I've questions regarding PAF's plan to go for 5th Gen: platform while skipping advanced/semi-stealth/stealthy 4.5++ Gen: aircraft and, I'd really appreciate if senior members can ans and alleviate as much ambiguity as possible. Questions are as under;
- What's the viable no 5th Gen: aircraft that PAF ought to acquire to successfully deter or even launch an offensive in time of conflict?
- What will be the total estimated cost of acquisition, maintenance, training, infrastructure and ground support for these birds?
- In real world scenario, what other options does PAF have apart from FC-31? I'm asking this as India already has invested in FGFA and, has option to go for JSF-35 as well.
I'm asking the above questions on the basis of various debates, discussions and opinions by military experts to aircraft designers that stealth in itself is a hoax as nothing is really invisible from radar. And with the advent of new powerful so called anti-stealth radars, it is that much more difficult to justify or pin an entire nation's hope on such a gimmick. If I remember correctly, Colonel John Boyd who envisioned F-16 and along with Fighter Mafia made it reality said in one of his interviews that, some 30 to 40 year old Russians radars can detect stealth aircraft of today. I reckon he was talking about Chernobyl 2?
Anyway, Colonel John Boyd may be biased in his statement but, there's a degree of truth to it as well. For example, the compromises that have to be made to make an aircraft stealth/stealthy will have an inverse effect on it's maneuverability. Meaning, stealth is inversely proportional to agility/maneuverability. Thus, an aircraft in theory can be made a true stealth, truly undetectable to the radar to the effect that, it will then only move in a singular vector, i,e., straight line. Making the said aircraft utterly useless for all intents and purposes as one can imagine.
I'm not saying that somehow diminishes the utility of stealth. But what I'm saying is, stealth is a set of compromises that directly affect an aircraft's mission profile to its mobility and maneuverability, which is a pilot's lifeline in case he/she is detected or in case of merge or many other combat scenarios, to reduce it's radar signature to the point where it can't be detected by enemy radar or at least deceive it.
Now that may look good on paper but, it's far more difficult to execute. A very good example of that is Lockheed Martin JSF-35 Lightening II which in recent years has faced massive criticism for it's inherent design flaws and what not. Now I'm not going to divulge on it as it will completely derail my point that, stealth as many of us believe to be
is not "do all, end all."
On the other hand good, innovative,
practical and
cost effective use of stealth is now seen on likes of Advanced Super Hornet, Silent Eagle and Grippen NG. All of them, mature and war proven birds. Grippen, may be not so much but, I put it in the list based on it's advancement along the lines of F-15 and F-18. Yes, they're not up there with the likes of Raptor but, if Boeing is to be believed then they can sure give JSF a run for it's money. And if it's true, then, what that means for us, PAF, future acquisition, JF-17, the technology and so on and so forth? It's a world of possibilities out there!
Let me clarify myself again that I'm neither advocating that we ditch the idea of FC-31 or any other 5th Gen: platform
IF available to us for stealthy F-15 or 18, nor am I saying that we immediately start working towards stealthy block of JF-17. But, what I'm saying is that we should recognize realities and plan and act accordingly. And, this brings me to the point which pertains to
@MastanKhan's original post of needing a potent 4.5++ Gen: platform.
And in my humble opinion, it can be none better then EFT. Why Typhoon, if I'm asked I'll elaborate my POV in an other post.
If we note then we'll realize that even today, USAF uses Raptors to establish air superiority over an enemy airspace but, TRUE devastation is brought by other 4th Gen: strike aircraft to heavy bombers. Even today, Fighting Falcons make up United States first line of defense, not Raptors. The analogy is, 5th Gen: aircraft have a very limited role even for the most advanced country in the world which sets the benchmark for rest to follow or strive to. The indispensable force in it's arsenal is STILL the 4th Gen: warplanes which make up 80-85% of it's fighting force for the reasons of cost, maintenance and serviceability to keep the jet airworthy.
There are varying reports that for an hour F-22 remains in air, it needs 30 hour maintenance on ground. True, untrue? You decide. But, if true then one needs to ponder that, what will be the average the maintenance time of Chinese stealth jet for every hour it's in air??? Or even Russian for that matter. Pulls the fun out of all this 5th Gen; stealth craze all of a sudden, doesn't it?
