I think SAMs and UCAVs are the future. If you look at the latest SAMs, they are not only hard to destroy especially how mobile they are, I mean an S-300PMU1 would have a deploy-to-move-to-deploy time of about 2 mins I think it is, it’s ridicilous.

I think MCA can manage at least 4 internal hardpoints to carry something like the size of 1000lb LGBs like JDAM, at least to make it an effective striker.

Yes agreed, and it will need some big internal bays to house some big weapons if it is going to be a striker. On top of that with weapons and all the fuel being carried internally, the MCA will be a very speedy and low RCS aircraft due to it’s low RCS, much like the LCA.

if it’s not going to have internal weapon bays, stealth shaping for low RCS and powerful engines for at least m1.4 loaded with weapons and internal fuel for supercruise then it will be more of a eurocanard. I have a feeling it will be pretty fast and have pretty low RCS but I just hope they will have internal bays.

Well lets not talk about that now, let’s talk about the MCA, this is what this thread is set up for.

How are they planning to actually get the water inside the plane? It would require some big pumps. I’d rather have floatplanes land on water, collect and go.

Indian1973, I thought LCA was going to replace the Mig-23s besides the Mig-21s too. But anyways as it seems in the future
LCA will replace Mig-23s & -21s
Mirage-2000-5s will be added
PAK-FA will probably replace current Mig-29s and M2Ks around 2010-2012
Su-30MKIs and other Flankers will stay past 2020
MCA will replace Mig-27s and Jaguars probably around 2020
And all of these will go past 2020.

Anyways as for the MCA, it seems everything points out it will be a medium(Mig-29, F-18 class), 5th generation twin engined striker mainly with secondary AA capability. But with given Indian past of slowly approving stuff I don’t think MCA has a chance of taking off before 2020, I mean LCA development didn’t come in till something like 1990 or 1989 right? And the development started way back in 1983. Also MCA seems to have not gotten the funding yet, yet the PAK-FA and J-XX have been developing for some 3-4 years now already. I doubt MCA will get funding before 2010.

Yes, Su-39 is probably the best CAS aircraft currently in the World. Much more versatile than A-10, it’s faster, very cheap to buy, very survivable in the battlefield including from Air targets(it can carry R-77) and can perform wide variety of missions besides CAS such as strike with PGMs and many other weapons.