Upgraded JH-7AII fighter bomber in service with PLAAF

Update- F-35 fleet struggles with low readiness as key deadline approaches

Indian MoD approves procurement of coastal batteries armed with Brahmos missiles

Right now its all upto the IAF and the results of the Uttam AESA radar’s testing. If it meets the IAF’s expectations in terms of performance, it has a chance, but it is one thing to build a few test samples and another to put it into production. the Elta 2052 is also being integrated so that testing can be carried out and based on the results, a decision will be made and the contract signed with HAL after they settle on a price that is acceptable to both.

Best bet is to order a small number of foreign AESA radars for the first batch of Mk1As. That will give some breathing space for the indigenous Uttam AESA radar to be fully tested and put into serial production.

Remember, there are over 200 Medium Weight Fighter (aka Tejas Mk2) that need to be built for the IAF as well. The MWF was supposed to be the target platform for the Uttam. Now, there is a possibility of the Mk1A also getting the same radar. More economical, better for India since the primary sensor then belongs to India and the IAF has near total control on what can be integrated. Meteor integration then becomes a possibility as well.

R-77 is not planned to be integrated with Tejas. Astra is being integrated as we speak. As per HAL Test Pilot HV Thakur, the range of the Astra is similar to the AIM-120-C5.

Anyway, for the future, a Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet based BVRAAM is in the works. If it pans out (and DRDO is quite sure it will), then the IAF will likely be equipping most of its fighters with that SFDR based BVRAAM.

India expected to sign for more MiG-29s and Su-30MKIs in October

For those Russian posters that may be knowledgeable about the MiG-29 purchase, is the talk centered around the RuAF’s MiG-29 SMT fleet or older MiG-29s that were left un-finished as was being reported earlier? Indian media had earlier reported those as older MiG-29s that were left un-finished and in storage but reportedly in very good condition when inspected by an IAF team. But it was never really confirmed.

From an earlier article

“These fighters were built in the 1980s but never assembled and flown,” an unnamed Indian Air Force officer reportedly told the Indian daily. “Our team visited Russia last month and found the MiG-29 skeletons to be in good condition.”

The individual offered no further details on the state of the aircraft parts, which have been in storage now for at least around 30 years. Beyond the officer saying India had been offered “a good price,” there is no word on how much the Russians want for the unassembled planes or to finish building them to a modern standard.

US approves sale of MH-60R helicopters to South Korean Navy

Second batch of 4 Apache helicopters arrives in India