Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

SteelBird

SteelBird

Colonel
I read recently India is to purchase 33 Russia jets. 21 MiG-29 and 12 Su-30 MKI. I feel bit strange; since India has started to shift to western aircraft like the F-20, F/A-18 and Rafale, why does it still want to buy Russian jets? Further, how come it takes so long for the 36 Rafale to be delivered? News suggests that all 36 jets will be delivered in April 2022.

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siegecrossbow

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
SteelBird said:
I read recently India is to purchase 33 Russia jets. 21 MiG-29 and 12 Su-30 MKI. I feel bit strange; since India has started to shift to western aircraft like the F-20, F/A-18 and Rafale, why does it still want to buy Russian jets? Further, how come it takes so long for the 36 Rafale to be delivered? News suggests that all 36 jets will be delivered in April 2022.

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You can’t just acquire a completely new fighter and expect your pilots to know how to fight in it right away. It will take time for Indian pilots to acclimate to Rafales while they are already familiar with Migs and Sukhois.
 
Figaro

Figaro

Senior Member
Registered Member
SteelBird said:
I read recently India is to purchase 33 Russia jets. 21 MiG-29 and 12 Su-30 MKI. I feel bit strange; since India has started to shift to western aircraft like the F-20, F/A-18 and Rafale, why does it still want to buy Russian jets? Further, how come it takes so long for the 36 Rafale to be delivered? News suggests that all 36 jets will be delivered in April 2022.

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India still needs good relations with Russia ... I'm sure the Russians wouldn't be happy if India suddenly no longer bought its planes
 
Brumby

Brumby

Major
SteelBird said:
I read recently India is to purchase 33 Russia jets. 21 MiG-29 and 12 Su-30 MKI. I feel bit strange; since India has started to shift to western aircraft like the F-20, F/A-18 and Rafale, why does it still want to buy Russian jets? Further, how come it takes so long for the 36 Rafale to be delivered? News suggests that all 36 jets will be delivered in April 2022.
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The planned acquisition of additional MIG-29 and SU-30 MKI are not related to the recent events at the border. The acquisition was initially reported in Aug 2019 and meant to be finalized at the Indo-Russian intergovernmental commission on military industrial cooperation held in October of that year. The MIG-29s are surplus used Russian equipment being offered at very attractive cost which would be upgraded to the
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. The SU-30 MKI acquisition are simply replacement for losses incurred in recent years.

The stories floating around regarding the potential acquisition of Western equipment like F-20 and F-18s are merely suppliers pushing their products in view of a fighter gap of 110 units in the IAF acquisition program to get to 41 squadrons..

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Currently there is no traction with the IAF of such Western acquisition (discounting the 36 Rafale). Recent developments with the IAF suggest the plan is to go local by way of its MRCA program. I think such a move is highly risky given India's poor record especially with indigenization. The root of this fighter gap can be traced to its decision to drop the FGFA program.

Clearly the IAF is in a difficult spot with no clear pathway of making a generation jump with its fighter force. The upgrade path with the SU-30MKI is limited by Russian technology in radar and electronics.
 
M

muddie

Junior Member
Brumby said:
The planned acquisition of additional MIG-29 and SU-30 MKI are not related to the recent events at the border. The acquisition was initially reported in Aug 2019 and meant to be finalized at the Indo-Russian intergovernmental commission on military industrial cooperation held in October of that year. The MIG-29s are surplus used Russian equipment being offered at very attractive cost which would be upgraded to the
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
. The SU-30 MKI acquisition are simply replacement for losses incurred in recent years.

The stories floating around regarding the potential acquisition of Western equipment like F-20 and F-18s are merely suppliers pushing their products in view of a fighter gap of 110 units in the IAF acquisition program to get to 41 squadrons..

View attachment 61306

Currently there is no traction with the IAF of such Western acquisition (discounting the 36 Rafale). Recent developments with the IAF suggest the plan is to go local by way of its MRCA program. I think such a move is highly risky given India's poor record especially with indigenization. The root of this fighter gap can be traced to its decision to drop the FGFA program.

Clearly the IAF is in a difficult spot with no clear pathway of making a generation jump with its fighter force. The upgrade path with the SU-30MKI is limited by Russian technology in radar and electronics.
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Very interesting.

Have there been any concerns around logistic risks with fielding such a diversified set of fighters imported from different nations? I'd imagine procuring spare parts is a nightmare because they aren't interchangeable and method of sourcing is very different.
 
S

supersnoop

Major
Registered Member
Will the Su-30 be made in Russia or India?
I heard the Indian production line was about to close.
That being said, how much of the plane is actually made in India?
This has never been clear to me, other than "a lot less than the J-11".
 
O

ougoah

Brigadier
Registered Member
There is simply no way a flyable AMCA prototype will appear in the next four years. Unless by "prototype" they mean mockup or unflyable test rig just to get some shaping. Or if the AMCA ends up being a semi-stealth or non stealth fighter. A flying prototype with internal bay/s we won't see for at least 10 years unless the program has been worked on as an urgent task since 2010 which simply isn't true because all we've seen are talks and PPT slide presentations talking about the attributes the program's aiming for. I doubt even shaping has been finalised yet.
 
Figaro

Figaro

Senior Member
Registered Member
ougoah said:
There is simply no way a flyable AMCA prototype will appear in the next four years. Unless by "prototype" they mean mockup or unflyable test rig just to get some shaping. Or if the AMCA ends up being a semi-stealth or non stealth fighter. A flying prototype with internal bay/s we won't see for at least 10 years unless the program has been worked on as an urgent task since 2010 which simply isn't true because all we've seen are talks and PPT slide presentations talking about the attributes the program's aiming for. I doubt even shaping has been finalised yet.
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Who would supply the critical technologies for the AMCA? A stealth fighter is far beyond the current capacity of the Indian MIC. I doubt Russia would help much if at all because they are still unhappy over the Indian pullout of the FGFA (don't even mention the US). I really don't see how the AMCA's development will take shorter time than that of the LCA.
 
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