IAF to order around 100 more LCA Mark-1A fighter jets for over $8 billion

[NG Missile Vessels]

The 260 or 261 is open source number, IAF has lost aircraft due to various reasons bringing the actual number down to about 240 plus

From where you got this no?

Well what you wrote above for Eastern side, is what I mentioned in much simpler terms. The problems you mention China will face, will be faced by us as well while operating.

The IAF will undertake combat missions from their permanent air bases in the plains of West Bengal as well as in Assam with no compromise on weapon load and fuel that the combat aircraft are required to carry.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

Chinese have large number aerial refueling platforms, while our guys are still working on it

Force multipliers if used by PLAAF will enhance their capability by a few notches but will remain well below the force levels required to cause any substantive attrition

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Modi is doing amazing things to reduce dependency on foreign Products. A Luxury you can play with your home made jets, internal system. New versions of Tejas has emerged as potent fighter against any opponent.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

This is what Chinese Radar coverage in Ngari Kunsha Airport will look like.
Even for high altitude target, coverage are limited.Its bad at Ngari which is sandwiched between two mountain ranges, a plateau ~60km across and then the Himalayas proper almost 200km across towards India. Due to the terrain some of these radars will not be able to detect even aircraft in medium altitude if I am not wrong.

@indushek

 

[VkdIndian]

All PLAAF airfields, except Nyingchi and Taxkorgan, are situated at altitudes well above 10,000 feet. What military utility they offer to PLAAF is questionable since planes taking off from such altitudes can only carry a fraction of their full load.

That puts PLAAF in a very tricky and disadvantaged position. All IAF bases are at much lower altitude, hence, all assessment based on one to one comparison vis a vis PLAAF wouldn’t be correct.

But, this restriction of load, would be limited to AIr to Ground role for PLAAF. In AA role they would still be able to take off with decent number of missiles and pose a serious threat to IAF assets.

MK I A would be a great buy from many angles except one, which is, limited range and flying time which are directly linked to it’s small size.

 

[indushek]

From where you got this no?


The IAF will undertake combat missions from their permanent air bases in the plains of West Bengal as well as in Assam with no compromise on weapon load and fuel that the combat aircraft are required to carry.

Indian Air Force (2024)

Current aircraft of the modern Indian Air Force service.

www.wdmma.org

Let me get back on the second part shortly

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

That puts PLAAF in a very tricky and disadvantaged position. All IAF bases are at much lower altitude, hence, all assessment based on one to one comparison vis a vis PLAAF wouldn’t be correct.

But, this restriction of load, would be limited to AIr to Ground role for PLAAF. In AA role they would still be able to take off with decent number of missiles and pose a serious threat to IAF assets.

MK I A would be a great buy from many angles except one, which is, limited range and flying time which are directly linked to it’s small size.

Tibet has 4 PLAAF air bases out of which only Ngari is close to Ladakh. The other 3 – Shigatse, Lhasa and Nyingchi are 1500 to 2500 kms away. All the 4 Tibet bases are at a high altitude of more than 4000 meters, effectively reducing their weapon load and range by half, and making them visible to an enemy with a high performance AEWCS platform. Xinjiang air bases are at a medium altitude of 1300-1600 meters, but are farther than the Ngari air base, between 300 to 700 kms from the Pangong area.

 

[indushek]

We have about 3 active Mig-21 squadrons only for now. All Bison standard. These will be replaced by first MK1A orders. Mirage and Mig-29s will only be replaced by MK2 as they are recently upgraded and can serve beyond 2035s. So is 3 Jaguar sqds which are upgraded with Darin-3 packages which includes EW suits, AESA radar, Asraam wvr etc.

True Mig 29 and Jaguars have been upgraded to make sure, they operate well beyond 2035.

This was done to make sure, we get the Mk2 in good number by then given the delay it saw.

My original post giving numbers, was to make the point that Mk1A in good numbers are needed which @migflug was saying isn't needed. As per Op's source we will be going for 40 + 183 Mk1A now as mentioned by IAF chief.

Overall we are aiming to dispense all these multiple platforms, and bring commonality.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

Indian Air Force (2024)

Current aircraft of the modern Indian Air Force service.

www.wdmma.org

The nos they've quoted for other fighters shows how credible they're

Let me get back on the second part shortly

Yeah sure

 

[indushek]

Tibet has 4 PLAAF air bases out of which only Ngari is close to Ladakh. The other 3 – Shigatse, Lhasa and Nyingchi are 1500 to 2500 kms away. All the 4 Tibet bases are at a high altitude of more than 4000 meters, effectively reducing their weapon load and range by half, and making them visible to an enemy with a high performance AEWCS platform. Xinjiang air bases are at a medium altitude of 1300-1600 meters, but are farther than the Ngari air base, between 300 to 700 kms from the Pangong area.

I think Chinese have far more bases my friend, check the link below.

Chinese Airfields In And Around Tibet: A Geographical Overview

Analysis with images—mapping and geo-locating Chinese military infrastructure being built up along our borders.

swarajyamag.com

Ngari Gunsa is the nearest and fully operational.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

I think Chinese have far more bases my friend, check the link below.

Chinese Airfields In And Around Tibet: A Geographical Overview

Analysis with images—mapping and geo-locating Chinese military infrastructure being built up along our borders.

swarajyamag.com

Ngari Gunsa is the nearest and fully operational.

But not all of them are capable of carrying out fighter operations my friend

https://twitter.com/x/status/1553057922472869890

https://twitter.com/x/status/1553057943217934336

 

[indushek]

That puts PLAAF in a very tricky and disadvantaged position. All IAF bases are at much lower altitude, hence, all assessment based on one to one comparison vis a vis PLAAF wouldn’t be correct.

But, this restriction of load, would be limited to AIr to Ground role for PLAAF. In AA role they would still be able to take off with decent number of missiles and pose a serious threat to IAF assets.

MK I A would be a great buy from many angles except one, which is, limited range and flying time which are directly linked to it’s small size.

The problem with full load take off at those altitudes, is the limited range a aircraft will suffer due to fuel burn. This however can be mitigated by air refuellers. I don't remember where, but I did see that PLAAF is inducting air refuellers in good numbers.

Mk1A is simply not suited for this terrain is what I feel.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

The problem with full load take off at those altitudes, is the limited range a aircraft will suffer due to fuel burn. This however can be mitigated by air refuellers. I don't remember where, but I did see that PLAAF is inducting air refuellers in good numbers.

Mk1A is simply not suited for this terrain is what I feel.

So they'll use mid air refuellers during hot war?

 

[indushek]

This is what Chinese Radar coverage in Ngari Kunsha Airport will look like.
Even for high altitude target, coverage are limited.Its bad at Ngari which is sandwiched between two mountain ranges, a plateau ~60km across and then the Himalayas proper almost 200km across towards India. Due to the terrain some of these radars will not be able to detect even aircraft in medium altitude if I am not wrong.
View attachment 948393
@indushek

I am not clear on the point you are trying to make here, can you please clarify on below:

Are you talking about ground based radars or AWACS here, and of which side Indian or Chinese and for what kind of operation?
Since the airport is wedged in mountains, our radars can't make out equally like them right so hard to target?

It all depends on the mission parameters overall

The main point is the Chinese have airfields which are much closer to our borders, and we need to induct platforms faster.

So they'll use mid air refuellers during hot war?

Agreed its a risky thing, but why wouldn't they ?

Look we can't plan our defenses on assumptions right? So we need to plan for all eventualities, so that we aren't shocked.

The air base is about 200 KM or around, which means long range SAMs and Cruise missiles need to be deployed to take care of some threats. Am sure IAF is planning on all eventualities.

 

[VkdIndian]

The problem with full load take off at those altitudes, is the limited range a aircraft will suffer due to fuel burn. This however can be mitigated by air refuellers. I don't remember where, but I did see that PLAAF is inducting air refuellers in good numbers.

That could be true.

But not very easy to implement even with adequate number of refuellers.
For launching an attack a decent number of aircraft would need to get airborne. Let’s take a conservative number of 30 aircraft package. Imagine refuelling so many aircraft. It would take some time to to refuel each aircraft.

India needs to have adequate surveillance capability. Any such activity of refuelling such a large number, can’t be missed by potent surveillance platforms.