What is the state of India's current aircraft?

[Bhuvan93]

With much of the hype and attention on the Tejas/Rafale/AMCA, what is the current state of India's fighters? Where do they stand in their capabilities? I've heard about countless upgrades but how good are the likes of the Mirage-2000/Jaguar/MiG-29UPG/MiG-29K/Su-30MKI? 3+ generation? 4+ generation? 4++ generation etc.?

It's just that, being a newbie of course, spending $3B to upgrade 50 Mirages seems rather much. Are they now 4+ generation standard and how long will they stay in service for?

 

[sancho]

With much of the hype and attention on the Tejas/Rafale/AMCA, what is the current state of India's fighters? Where do they stand in their capabilities? I've heard about countless upgrades but how good are the likes of the Mirage-2000/Jaguar/MiG-29UPG/MiG-29K/Su-30MKI? 3+ generation? 4+ generation? 4++ generation etc.?

-Jags will have 4th gen subsystems like the multi mode radar, HMS and HOBS missiles, but still will remain 3+ gen strike fighter, with very limited A2A capabilities.

-Mirage and Mig 29 will be upgraded to 4th gen level, modern weapons and systems, full multi role capability of the Migs, important EW and weapon capabilities for the Mirage

- MKI main advantages will be reduced RCS and the cruise missile strike capability, that both will increase it's importance for IAF by far. Apart from that, the already good radar and EW will be further upgraded to

All in all, these fighters (except of the Jags), will form an excellent base for IAF in numbers and capabilities!

 

[axisofevil]

Jags and Mirages should be dscontinued asap

 

[Hage Tado]

Jags and Mirages should be dscontinued asap

Jags have just gone through an expensive Darin III upgrade mate...can't just discontinue them...same is the case of Mirage 2K. Mirage 2K is still in service in the French Air Force, and Darin III will give the Jags a new set of teeth. They both are capable fighters with their unique capabilities. Until a suitable alternative is bought they will have to be used.

 

[SafShikan]

I have heard by many Indians that HAL Tejas is better than JF17, if it is so then why don't you replace your fleet of JAGs and 2000 with Tejas like we are about to replace every mirage with jf17 ??

 

[Manticore]

-Jags will have 4th gen subsystems like the multi mode radar, HMS and HOBS missiles, but still will remain 3+ gen strike fighter, with very limited A2A capabilities.

-Mirage and Mig 29 will be upgraded to 4th gen level, modern weapons and systems, full multi role capability of the Migs, important EW and weapon capabilities for the Mirage

- MKI main advantages will be reduced RCS and the cruise missile strike capability, that both will increase it's importance for IAF by far. Apart from that, the already good radar and EW will be further upgraded to

All in all, these fighters (except of the Jags), will form an excellent base for IAF in numbers and capabilities!

hey sancho, please give me the combat radius of all your fighter aircrafts -- they are not appearing on the wiki pages

ty!

 

[sancho]

why don't you replace your fleet of JAGs and 2000 with Tejas

Because Jags and Mirage 2000s in IAF don't need replacements now, but only around 2025 onwards, which is where IAF had planned the induction of stealth aircrafts to replace them.

hey sancho, please give me the combat radius of all your fighter aircrafts -- they are not appearing on the wiki pages

ty!

The Su 30MK is given with a combat range of 3000Km, so 1500Km radius, for IAFs Mig 29UPG and Jags I can't tell, since the fighters will have pretty considerable changes in the upgrades.

 

[About.to.be.banned]

It's just that, being a newbie of course, spending $3B to upgrade 50 Mirages seems rather much. Are they now 4+ generation standard and how long will they stay in service for?

Cost of Mirage upgrade include bribes that India gave to Frenchies to block supply of French avionics to JF-17.

Jags and Mirages should be dscontinued asap

Jaguars are dedicated ground strike aircraft, and Mirages are most advanced fighter in IAF's arsenal.

What are you talking about?

 

[topgun047]

I have heard by many Indians that HAL Tejas is better than JF17, if it is so then why don't you replace your fleet of JAGs and 2000 with Tejas like we are about to replace every mirage with jf17 ??

I think its because IAF and PAF have different needs.

 

[Hage Tado]

I have heard by many Indians that HAL Tejas is better than JF17, if it is so then why don't you replace your fleet of JAGs and 2000 with Tejas like we are about to replace every mirage with jf17 ??

Because we do not settle for better...we want the BEST..and the MK-2 will replace them all...MK-1 is just the trailer mere bhai...picture to abhi baki hai.

 

[SafShikan]

Because Jags and Mirage 2000s in IAF don't need replacements now, but only around 2025 onwards, which is where IAF had planned the induction of stealth aircrafts to replace them

then what was the point of investing too much in Tejas and AMCA after all...just for R&D ??

I think its because IAF and PAF have different needs.

hmm that's why I m curios that why it was necessary to build tejas... you should have gone in making a jet like su-30mki

Because we do not settle for better...we want the BEST..and the MK-2 will replace them all...MK-1 is just the trailer mere bhai...picture to abhi baki hai.

BEST of luck for that

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

then what was the point of investing too much in Tejas and AMCA after all...just for R&D ??


hmm that's why I m curios that why it was necessary to build tejas... you should have gone in making a jet like su-30mki



BEST of luck for that

LCA is specifically designed to replace IAF's ageing inventory of MiG 21's, MiG 23's, MiG 25's and MiG 27's which run into hundreds. IAF will order some 14 LCA squadrons both Mark I and Mark II combined. Each IAF combat squadron has 21 fighter aircraft; 14 squadrons add to 294 Tejas fighters. The 21 comprise 16 frontline, single-seat fighters, two twin-seat trainers and three reserve aircraft to make up losses in a war. In addition, the navy plans to buy 40-50 Tejas for its future aircraft carriers.

IAF will buy 14 Tejas squadrons, lowering costs | Business Standard News

Ad far as the AMCA is concerned - no investment has been made in it as of now - the first priority still stands to be the LCA Mark II.

 

[sancho]

then what was the point of investing too much in Tejas and AMCA after all...just for R&D ??

R&D and the replacement of different aircrafts, IAF is far larger than PAF and has to replace more fighters. LCA for Mig 21s, AMCA in future for Jags, possibly even for MKIs. But the most important part of LCA is the benefit it got Indian aviation industry, to set up the base infrastructure and gain know how and experience.

hmm that's why I m curios that why it was necessary to build tejas... you should have gone in making a jet like su-30mki

The one has nothing to do with the other, since they are not meant for the same roles, let alone the same performance range.

 

[wiseone2]

I have heard by many Indians that HAL Tejas is better than JF17, if it is so then why don't you replace your fleet of JAGs and 2000 with Tejas like we are about to replace every mirage with jf17 ??

Tejas is a light fighter unproven in combat. JAGS are ground attack aircraft. Mirage-2000s are multi-role fighter aircraft proven in combat.

then what was the point of investing too much in Tejas and AMCA after all...just for R&D ??


hmm that's why I m curios that why it was necessary to build tejas... you should have gone in making a jet like su-30mki



BEST of luck for that

You cannot build a su-30 mki without knowing what to do. The LCA is the foundation.