Our pseudonymous analyst Mark is back with his take on the story so far of the IAF’s quest for fighter aircraft. He last contributed a much talked-about two-part analysis of the MMRCA tender in April 2012.
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?
This piece contains long sentences & might offend those without a sense of humor, Colonel Blimps on TV news, children, patent applicants and other cartoons. Reader discretion is advised.
Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar told Parliament on Thursday that the IAF tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) has been withdrawn.
Check out the Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter as Air Commodore Khalid Mehmood takes us around the aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2015.
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.’
Dassault can wait to have their way in the MMRCA negotiations knowing the aversion of the IAF and defense ministry to a re-tender, unless the defense ministry walks away from the table itself, first.
The Boeing F-15 Strike Eagle aircraft will fly from Kadena in Japan for what will be their first appearance at the Indian air show, which will also see F-16, C-17, P-8A and KC-135 aircraft.
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.
Air Marshal M Matheswaran (retired) goes back in history to examine the reasons why the Light Combat Aircraft project has failed to meet expectations.
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.
RAF Eurofighter Typhoons and Airbus A-330 MRTT refueling and transport aircraft will be in the capital on their way to Malaysia.
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.
