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India on the lookout for fighters apart from Rafales

HASIMARA (NORTH BENGAL): The Indian Air Force (IAF) is hunting for fighter aircraft apart from the Rafale medium multi-role combat ones and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to meet the existing shortage, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said after the handing over of Presidential Standards to two Mig-27ML squadrons by President Pranab Mukherjee at Air Force Station Hasimara on Saturday. The IAF would be forming several more squadrons in the next few years, the air chief said.

"There are shortages. We will be retiring the Mig-27MLs that have not been upgraded in the last 2-3 years. One of the squadrons at Hasimara will also be retired in 2016. We are looking forward to receiving the Rafales. Apart from this, there are other aircraft we are looking at. We will also be getting more Su-30MKIs. An order has also been placed for 120 Tejas Mk-IIs. There are many plans and things will change in the next 10-12 years," Raha said in response to a question from TOI.

He did not elaborate on which aircraft India has its eye set upon. According to sources, it could well be the F-18 Super Hornet that had competed with the Rafale when India was on the lookout for 126 MMRCAs. Recently, Boeing has offered to set up a manufacturing facility in India and manufacture F-18s to suit the country's needs. So has Dassault, the French company that manfactures Rafales. Without being specific, Raha made it clear that the IAF no longer wants to get over-reliant on any particular variety of aircraft. If the un-upgraded Mig-27MLs are to be retired, the IAF is likely to lose two more squadrons in the near future.

Raha said that creation of assets depends on threat perceptions and steps are being taken to build infrastructure. "There are voids, both infrastructure and security-wise, both in the northeastern states and elsewhere in the country. We are working towards upgrading Advanced Landing Grounds to accommodate fixed wing aircraft as well. As of now, we don't have plans to build new air bases in the northeastern sector but will upgrade existing ones. However, we are trying to share civil airfields at certain locations. The government is also looking towards the building of roads and other infrastructure for better connectivity and development, economic and otherwise," he said.

According to him, there are several unused air bases in West Bengal that may get activated in the days to come. Land acquisition is not and issue as the IAF has enough property of its own in the state. The Rampurhat air field has already been activated. Some IAF aircraft are also landing and taking-off from Rampurhat to check out conditions. Though infrastructure is being created in this sector, Raha doesn't believe that China should be treated as an adversary.

"They have been aggressive in the past. We do have some border issues but better co-operation and understanding will have to be achieved for overall development of the region. Both are large countries with huge populations. They can work better together. India has a very important role to play internationally and to maintain this, we will have to increase our military capabilities. While working towards this, there are plans to base important hardware at Hasimara."
India on the lookout for fighters apart from Rafales - The Times of India

Why not picking a plane from every country, and buying them?

Raha Vision of IAF in 2025
36 Rafale
36 Eurofighter
36 F18
36 Gripen
36 Mig 35
36 F-16I
Add F-15, F-22, F-35,F/A-18 and SU-35, SU-34. And if offered we also buy the J-11, J-10.

Buying 36 each of them.
 
Lets see the Rafale first...am sure by the time it comes, the plans will change an we will be discussing something else altogether...
 
HASIMARA (NORTH BENGAL): The Indian Air Force (IAF) is hunting for fighter aircraft apart from the Rafale medium multi-role combat ones and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to meet the existing shortage, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said after the handing over of Presidential Standards to two Mig-27ML squadrons by President Pranab Mukherjee at Air Force Station Hasimara on Saturday. The IAF would be forming several more squadrons in the next few years, the air chief said.

"There are shortages. We will be retiring the Mig-27MLs that have not been upgraded in the last 2-3 years. One of the squadrons at Hasimara will also be retired in 2016. We are looking forward to receiving the Rafales. Apart from this, there are other aircraft we are looking at. We will also be getting more Su-30MKIs. An order has also been placed for 120 Tejas Mk-IIs. There are many plans and things will change in the next 10-12 years," Raha said in response to a question from TOI.

He did not elaborate on which aircraft India has its eye set upon. According to sources, it could well be the F-18 Super Hornet that had competed with the Rafale when India was on the lookout for 126 MMRCAs. Recently, Boeing has offered to set up a manufacturing facility in India and manufacture F-18s to suit the country's needs. So has Dassault, the French company that manfactures Rafales. Without being specific, Raha made it clear that the IAF no longer wants to get over-reliant on any particular variety of aircraft. If the un-upgraded Mig-27MLs are to be retired, the IAF is likely to lose two more squadrons in the near future.

Raha said that creation of assets depends on threat perceptions and steps are being taken to build infrastructure. "There are voids, both infrastructure and security-wise, both in the northeastern states and elsewhere in the country. We are working towards upgrading Advanced Landing Grounds to accommodate fixed wing aircraft as well. As of now, we don't have plans to build new air bases in the northeastern sector but will upgrade existing ones. However, we are trying to share civil airfields at certain locations. The government is also looking towards the building of roads and other infrastructure for better connectivity and development, economic and otherwise," he said.

According to him, there are several unused air bases in West Bengal that may get activated in the days to come. Land acquisition is not and issue as the IAF has enough property of its own in the state. The Rampurhat air field has already been activated. Some IAF aircraft are also landing and taking-off from Rampurhat to check out conditions. Though infrastructure is being created in this sector, Raha doesn't believe that China should be treated as an adversary.

"They have been aggressive in the past. We do have some border issues but better co-operation and understanding will have to be achieved for overall development of the region. Both are large countries with huge populations. They can work better together. India has a very important role to play internationally and to maintain this, we will have to increase our military capabilities. While working towards this, there are plans to base important hardware at Hasimara."
India on the lookout for fighters apart from Rafales - The Times of India
Utter horse$hit from TOI as usual. Just like the media spun his remarks in October about needing 6 more Rafale SQNs they have done the same here.


Anyone who seriosuly thinks the IAF are interested in inducting yet another type of fighter to operate alongside a measely 36 Rafales is out of their mind.


The Rafale is the only option on the table- end of story.
 
Utter horse$hit from TOI as usual. Just like the media spun his remarks in October about needing 6 more Rafale SQNs they have done the same here.


Anyone who seriosuly thinks the IAF are interested in inducting yet another type of fighter to operate alongside a measely 36 Rafales is out of their mind.


The Rafale is the only option on the table- end of story.

Its a comprehension problem. He said we are looking at other planes and then says Su30 and Tejas. Dumb reporters at ToIlet as usual tried using their brains, instead of comprehending English.
 
Well, I thought US Air Still don't operate F 18, Its the US Navy that operates F 18, there is no question of F 18 getting into Indian Air force plus F 18 is out dated plane , air frame everything is outdated now. I am puzzled.

images.jpg
 
TOI is brain dead

We don't have money

With modi himself planning to cut defense Budget to 1% of GDP from 1.80% at the moment

We will get 36 Rafales
120 Tejas MK1+MK1A
And 154 PAKFA/FGFA
And that is it for the next 20 years
India will announce the Next fighter contract in year 2030 to replace Jaguars and Mirage 2000
 
Really? india has not even signed the deal to acquire off the shelf 36 Rafael's which according to your own government is the "FINAL" number and France has already said there will be no manufacturing in india for these 36 jets as the initial offer/plan was based on rumored 126 jets. Do you have a legit source confirming Rafael production line is being setup in india?

We are buying pak-fa, there are plans to buy mig 29 I think for new carrier that is coming up.

Plus we have Rafale production line that is being setup here.

Lca is in the process of induction.


I have no idea where the super hornet fits in?

We should be working on AMCA and make sure dead lines are met.
 
Really? india has not even signed the deal to acquire off the shelf 36 Rafael's which according to your own government is the "FINAL" number and France has already said there will be no manufacturing in india for these 36 jets as the initial offer/plan was based on rumored 126 jets. Do you have a legit source confirming Rafael production line is being setup in india?

France was reluctant to set up manufacturing when HAL is chosen as manufacturer, But they are ok with Private partnership.

Now they are forming a JV with Reliance.
 
Why are we too much worried about how many platforms?, am saying it again. How many platforms are operational as we speak?
Mig: 21 27 29 jags Mirage tejas Sukois .

1980 Scenarios forced us to have that many platforms. But not anymore. The platforms nowadays are costly and do their job perefectly. A single Rafale can do the job of 2-3 Mig 27 and LCA can do the job of 2 Mig 21. So whats the need for a variety of aircrafts where we need to open supply lines, training of Technicians etc. Its going to cost a lot.
 
Well, I thought US Air Still don't operate F 18, Its the US Navy that operates F 18, there is no question of F 18 getting into Indian Air force plus F 18 is out dated plane , air frame everything is outdated now. I am puzzled.

View attachment 275779
Who told you that F 18E/F is outdated and if US airforce don't use F18E/F then it is not in service of any other airforce....
 
Who told you that F 18E/F is outdated and if US airforce don't use F18E/F then it is not in service of any other airforce....


No matter its EF G or H the air frame would remain the same, cosmetic changes does not matter much. US air force had long time back refused F 18, its Naval version that you are talking about, we do not need F 18 for our Navy. Only Euro fighter or Rafales should be the choice before we upgrade to 5th Generation Fighters.
 

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