What if by 2025 LCA new aka MCa is not ready ...IAF is no match against PLAAF and even has no superiority over pakistan because its squardons have diminished just to 30(including 8squadron of mig21) ifHAL fails IAF will fall behind even PAF in squardon size by 2025
Any logical person would sign for ready made project be it gripen c/ng/f16 or f18 immediately so that delivery can start in 12-18 months ..it can wait for 2025 it cant even wait a day more
MCA/MWF has to come in only by 2030, not 2025. In the meantime, there will be Rafales. A second order of 36 will be placed by 2020-21. MCA and the jet from the new MMRCA tender will see simultaneous induction well after 2025.
Yes, there is the fear of the IAF falling short in squadron strength even compared to PAF, but the quality of aircraft more than makes up for the difference.
Between now and 2025, the IAF will see the induction of 111 LCAs and 72 Rafales. And there will be an order for 21 more Mig-29s and 18 more MKIs at the minimum during this time. That takes us to 222 new jets before 2025. It's barely enough, but that's a massive number, enough to replace all the remaining Mig-21s and Mig-27s on a one to one basis. That's 222 jets without the MCA and MMRCA coming in.
IAF will be about 700 jets by then. And by 2027, the IN will be worth more than 100 jets as well. Furthermore, with the induction of 150+ dedicated attack helicopters and about 200+ UCAVs along with as many as 10 regiments of S-400 by 2027, it will free up a lot of fighter jets from CAS and air defence duties. Overall, the IAF will be many, many times stronger than they are today.
Su30 wont cut it too large and too maintenance intensive to generate high sorties
It can do 3 sorties a day, more than enough for a heavy aircraft that can stay in the air for hours with a large missile load.
The choice is obvious you can't take risks on this..what if IAF/PLAAF go to war...IAF will be slaughtered
No, the IAF are not really worried about the PLAAF. They are yet to technologically match up to the IAF today. On top of that the geography in Tibet is entirely to the IAF's advantage. The PLAAF have to fly with a 40% payload cut due to the altitude of the Tibetan air fields. So their Flankers are like Mig-21s.
Navy again evaluating LCA ?
Lot of misinformation on this forum. The navy never stopped evaluating LCA. What they rejected was the LCA Mk1 powered by the F404, which was well-known for nearly a decade now. It's merely a TD. The IN have set their sights on the N-MCA/MWF, powered by the F414, perhaps the higher rated Enhanced F414. A new aircraft is being designed based on the LCA.