Aviation Spearhead:The Future of the Indian Airforce

The aging MIG-21

The Indian Air force is in the process of acquiring some brand-new aviation hardware, to replace it's aging fleet. Through the last few decades, the MIG's have been the backbone of the force. The MIG-21 in particular has been the most profilic, even if it's been marred by criticism for it's high accident rates...even being nicknamed the "Flying Coffin" by the section of the media. It has performed the role of interceptor with elan. It has been supported in this by the formidable MIRAGE-2000 and MIG-29. And the aquisition of the Sukhoi-30 MKI is sure to add to the punch. The MIRAGE, MIG-29 and Su-30MKI are basically air-superirority/multi-role fighters. The ground-attack scenario has been covered by the Jaguars and MIG-27s. The MIG-23(Fighter-Bomber) and MIG-25(Reconaissance) have either been phased out or are in the process if being phased out.

So let us look at what the future holds for the Indian Air Force:

LCA Tejas

The HAL Tejas or Light Combat Aircraft  is a 4^th generation lightweight multi role, tailless and delta winged aircraft being developed by Hindustan Aircraft Limited, using mostly indigenous hardware and technology. The IAF is reported to have a requirement for 200 single-seat and 20 two-seat conversion trainers.The first production variant of the 'Tejas' (LSP-1) flew on June 2008. Tejas completed 1000 Test Flights by January, 2009 with more than 530 hours of in-flight testing. Originally intended to serve as an air superiority aircraft with a secondary "dumb bomb" ground-attack role, the flexibility of this design approach has permitted a variety of guided air-to-surface and anti-shipping weapons to be integrated for more well-rounded multirole and multimission capabilities. The original plan was for the LCA prototype aircraft to be equipped with the General Electric F404-GE-F2J3 afterburning turbofan engine, while the production aircraft would be fitted with the indigenous GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri turbofan being developed in a parallel. Continued development snags with the Kaveri resulted in a 2003 decision to procure the uprated GE F404-IN20 engine for the eight pre-production LSP aircraft

                         It is equipped with  23 mm twin-barrel GSh-23 cannon with 220 rounds of ammunition and 8 hard-points for a variety of ordnance. 

MRCA

(L-R): Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, JAS 39 Gripen and Mikoyan MiG-35.

The Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) RFP caps a process that began in 2001, when the IAF sent out its request for information (RFI) for 126 jets. After delays lasting almost 2 years beyond the planned December 2005 issue date, India’s Ministry of Defence finally announced a formal Request for Proposal on Aug 28/07.
The MRCA is most likely to be a medium-weight aircraft (MTOW of ~24 tons) and will supplement the Sukhoi-30MKI.


Personally, I prefer either the Swedish Gripen or the Russian MIG. The Gripen is an excellent light-weight aircraft which is in service with the Czech, Hungarian and South African airforces too. The MiG-35/MiG-35D exhibits the latest advancements on MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 fighters in combat efficiency enhancement, universality and operational characteristics improvement. The main features of the new design are the fifth-generation information-sighting systems, compatibility with Russian and foreign origin weapons application and an integrated variety of defensive systems to increase combat survivability. The new overall design overtakes the design concepts of the baseline model and enables the new aircraft to conduct full-scale multi-role missions as their western counterparts. Both MIG and Dassault are prepared for full transfer of technology, and will be a better option versus the hesitant and sometimes embargo-imposing Americans.


MCA

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), formerly known as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), is a twin-engined 5th generation stealth multirole fighter being developed by India. It will complement the HAL Tejas, the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and the as yet undecided MRCA in the Indian Air Force.




Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)


India will eventually spend over $25 billion to induct 250 advanced stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). Development is being done by HAL and Sukhoi, and the target is a 30-tonne FGFA "swing-role fighter, with very advanced avionics, stealth to increase survivability, enhanced lethality, 360 degree situational awareness, smart weapons, data-links, high-end mission computers and the like.

All the aircraft are planned to be in service by 2020. Therefore, the future line-up of the IAF will consist of the LCA in air-superiority/interceptor, Sukhoi-30MKI and MCA in the lower rung of the multi-capability mode and FGFA filling in the higher rung.

Courtesy:Wikipedia.com, Janes Review, Bharat Rakhshak