The post-MMRCA narrative unfolding since April is one in which the Modi government has quietly reached out to at least three foreign OEMs to invite interest in building fighter aircraft in India.
With force numbers declining and options like the LCA and the FGFA seem to be falling short, why did successive air chiefs advocate a there-is-no-alternative approach to a non-compliant MMRCA bid?
Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar: ‘A replacement (for the MiG-21) could be the LCA Tejas or another – I’ll not call it low end – but a single engine lighter aircraft. Tejas is a good aircraft but it has its limitations.’
Air Marshal M Matheshwaran analyzes exactly why the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft will never fully meet the ASR and cannot become the IAF ‘s frontline fighter in the Lo segment.
After spending USD 30 billion on the FGFA and USD 20 billion on the MMRCA, the Indian Air Force will be left with a serious shortfall of at least 14 squadrons in 2032, going by the ‘best-case scenario’.
Saab’s Lars-Olof Lindgren says his company has been quietly working on a plan to build the Gripen in India and has already done a lot of the homework for it.
The final session of the roundtable summarized the state of Indian air power and discussed ways to alleviate the difficult situation the air force could find itself in future.
The roundtable moved on to discuss the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, the DRDO development of a new fighter to be produced by HAL, and raised serious concerns on the impact of it’s possible failure.
The discussion moved to the IAF’s tender for acquisition of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat aircraft with the question being: How does MMRCA fit future air power needs, costs, squadron strength?
In the next round, the roundtable discussed the balance of air power in India’s neighborhood and the challenges posed by the air forces of Pakistan and China.
In the second session, moderator Inderjit Badhwar initiated the discussion deconstructing the evolution and process of the Indian Air Force (IAF) competition for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA).
Pushpinder Singh, Editor of Vayu, introduces the state of Indian air power in comparison to neighboring countries and presents some stark realities in an authoritative presentation, which is essential viewing.
Carter is looking at the Indian defense ministry to make it easier for US companies to do business with it and wants resolution of issues related to offsets, limitation of liability and delays in decision-making.
It’s time for the defense ministry and IAF to question whether there is any aircraft that can replace the MiG-21 on the horizon, keeping in mind existing acquisition programs.