IAF cut orders for 5th Gen FGFA by Half, down to only 65 aircrafts

[Zarvan]

Looking to cut costs and prune military imports, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has halved its demand for Russian-built fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA).It now wants just three squadrons of the fighter jets which are to be inducted into the Russian Air Force in 2016.

Sources say the IAF has scaled down its needs and now indicated that just three squadrons (around 18 planes in each), besides a few more for training of the pilots, will be enough for now. This works out to be 65 planes, almost half from the earlier projection of 127 FGFAs to be jointly designed and produced by India and Russia.The T-50 has been built for the Russians under the PAK-FA (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) programme for the fifth generation fighter aircraft.

A plane will cost $100 million (Rs 650 crore). Three squadrons are the projection of an off-the-shelf deal India is pressing its military ally for immediate delivery of the planes.New Delhi has suggested to Moscow that the T-50 fighter jet can be supplied to the IAF, while the research to improve upon the aircraft can carry on simultaneously. The Tribune had first reported about India’s offer on February 24 this year.

Simultaneously, the IAF is also working on a $11 billion R&D contract for long-term development of the jet. It is pending ratification since 2013. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on August 4, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the preliminary design stage of the fifth generation fighter aircraft programme completed in June 2013.

“The expenditure incurred so far is Rs 1,483.15 crore,” Parrikar said. The next stage of development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft will commence after signing of the R&D contract.The problem is in case India opts for the R&D contract route, the deliveries are envisaged to commence 94 months – eight years. The next best option is to go for an immediate off-the-shelf purchase and in case the research-and-development contract works out, more jets can be produced here.

With a dwindling fleet of fighter jets, this wait is not an option for the IAF, said sources. By the end of this year, the IAF would be at its lowest combat strength in more than a decade. It will be down to 32 squadrons by the end of this year and in the middle of a predicted shortage.

In a nutshell, the IAF with 576 fighter jets will be well short of the 750-strong fighter jet fleet mandated by a government sanction to wage a simultaneous two-front war with Pakistan and China.The pruning down of numbers has been done as the IAF is backing its own options of getting French-origin Rafale jets and the remaining batch of 72 Sukhoi-30 MKI jets from Russia, sources say.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to France in April this year announced the intent to get 36 Rafale jets. A cost negotiation committee is in talks with the French company and the numbers could go beyond the announced 36 as the IAF has projected a demand for 80 Rafale-type planes.

IAF cut orders for 5th Gen FGFA by Half, down to only 65 aircrafts | idrw.org

 

[a.kumar]

They are talking about 65 PAK-FA Purchase off the shelf while FGFA will be developed later over the years in India

 

[sathya]

Can India afford pak fa and rafale at the same time ?

 

[jaiind]

Can India afford pak fa and rafale at the same time ?

MOD has many things to afford when it comes to nations interest

 

[desimorty]

Good idea to keep IAF starved. Congress and even Modi spoiled them with Rafales and grandeur. The Rafale deal will not tip the balance of power in the region and neither the T-50s. Squardrons need to be cut down. A threat of a air war against Pakistan wouldn't change the balance. Neither will China's fighters, or its J20s. The real problem is air denial against the USN and Diego Garcia. Indian focus should be on Naval power and air/sea denial via missiles, and maritime air power.
If the Indian army and RAW do their job and protect India against most civil unrest then the police can do their job. Reducing manpower is also a good idea given the indirect warfare being used and Pakistans docile behaviour in this decade. If IA saves on man power they can establish a larger tank, arty arsenal. The unemployed manpower can a naval force like marines.
They navy will be key in maintaining India's defence especially with its nuclear force.

 

[Indika]

A plane will cost $100 million (Rs 650 crore).

Thats one hell of a cost, even 65 of them comes to $6.5 billion. Does it include operating and maintenance cost if not how much will that come to?

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Good step indeed.

 

[That Guy]

Thats one hell of a cost, even 65 of them comes to $6.5 billion. Does it include operating and maintenance cost if not how much will that come to?

Probably not.

This is better than expected for Pakistan, as it takes some of the urgency off of PAF to look for a next Gen fighter right away.

 

[NKVD]

A cost negotiation committee is in talks with the French company and the numbers could go beyond the announced 36 as the IAF has projected a demand for 80 Rafale-type planes.

They want purchase 80 rafale at any cost now

 

[surya kiran]

@That Guy This is going to be the excess 60 planes which are over capacity due to cut back of RuAF requirements. Expect this to be signed in November. 65 planes of Pak Fa coming soon.

 

[unleashed]

Thats one hell of a cost, even 65 of them comes to $6.5 billion. Does it include operating and maintenance cost if not how much will that come to?

Indeed not !!
You better give up to Pakistan

 

[Stephen Cohen]

IAF will take PAKFA first as soon as it is available

FGFA can be developed in future

 

[[Bregs]]

This means bad news for Rafale to some extent, if delivery started in time from Russia. India will take 65 Nos T50 as of now later the improved version will be added, these order will certainly increase with more advanced version in later stages

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Three squadrons are the projection of an off-the-shelf deal India is pressing its military ally for immediate delivery of the planes.New Delhi has suggested to Moscow that the T-50 fighter jet can be supplied to the IAF, while the research to improve upon the aircraft can carry on simultaneously

 

[[Bregs]]

Three squadrons are the projection of an off-the-shelf deal India is pressing its military ally for immediate delivery of the planes.New Delhi has suggested to Moscow that the T-50 fighter jet can be supplied to the IAF, while the research to improve upon the aircraft can carry on simultaneously

This deal will put now some real pressure on dassault