I don't think Russian supply is an issue. The much bigger problem is Ukrainian ship engines for the Indian Navy. This might throw a spanner in the works for fleet expansion.
Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter bd popeye
- Start date
Sure mki has more range and payload than lca. That's not the question here. They are looking to add some lower end aircraft to make up numbers. You would think lca would be ideal for that, but they are still going with mki. A real indictment on the current status of lca program.
Lower-end aircraft are precisely LCAs, not MKIs with their 38t MTOW. Furthermore, IIRC Indian MKIs are due to get a fleet-wide mid-life upgrade, new a/c can just come with it directly.
Mki with it's current spec is pretty low end in capabilities.
Quoting Indians:
China have 055?
We have Brahmos.
China have J20?
We have Brahmos.
China have aircraft carrier?
We have Brahmos.
They sure have invested a lot in making an air launched version of Brahmos. They kinda see it as a bandaid, wunderwaffe type of weapon. You apply to your problem and it magically disappears. However that being said, air launched Brahmos does posses a threat to land and sea base target. Also, the MKIs are still incompatible with a lot of western weapons in their arsenal, mainly European PGMs. Thats why you see them using Mirage 2000 for the strike role over Balakot.
Even older high-end fighter remains such - for the simple reason that it's about costs. Flankers are among the most expensive and manhour-intensive 4th gens to operate - anyone who stood under one of them will easily understand why. Their electronics may go out of fashion - but that won't make them cheaper with time.
Furthermore, qualities that set hi-end platforms apart from low-end don't really change with time - as Su-30mki carried more than any other tactical asset in Indian Air Force, so they continue to do.
Finally, late MKIs batches in particular are structurally reinforced - i.e. capable of carrying big Brahmos.
Replace them with Russian one.
NPO Saturn has been re-constituting the lost capability from Ukrainian gas turbine manufacturer and they already make stuff.
There are Indians who genuinely believe that the Brahmos is the fastest missile in the world and only the Israeli Barak-8 can intercept it.
why MKI is low end. it can carry wingtip jammers that much easy to upgrade.
unless India can certify another air platform for next generation brahmos. this there biggest investment in tactical missiles.
It sounds like the MKIs were to replace jets lost to attrition. Maybe they got a good deal on them given the circumstances.