How should India fill the rest of the gap: more Rafales, Su-30s, Tejas, or a new type

I really see the SH in Indian colors. They have the same “appeal” than their Su30,when it comes to makes rounds in the sky, there is a huge possibility of having to sustain a large fleet (US Navy, Canada? and IAF) for the next 30 years and the SH is the best thing to match Chinese jet aside of the 35 and PakFa. And, the golden nuggets, you can expect some Growler to lead and deter without a single shot. With the massive Indian IT sector, I can not see how quickly they would gain front row expertise among the best in the league (US hardware and Indian software).

So, after more Teja, the Super 30 and PakFa, a proven front league design tuned to face exactly their potential opponents at sea, easily sustained through a logistic pack, should do the trick at a reasonable cost for India.
I have written that already but there is even some money to do probably. Not something that would get unnoticed during a general election

Well I think if they were fully committed to the Rafale, they wouldn’t have cut the order at 36 and included a clause stating specifically that the contract doesn’t oblige them to make future purchases and that such purchases would be the result of further discussions if they happen.

That seems like a very distinct clause to allow them to cut things right there.

No, Indians signed an IGA, the conditions for futur purchase are there. Nobody know what it contains. there no option in the contract because the additional purchase are cover with the IGA.

They didn’t do that with Mirage 2000, though. Just a handful of extra Mirage 2000H when the production line was closing.

or they cut the order to make the buy look not too costly (especially as for the first buy you pay also for all the logistics needed to be put in plac to make it work) and later can say “as we have it, it is only logical to increase the numbers”… time will tell

Or maybe the IAF has long terms plans. In which the Mig-29UPG and MK1 will stay in service and will slowly be phased out as more Rafale and/or New MKI and a large MLU’ish program for existing MKI fleet takes place?
Its very tempting to downtalk the IAF future, I have done it my self a few times, but perhaps they do have a good procurement plan after all. You know sinse they are proffecial and we are merly Internet worriors..

Well I think if they were fully committed to the Rafale, they wouldn’t have cut the order at 36 and included a clause stating specifically that the contract doesn’t oblige them to make future purchases and that such purchases would be the result of further discussions if they happen.

That seems like a very distinct clause to allow them to cut things right there.

You wouldn’t think so, but I have a feeling they’re not that organised as regards minimising fighter types.

Or maybe the IAF has long terms plans. In which the Mig-29UPG and MK1 will stay in service and will slowly be phased out as more Rafale and/or New MKI and a large MLU’ish program for existing MKI fleet takes place?
Its very tempting to downtalk the IAF future, I have done it my self a few times, but perhaps they do have a good procurement plan after all. You know sinse they are proffecial and we are merly Internet worriors..

thing is, I doubt they add another type of fighter.

You wouldn’t think so, but I have a feeling they’re not that organised as regards minimising fighter types.

We are like that only… Mig-21 were kept ready as backup along with some helicopters. Even when we have more capable fighters, nothing beats these machines. Who will have thought this ???

Anything but another type…

Rafale M.

Indians are quite unhappy with MiG-29K if i’m not mistaken.

M for mistaken.

The Aviationist » Here’s why the MiG-29 could defeat the best western …
https://theaviationist.com/2015/04/08/mig-29-in-close-air-combat/

Tejas! More Tejas.

What better plane to fill the gaps? Su-30MKI (including Super-30), Rafale and FGFA down the line while LCA filling the gaps.

Any chance of an NLCA variant (with LEVCONs) making its way to IAF?

Do not take crappy news outlet were the sources of it is unofficial Statement from IAF officials..
So yes, you are very much mistaken.

Rafale M.

Indians are quite unhappy with MiG-29K if i’m not mistaken.

thing is, I doubt they add another type of fighter. They have a range of fighters covering pretty much all imaginable types. If they make another order, they’ll most certainly increase a number of what they have already bought, depending on what they perceive as their needs. If it’s light fighters, Tejas, if it’s medium, Rafale, if it’s heavy, SU-30. If it’s navy, it will be between Mig29 and Rafale again

I think it will take a view on what’s available in 5+ years time.

question isnt buying pak-fa.
question is buying MORE of what they originally ordered.

Pakfa will be in addition,

knowing Indian navy also has some need, I don’t see any rational choice other than Rafale.
But military purchase is rarely rational.

Its a done deal. The Pak Fa.

And SU 30sm’s. They have 5th gen avionics already

question isnt buying pak-fa.
question is buying MORE of what they originally ordered.

Even after the Rafale deal, India still doesn’t have enough squadrons to replace all the old aircraft.

how should they approach the next phase of modernization?

Buy more:
Rafales
SU-30MKIs
Tejas
Pak-fa

or yet another new type?
which makes the most sense for a country with a non-sensical arms procurement

Its a done deal. The Pak Fa.

And SU 30sm’s. They have 5th gen avionics already

Even after the Rafale deal, India still doesn’t have enough squadrons to replace all the old aircraft.

how should they approach the next phase of modernization?

Buy more:
Rafales
SU-30MKIs
Tejas
Pak-fa

or yet another new type?
which makes the most sense for a country with a non-sensical arms procurement

SU30: I would say no because then the full MRCA process is a non sense, they run it to avoid purchasing more SU30.
Tejas…: light fighter
Pakfa…: heavy fighter

so what else…. SH18: failed during evaluation.
So Typhoon ?