If they send the Raptor, then the USAF can prove the stealth concept. I mean wasn’t that the selling point, doing CAP’s without caring about airdefense ?:diablo:

Correct. And I wouldn’t count on them either, if rumors of Omani interest in the Jets are true.

F-35 is a fast jet isn’t it ?

At the moment it is a paper jet. Let’s wait and see if the UK can afford to buy and sustain a mainingful number.

From German perspective I think Deci could be a good base for operations, too. Looking forward to nice pictures of Phoons over the Lybian desert.

Well, the other day I’ve been reading this:
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/navy_to_buy_new_aircraft_1_2437696

Then I thought didn’t they just pay a healthy amount of money to scrap factory new MPA’s ?

Jaguar and Mig 27 are mainly strike aircraft.Not CAS.Of which IAF has >200.The MKI is also tasked with strike besides air superiority.Previously IAF was criticized of being too strike heavy compared to other types but with the induction of the MKis the disparity has lessened.

Both Jaguar and MiG-27 are hoplessly outdated. ECM and range/payload charcteristics don’t qualify them as strike fighters anymore.

MKI’s are primarily tasked with air superiority and naval strike with Brahmos.

M2K’s will be quite decent strikers after their upgrade, but are relatively few in numbers.

What is totally lacking in the Indian inventory are dedicated ECM/SEAD birds.

I think it is not necessary to discuss the merits of each platform anymore. We already did this ad nauseum.

Let us just discuss which capabilities should be highter weighted then others.

I nominate deep strike and ECM as most useful capabilities.

With the available informations at hand, this clearly favours 2 aircraft, if we disqualify the F-16 IN for it’s lacking development potential.

So what?

BAe will try to sell anything to anyone who might be persuaded to pay for it. Doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. The British government (rightly) thought it was too expensive & too big a risk. If I was in charge of Indian procurement, I’d agree with it & tell BAe to sod off.

If you really want to navalise a land-based fighter, pick a different one. Gripen would be a much better bet.

Just out of couriosity: what are the reasons you think the Gripen ist better suited ? The take off distances are pretty similar for both aircraft.
Better low speed handling thanks to close coupled canards ?

Edit: do you have numbers for the stall speed of both aircraft ? My Google-Fu seems to be weak today.

Nethertheless BAe Systems offers now a Sea Typhoon to India…