I am well aware of that...IAF will easily have more than 450-600 4/4.5 generation plane by 2018-2020 and they will easily be in service till 2030 and beyond....My point is not on that aspect...However do you expect IAF to induct more 4.5 generation planes at around 2018-2020???? These inductions are being done right now and will continue till around 2015-2017 there after we will start looking out for 5 generation planes...We will not be inducting more 4/4.5 generation planes at that time....There is no way PAF can let us phase out all our 3rd generation planes and wait till 2018-2020 to fill in the numbers....JF-17 and F-10 variants are the best bet for PAF and that is what they would be throwing at IAF for counter....F-16's are good but there is a limit to which upgradation can be done on an old horse....Secondly once USAF phase out all their F-16's do you expect upgradations will keep on happening at the same pace???? Please understand there is a reason people are moving on to F-35 and phasing out F-16's....
Sir i was talking about avionics and radar upgrades, also besides that the old horse will be able to fire the latest American missile technology which i would argue is simply the most superior in the world. Even if the US phases out its F16's, the upgrade work will still continue. If you look closely at the F16's operated by the USAF, they are not the best versions of the F16's. Their are enough clients in the world whom would want their F16's serviced and upgraded according to their needs and i am sure LM and NG would happily oblige. Read this thread regarding F16's future:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...evolutionary-advancements-global-outlook.html
You need to look closely who is replacing the F35's with F16's. Turkey and Israel although are purchasing F35's, they are not replacing their F16 Block 52's. Most of the countries that are replacing their F16's such as Netherlands and Italy already have very small fleets and have the cash to purchase the latest weapons.
It seems you are convinced that F-16's upgradation can be done to nth level and it would be able to compete no matter how future technologies shape out...which might be true but i am not sure......
What i am saying is that upgraded F16's are needed to counter India's inventory of Mig 29, Mirage 2000, SU30MKI and MRCA. They are not future technologies and are roughly on the same level as the F16's. For future technologies, lets see what PAF has in store.
You are absolutely correct....However the same scenario is true for the opponents....Secondly a defensive doctrine does not mean there will be no attack in enemy territory....You got to think on those terms as well....Secondly net centric is a pretty cool concept but still one would like to go for newer platforms which can adapt to the ever changing world quicker than their older counterparts....
Their will be attack on the enemy but i doubt it PAF would cross the border considering how well defended the Indian Air Space is. Instead of crossing into the Indian Air Space, PAF will simply launch its stand off weapons with long ranges at Indian positions. A defensive side would always have the advantage if its utilizing AWACS and BVR missiles. Both IAF and PAF posses BVR missiles, but the reason why PAF has an advantage is because they are on the defending side. The threat of having a BVR Missile would force the IAF to change their tactics and planning. As far as adaptability is concerned, F16 is data linked with Link 16 so i dont know what the problem is.
Indeed Gambit is pretty knowledgeable but the manufactures are not novice as well...The sole purpose of this plane is to counter Raptor....If it can't then it will be a failure from Russian POV....For IAF it will still do because none of our adversaries are throwing raptor at us but not for Russia...so i will definitely wait before convincing myself that T-50 is not its worth....
Sir sorry to say i have my utmost doubts that PAK FA will field the same technology of the F22. Are you aware that F22 has an RCS of an ant, by the time your radar picks up the F22, your dead. How can you shoot something which you cannot see? I dont think PAK FA is a failure for the Russians because they know that they cannot produce an airplane that can rival the F22, infact no one can. Not only do the Russians lack the capability to build a plane of that stature, but they lack the funds to do it. The Americans shelled out $60 billion for the development of the F22, i doubt it Russians and Indians combined can put that much money in R&D. The only country that comes to mind is China that can invest that much money, they are also charging ahead with their 5th Generation Aircraft Project. The sole purpose of the PAK FA was never to counter the F22, they are just fan boys who are claiming that PAK FA will be superior to the F22. You just need to take a look at the visuals and arrive at the conclusion that the prototype of PAK FA will have an RCS lower than the SU30, but certinely not as low as of that of the F22.