Best thing the UK Government can do now is to exit the F-35 and fund a new VTOL aircraft with companies in the UK taking part. We have until the new carriers come on line. Give UK manufacturing some pounds to build some aircraft (and yes i know UK gets work from the JSF project too).

although not the wisest spend, it would help the UK manufacturing sector and act as a usefull bail out!

Really do not understand why people keep brining the LCA into the mix when the Gripen is mentioned, the LCA comes no where near the capabilities of the Gripen NG or the gripen D.

LCA is a good development program and something to keep the Indian aerospace industry in the some form of learning exercise, it is not comparible to a full blown comercial aircraft with the unique selling points such as gripen.

As Quadbike (i think) has already said, and as something I have said in other posts, in the event of a confrontation…IAF will first and foremost loose all those wonderfull Su-30MKI’s parked so nice and close and within spitting distance of the 2nd artillary command.

India wont / cant afford to play an offensive game, only way is for it to set up good air defence and play on home turf using fighters that can be launched from derilict/unmade runways.

Gripen NG is the only decent choice for the IAF. It cant hope to take on the PLAAF in direct combat and out gun it or make itself and India bankrupt in trying to have a arms race with China. Only way to go is assymetric capability.

MMRCA makes sense now with only the Gripen as a choice, India do not need tech transfer if the SU-30MKIs get AESA radar and also the PAK FA. They need a capable fighter to build up sqaudron strength and one that can operate from roads etc..

It seems to me that Gripen makes sense only in the context of an “all in” strategic partnership between Sweden and India for future development of LCA, Gripen and AMCA.

India gets Sweden’s expertise and a partner that it can, frankly, push around a bit. Sweden gets India’s money and a chance to stay in the game post 2020.

SAAB is not in a state to be pushed around by anyone, it would be very foolish for HAL/DRDO to think it could do that. SAAB should be treated with the respect it deserves…

SAAB does not need to stay in the game post 2020, SAAB and Sweeden have managed to stay very relevent without HAL/India or IAF’s help.

hope that with the IAF getting the AESA radar on the SU-30mki it will take the pressure of the MMRCA contendor to have a top aircraft with an AESA radar, it can choose gripen and by the time the second or third squadron comes into service a Gripen AESA radar might well be easily available!

I did not know rata tata was lobbying for the f/a 18- I think we can forget what technical things the iaf want if this goes the way of the 2g sell off.

Back in the 90s? I remember reading those Jane´s (or was Bill Gunnston?) small books and specially one from the early 80s that was called (IIRC) “Modern and jet fighters of the future” or something. Hope I get a hold of that book again.
IIRC there were pictures of Kfir, Gripen, LCA and a whole bunch of “future” (and at the time modern) fighters that were suppose to be the backbone of the air forces today. I remember the picture of the Gripen was painted in splinter camouflage, just like some Viggens, and it looked so great.

Now here we are, 30 years later….

Edit… Damn we are getting old…

Yeah 90s this was when the LCA started to get public attention, I was in the first year of school and the angle of attack and level of Gs of the LCA were kind of novel.

http://www.sify.com/news/decision-on-m-mrca-deal-won-t-be-political-antony-news-national-lcjracddbcc.html

Its the kind thing you expect to hear just before they make a political decision to buy a aircraft..

fingers crossed its geniune.