If the a2a of air superiority platform is inferior , that makes it inferior. It doesnt matter if the plane can detect a fighter jet at 200 kms if it cant fire at it.I am not doubting its capabilities, its just not as relatively effective as it was 20 years ago
It has been corrected with addition of astra mk1 and r-77-1.In future astra mk2 and derby ER maybe added if needed.PAF cant really face 260 MKIs in a war,bulk of it will be decimated within 72 hours,though we will take losses.The only aircraft of value is the f-16.The jf-17 current versions are 3rd gen fighters used mostly for number filling and propaganda.Still waiting to see what blk 3 brings.Rest are museum aircraft.
We couldnt escalate the conflict last time due to public pressure to get abhinandan back and the us and arabs got involved in the process,but we are preparing for the next big terror attack .This time we go in with rafales which they can't stop either with aircraft or with their hq-9/hq-16 and use not a penetrator warhead but a HE warhead to collapse the whole structure to leave no doubt.
Then if needed we will escalate.The S-400 will make the PAF awacs unable to operate as they can be targeted from max range (400 km).The new Barak-8 is also being inducted.Tejas is replacing the last migs.MKIS have the new missiles.By 2022 all rafales(end of 2021) and s-400 will be inducted.We are inducting 200 air launched brahmos and 100 SCALP ALCM for standoff strikes other than LGBs and glide bombs like spice.Overall the decade long inertia under UPA government has ended.In 2 years from now we will be dominant position.By 2025 our 1st phase modernization will be complete and there will be nowhere for them to hide.They have already cut down sortie rate due to fuel shortage and tight budgets.Unless they can crash procure and operationalize a 5th gen fighter by 2022,PAF is done for.Its just a matter of when the next big terror attack gets through.Kadi ninda is forgotten past now.Any major terror attack will be responded to by an attack on mainland pak soil.That is new doctrine.And IAF is now lead agency for that,not army.