India And Russia Are Trying To Build A Next-Generation Fighter Jet Together, And It's Not Going Well

[Rahul9090]

India's co-development of a fifth-generation fighter with Russia has not progressed quite as smoothly as the top brass in the Indian Air Force (IAF) had hoped.
The Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) was meant toradically upgradeIndia's air strength through the combination of Russian expertise and Indian financing.

Instead, the IAF has been publicly slamming the development of the next-generation fighter. According tothe Business Standard, the IAF has been lambasting the FGFA since at least last December over a series of design flaws. India's also not happy about a perceived unequal split of work between the two countries, in addition to mushrooming expenses, and inadequate engines for the plane.

In January, the IAF took criticism of the FGFA a step further when the deputy chief of air staff complained that its engines and stealth capabilities - key components of a fifth-generation fighter - were far from adequate.

The IAF's complaints may have less to do with the plane itself than with India's internal politics.

India's Air Forcecannot dictatemilitary procurement. Under India's system, the Air Force relies on the Ministry of Defense's civilian bureaucracy to dictate policy. So, the IAF's public criticism of the fighter could be a way to pressure the Ministry into formulating a more equitable and efficient procurement policy, at least when Russia's involved.

Likewise, India also hasplans to purchaseFrench Rafale fighters. The Air Force could also be trying to secure a better financial deal with Russia over the next-generation fighters while still having money left over to purchase jets from France.

Regardless of the IAF's actual views on the FGFA, military cooperation between Russia and India is likely to continue -Russia currently supplies India with75% of its arms imports.

As Mark Kronenberg, a vice president of international business development for Boeing Defense, toldAviation Week:"if you look at the India-Russia relationship, it goes back to 1962. I don't think that relationship will ever go [in] reverse."

The co-venture between Russia and India to develop a fifth-generation fighter has been in the workssince 2010. The Russian T-50 variant of the FGFA has had some success, while the Indian variant is expected to beginextensive flight testingin India in 2014.

India And Russia Are Trying To Build A Next-Generation Fighter Jet Together, And It's Not Going Well | Business Insider India

 

[Koovie]

Well, the F 35 program also went everything but smooth and according to plan

 

[Tshering22]

There is still a plan to press for AMCA design. If we can ask Russians to have this design and develop it further. I know it sounds crazy, but it is possible. The point is to get what we want and what they want; this logjam won't get us anywhere.

 

[ptldM3]

From all reports the program is on course. The author is ignorant, he is assuming that a test program is supposed to be rainbows, when in reality all aircraft have issues in the development stages.

 

[Scorpion666]

 

[axisofevil]

FGFA is already deisgned and built by Russia. All we are doing is going to redesign it into a 2 seater. The radar sig from the plane cannot compete with Chinese and American planes. Plz stop fooling yourself because whoever you are making us look stupid. This deal with Russia was rushed. I never understood why and how we signed off on it, when we take forever to ink deals like this. I suspect massive corruption or pressure.

 

[hari sud]

Negative wind talkers have been busy to ruin Indian effort to get high end fifth generation fighter comparable to F35. They are unlucky, because the F35 after $400 billion expenditure is a lemon. Once in a while they turn their attention to Russian FGFA and find faults with it. The Indian version is doing fine but these negative opinions are mounting pressure. The West hates India acquiring a working fifth generation fighter at a fraction of the cost, hence mounting pressure to find faults in every little way, forgetting that F35 is not working either.

Now they have found a few senior officers in the IAF who would tow their line and rebuke its design, as if they knew better, and find faults if not anything else then about consultative process between Russia and India. I believe they have been bribed by the Western interests. Although the West is not offering F35 to India but rebuking goes on.

If China can build a half as good a fifth generation fighter on stolen technology, then India got to have one. The Russian collaboration is the way to go. Hence what is their (negative talkers) opinion. It is neither here not there.

 

[sancho]

From all reports the program is on course. The author is ignorant, he is assuming that a test program is supposed to be rainbows, when in reality all aircraft have issues in the development stages.

According to the Business Standard,

The article is based on the nonsense report of Ajay Shukla, so no credibility at all.

 

[SamBahadur]

Just another bullshit article from Ajay Shukhla

 

[KingMamba]

Negative wind talkers have been busy to ruin Indian effort to get high end fifth generation fighter comparable to F35. They are unlucky, because the F35 after $400 billion expenditure is a lemon. Once in a while they turn their attention to Russian FGFA and find faults with it. The Indian version is doing fine but these negative opinions are mounting pressure. The West hates India acquiring a working fifth generation fighter at a fraction of the cost, hence mounting pressure to find faults in every little way, forgetting that F35 is not working either.

Now they have found a few senior officers in the IAF who would tow their line and rebuke its design, as if they knew better, and find faults if not anything else then about consultative process between Russia and India. I believe they have been bribed by the Western interests. Although the West is not offering F35 to India but rebuking goes on.

If China can build a half as good a fifth generation fighter on stolen technology, then India got to have one. The Russian collaboration is the way to go. Hence what is their (negative talkers) opinion. It is neither here not there.

AFAIK F-35 was offered to India but India declined because of FGFA.

 

[hari sud]

Not really, F35 was never offered to India. So far it has been offered to NATO countries (a few more). Even they are walking away because it is a $400 billion lemon.

It's price, Indians are too stupid to fall for it. For its price you can buy three FGFA.

 

[Ajaysingh]

..Ajay Shukla ...pl stop bullshit its too much know

..Ajay Shukla ...pl stop bullshit its too much know

 

[shree835]

Not really, F35 was never offered to India. So far it has been offered to NATO countries (a few more). Even they are walking away because it is a $400 billion lemon.

It's price, Indians are too stupid to fall for it. For its price you can buy three FGFA.

@KingMamba is correct about F-35 ...It was offered to India... Price is another point of view.

FGFA is already deisgned and built by Russia. All we are doing is going to redesign it into a 2 seater. The radar sig from the plane cannot compete with Chinese and American planes. Plz stop fooling yourself because whoever you are making us look stupid. This deal with Russia was rushed. I never understood why and how we signed off on it, when we take forever to ink deals like this. I suspect massive corruption or pressure.

This is American supported negative publicity ... Shukla Jee is well known for this...

 

[HariPrasad]

There is still a plan to press for AMCA design. If we can ask Russians to have this design and develop it further. I know it sounds crazy, but it is possible. The point is to get what we want and what they want; this logjam won't get us anywhere.

MCA is in design for a long time. Design should freeze by next year.

 

[cirr]

A very interesting pic taken in Jan 2014

Know the institution？

Know the man in the middle？

India is falling behind further and further。

India needs to get a move on now！！！