Possible Future Road Map of IAF

With the Chinese conducting the first flight of J-36 and Pakistan set to acquire J-35, disaster is awaiting India, yet the government & Indian Air Force are still deciding to ignore the indigenous Jet Engine Program we will collapse in the aerospace domain by 2035. Read Below.

Many Reputed Defence Journalists have called for cancellation of Tejas Mk2 and instead jump directly to AMCA, this sounds really absurd & clearly shows the lack of knowledge. The ecosystem MK2 will create will only benefit AMCA, first of all let’s also not pretend that India is such a resource deprived insignificant power that can’t fund AMCA and LCA MK2 in parallel. This is the country that spent $900m on SIX Apaches.

Knowledge is never wasted !!

Tejas MK2 & other similar 4.5 generation infused with advanced technology like Man-Unmanned Teaming (MUMT), GaN based AESA radar & GaN based EW suite equipped fighters like Rafale F5, Eurofighter Tranche IV & F-15 EX, will be mainstay between 2030 to 2055. USA, France & other European Nations are not dumb that they are upgrading their existing 4th Gen platforms.

IAF needs to replace with 140 Jaguars, 60 Mirage & 60 MIG-29 by 2035, simultaneously need to add 13 more squadrons to reach the sanctioned squadron strength of 42 and by year 2035 almost 100-150 SU-30MKI will become 30 years old. The underlying truth is by the next 15 years i.e. we have to build an entire new Air force so as to reach 42 squadrons.

And by the time we reach 42 squadrons strength by 2040-2045, there will be another new problem to counter - the later batch of 150-200 SU-30 MKI'S needed to be retired & should be replaced with a 6th Generation fighter jets.

Tejas MK-2 is a 4.5th Gen Jet & will pave the way towards Stealth AMCA. AMCA is not possible without MK-2. As no J-36 was possible without J-20 & no J-20 without J-10, same case with IAF.

We are not just lagging in the numbers of Fighter jets,
India have 6 AEW&C & AWACS, while the requirement are of 24 aircraft.
India have 6 Mid Air Refuellers while the requirement are of 24 aircraft.
India needs atleast 3 SIGINT/COMJAM Aircraft and 3 ISTAR Aircraft.
We are short of 138 Jet Trainers as per Parliamentary committee on Defence.

The main cause of our setback is the poor and inefficient administration of the Ministry of Defence & the Armed Forces which are tasked for procurement & indigenous development. India need total reform of its administration. Government and Armed forces just can't take 20 years for decision making in every project.

India's options & the road ahead to counter Chinese & Pakistani modernisation efforts

1. SCRAP The MRFA! If we decide to spend billions to import foreign jets, we will not get anything prior to 2029-30. Currently India is setting up the production lines of GaN based T/R modules. In 2028 India will be producing GaN based Radars & EW Suite domestically, how wise it is to induct GaAS based Aircrafts like Rafale F4s in 2030.
2. Show intent & maturity by flying the Kaveri in Tejas flying bed and Ghatak UCAV. Engine providers and tech providers will quickly fall in line when billions of dollars are on the line.
3. Development of indigenous 110KN Jet Engine with a strategic partner country. (Offers from France, UK & USA are in the table)
4. Push Tejas Mk2, TEDBF, ORCA, AMCA with carrot & stick. Fastrack these programs as Strategic projects under direct PMO supervision.
5. In the meantime, to increase IAF squadron numbers, just produce more Su-30 MKIs with the upgrade package of DRDO, use composites in the Airframe construction which was developed for Tejas program. Upgrade them once the Super Sukhoi updates are available.
6. Development of Anti Stealth Radar, Satellite based ISR & ELINT, Project Kusha BMD & every other components of the Airforce integration (Currently under various stages of development & integration).
7. Give major boost to our Hypersonic Missile program and create India's rocket force to pound enemy air bases.

Other options include, the IAF can participate in International exercises such as Red Flag, where other 5th Gen operating countries paticipate, IAF can learn from such countries and formulate new tactics.

Sources: Wikipedia.

Image credits: Shutterstock, Kuntal Biswas.