sancho
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About the aircraft on the Carrier, the MiG-29s can be modified for Carrier CAT operations, it is technically possible. But logically Rafale-M may be a more appropriate choice. Then there is the LCA-M if it gets suitably executed. The F/A-18 is an outside choice, unless it gets tied into some package with E-MALS!
It might be technically possible, but is way to complicated and costly, because many structural changes would be necessary. N-LCA is no choice at all, because it's way too limited in operational terms, especially when the aim is sending the carrier against PLAN. F18SH is by far not a n outside choice, but a front runner imo!
By the time we need the fighter, Boeing will have most of the Silent Hornet upgrades at least developed as demonstrators and tested. Combined with the advantages of folding wings, twin seat versions and possibly even as a Growler lite version, it offers a very good carrier platform, with a good weapon package, that possibly even comes at reasonable costs.
The other matter is that the talks with USA for the E-2D Hawkeye now dove-tails nicely with the idea of a CATOBAR Carrier of this size. So that is a distinct possibility. Somehow the IN's interest in the V-22 Osprey never progressed beyond the preliminary, and if a CATOBAR configuration is decided on then the Osprey will go out of mind.
The V22 was offered to Indian forces, among others as a AEW version as well and that could be used from an CATOBAR carrier as well, since it don't have to take off via catapults, but via short take off and lands vertically.
The downsides are, that this version is not developed, might have some technical issues and offers a less performance than the E-2D, but way more than the Ka31 we currently have. So the question might be, funding and procureing such a version for all our carriers with a midlevel performance, or procureing and operating different AEW aircrafts for our carriers with low and high performance.
Also the V22 is the only aircraft that could be used on our carriers as a tanker, long range MPA or long range utility aircraft.