You do know that the F-35 can go faster than an F-18E carrying just 4 AAMs, don’t you?

I am aware that F-18E/F isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. and F-35 in certain parts of flight envelope in certain loading condition is substantially better.

however an aircraft scheduled on a production line, however uber, can not beat an aircraft that is actually flying.

as far as I know F-15C/D life extension would mean alot of rebuild of basic structure, give it more capability like a new radar, would further means integration issues.
If USAF is just looking for more modern low hour platforms that has more capable electronic capability (namely an AESA radar). now. today. given the cost. then F-18E/F is really the the only alternative.

plus I just want to drill home this Airforce vs Navy Thing.

Oh god no.

they still try to extend the life of original F-15C/Ds?

they are really desperate aren’t they, looking at their potential fighter short falls when they finally realize F-35As aren’t going to be uber-fighter that LM advertised.

Airforce would be betteroff buying F-18E/Fs!

Many here will disagree with this.

India & China has unresolved border issues and have huge conflict of interests, so IMO can never be allies in the foreseeable future (not that I don’t want them to be).

India need to seek all the help it can get to balance its position in the middle of two nuclear powers.

And yes weapon purchases and wider alliance with the United States is one way to go about it.

This is where my comments on Great visionaries applies here.

China and Soviet Union/Russia also had what at one point everyone agrees insurmountable difficulties, order of magnitude more difficult than what I consider mere paltry matters between India and China. They had un-resolved border issues…with the longest border in the world and huge conflict of interest. at one time, 1.5 million soviet soldiers in 100 mech divisions, and 2/3 of china’s military forces were stationed along the sino-soviet border poised to go at each other. Nuclear ICBMs worth couple order magnitude more than india’s nuclear arsenal were pointing at eachother’s cities. Chinese moved entire industries from its industrial north into mountains for the war planning.

and guess what they completely resolved the border issue and Russia is partnering with China on most issues in the world, not to mention some nice securities arrangements in central asia and far-east.

Compare the soviet-chinese situation in 60s-80s to situation between India and China today, this is peanuts. the scale of problem is laughable. and would be a quite a joke if India thinks these difficulties are insurmountable. ( and given that history, you think China would be at least bit concerned with an Indian buildup?)

India need to have some confidence. All the help you need is in yourself.

you have to think what drove Pakistan into China’s arms, or why you can not resolve the border issue with china, instead of falling into these useless traps of useless alliances.

In the Indian public discourse today, don’t see serious foreign policy analysis but instead knee jerking reaction of running into enemies’s enemies and try to buy yourself security at every instances of perceived threats. I don’t see visionaries.

Hotdog hit the nail on the head. except china would likely to dominate in any foreseenable scenario with or without india.

Great strategic visionaries would go pass the current situation and imagine great possibilities, then sets out to make the possibilities the new reality.

as for the Sino-Pakistan Nexus… India has no oneelse to blame except itself. on both front. the knot is in your heart.

I wouldn’t mind the F-35 as a plain friendly FMS deal, no political allusions involved. Just a capability addition with just the added benefit of improving strategic relations with the US and other JSF partners.

Hey, some people actully goes out their way to argue for an independent foreign policy, even if they recognized the fact that their country have no way to make all their weapons.

When “buying weapons improves strategic relations with the US and other JSF partners” becomes actually real, I would question how strong and real are these benefits.

when some one said to you, if you give me $100 to buy this broomstick and we will be friends after you give me $100 for this broomstick. because we all have the same broomstick so we would be friends, and we could help you beat another guy with the broomstick.

how real would you think that friendship is?
or how useful is that broomstick anyways. O_o

Single engine fighters actually some times have lower failure rates higher mtbo number than their twin engine counterparts.
twice the engine twice the chances for failure.

an engine loss regardless on a single or twin engined aircraft is a mission lost.

i.e., as always, thanks for the insightful reply, always a pleasure reading your informative posts 🙂

I think its always been stated that a mixed digital/analogue FBW setup in the JF-17 was used to reduce costs, although as you’ve stated, given the similarity and precedent of the J-10, it wouldn’t have been too difficult and perhaps easier to simply use an all digital system. Perhaps a possible upgrade in future blocks?

Regarding the differential tail, I assumed it meant differential movement of the elevators, but wasn’t entirely sure as it’s quite surprising to see this feature on something “low cost” such as the JF-17.

welcome.
even your grandmothers age J-8/Mig-23 had Elevons/Differential Elevators.

IMO the Arrow-2 deal was denied the green-light because of pressure from the U.S weapons manufacturers, although MTCR may have been used as an excuse.

It makes sense to get something like the THAAD if the procurement can be carried out early, which with only American systems in fray can happen rather fast.

I thought DRDO has their own ABM system based on Prithva?

was just a fishing project??