C-295 looks to be the best candidates of the bunch. Lots of users and low price.

You’re way over $3 billion and the spec only requires a maximum of 10 metric tonnes if I heard correct. You would be way over capabity. This is an India bid, you do not over spec.

I don’t see this being a sub-$4 billion program. And they could really end up with nothing in the end.

You can stall an armor column faster with smart clustering munitions, but I get what you’re talking about. The clusters aren’t effective in the right terrains. You need overlap of capability. The AH is still relevant when it operates under barcap, but it isn’t always available either.

The F-35 is not even remotely an A-35. Please dismiss yourself.

The F-35 wil carry external loads better than 4th generation jets do now. And it has much more excess thrust than the F-16, F-15E and F/A-18. And it’s huge improvement in situational awareness make it inherently more survival. These arguments were meted out seven years back. Read the archives.

If you go BAE model, then you must keep a fleet of F-16Ds to prepare the pilots for F-22/F-35.

What people really like about the Hawk – besides price – is that it doesn’t lose energy is most bank turns like similar jets, and it is very smooth to fly. Nobody will mistake the Hawk trainers for an F-16, but it is adequate. The Hawk does allow experience in transonic flight, therefore it is a stepping stone to heavier jets. It would be nice to have FBW.

The whole point of using FBW in trainers is programmable controls to simulate the responses of other aircraft. FBW offers many safety issues when flying on the edge of the flight envelope, but it is not economical to offer it in every trainer. You can push pilot training through spin recovery. There have been plenty of Hawks built that this should be rectified, and perhaps offered in upgrades.