Air Force

And now the only question remains is whether The SPECTRA Of Rafale is better OR the Stealthy Characteristics of J 35
 
MUMT and CCA are all Expendables

They will be used to know the Enemy SAMs ,.for subsequent SEAD /DEAD missions

Manned fighters are going to remain the most essential weapon of any Air Force

And now the only question remains is whether The SPECTRA Of Rafale is better OR the Stealthy Characteristics of J 35
Only IAF can give that answer , if they don't buy Su-57 that means they can handle it with Rafale + Su-30 combo in a EW integrated network. But still they need long range BVR missiles & probably they gonna buy r-37M for Su-30.
But still I guess Su-57 is in pipeline.
 
Just got the confirmation uses of Meteor in Operation Sindoor! Big facepalm to Rafale haters...😂😂😂

Source: DD National

This is the exact moment when national broadcaster explained the weapons used in Operation Sindoor!Screenshot_20260126_100953.jpg
 
Only IAF can give that answer , if they don't buy Su-57 that means they can handle it with Rafale + Su-30 combo in a EW integrated network. But still they need long range BVR missiles & probably they gonna buy r-37M for Su-30.
But still I guess Su-57 is in pipeline.
We couldn't handle Pakistani EW when they had those shitty f-16's and you expect the Rafales and su-30mki's to handle Pakistani and Cheeni EW which will be upgraded with the assistance of Turks?
Without su-57 we have no real chance in a 2.5 front war.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Aniruddha and Shan
So this is How Future IAF will look like

180 MK1A
200 MK2
200 AMCA
300 SU 30
150 RAFALES

55 SQUADRONS is what
IAF needs
We need 60 atleast and 80 squadrons for actually dominating in a 2 front war.

When you only have 4th + gen, you 'want to believe' they are competitive with 5th gen
When you have 5th gen, you 'know' the 4th + gen are just targets, All the bravado in the world won't change this

India needs to get their 5th gen in the air now

Lets be real j-35 is just a mig 35 with a body kit. It's nowhere near the f-35 in actual capability. Chinese A2G capability is dogshit that's why they are so dependent on their rocket force.
There won't be a massive change in air dynamics. What we need is either Netras or the E-7 wedgetails integrated with our Rafales and flankers which ever comes first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paro
We couldn't handle Pakistani EW when they had those shitty f-16's and you expect the Rafales and su-30mki's to handle Pakistani and Cheeni EW which will be upgraded with the assistance of Turks?

Without su-57 we have no real chance in a 2.5 front war.
Just for the record , there won't ever be a 2 front war for a 2 front war will turn Nuclear especially on our western front . Fauji Foundation is all too aware of this.
 
Just for the record , there won't ever be a 2 front war for a 2 front war will turn Nuclear especially on our western front . Fauji Foundation is all too aware of this.
I do believe we have something in pipeline and expected to go live within couple of year, excluding Kusha project. Meanwhile unmanned bomber project keeps ongoing without much public news.