The IAF originally wanted the Mirage 2000-5 and what growth potential did it have ? The F 16 is comparable to the Mirage 2000 in many respects and will be suitable for the Job.

And Exactly what do you mean by growth potential ? The Rafales growth Potential essentially includes AESA radars, HMS etc, all of which the F 16/18 already has. Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen are all 4th Gen aircraft, so no matter how much they grow they will not have stealth and other fifth gen features.

As for the avionics and equipment, with a large order I am sure the F 16 still has a lot of growth potential. If it indeed wins the MRCA order, chances are that India will have more F 16s than the French have their Rafales.

Link fixed

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BsHSIxvmXcs&feature=channel_page

Looking good and futuristic 🙂

No i didn’t mean that we need fighter with operational experience but should try to avoid the platform if enemy has some good experience operating it, provided it not the best or the most capable platform being offered. If we are looking at cost as a priority then Gripen is even cheaper.

Chinese have been operating the Su 27s/30s before we got ours. It did not matter much did it ? 🙂

Are the IAF PHALCONs equipped with in-flight refuelling capability?

Yes see the images in the previous pages.

Dionis, You said this

The Tu-142M can carry a larger payload and carry far larger sensors. A Boeing 737 mod just doesn’t cut it.

Then why is India buying P 8As instead of upgrading its fleet of Tu-142Ms :confused:

Political decision ?

if Gripen goes out, there is only one single engined fighter, so why the need to have years of evaluation and competition.

To appear as being fair 🙂

what about future of F-16. almost every F-16 user will replace it with F-35 in the next decade, and at the same time we are going to induct new F-16s. if we start inducting them at say 2014, then where will it be during 2040?. we should be looking at a fighter which is going to stay for long time to come. Since we cannot go for F-35, the main competition is mainly between Typhoon/Rafale/SH.

how can it be detterent value against PAF which has operating same fighter for more than 25 years.

The major players in the region are going to operate 4th gen aircraft for the foreseeable future. There is a lot of difference between a brand new F 16 and the ones that are getting replaced at the moment. IAF clearly stated that the MRCA will be operational only till 2040. I would assume that the initial batches would be replaced with F 35s (PAK FA, MCAs) way before that. You also have to remember that the IAF initially wanted Mirage 2000s, which would have similarly been out dated by 2040. The difference between all these fourth gen aircraft are nominal, almost all of them come with reduced frontal stealth and EW suites. So for me it do not make more sense to pay for something like a Rafale, or Typhoon, save the money, buy the F 16 and use the money thus saved for a future fifth gen upgrade.

That is exactly why it would be of good deterrent value. The F 16s are the cream crop of the PAF. Now if we get 126-200 F 16s of a latest block that would really be a big psychological edge. As for the training as I have mentioned before DACT exercises between our Su 30s and F 16s would give vital a2a experience for our pilots against the Chinese Su 30s as well as the Pakistani F 16s.

The Chinese still rely on their Bulk of J7s. Which shows that even if the aircraft design is a bit old, new airframes with latest upgrades produced in large numbers are very capable. 🙂

Isn’t the LCA suppose to replace the Mig-21’s. With the MMRCA replacing the Mig-27’s and Jaguars………..If, that is the case seems like the tactical two seat F-16’s maybe a better options. Especially, if the F-16’s are to be equipped with CFT’s……..just thinking outloud?

The realistic goals about the IOC of MK2 LCA should start from 2014-15 at the earliest. And most of the Non Bison Mig 21s are being phased out from this year. The Mig 23s are already retired, one would assume that the Bisons as well as the upgraded Jag and Mig 27 fleet will serve till significant number of the MMRCA as well as LCA are inducted. Hence i believe the initial orders will be more single seaters, and the later ones more double seaters. I personally favour single seaters, get the other guy in another plane so to speak :).

Like I said with the Mk2s and Mig 29s due to retirement after that, there are plenty of orders to go around for the LCA and MRCA.

It would be interesting to see how many PAK FAs will be inducted, whether India will follow the U.S style with the raptor and order only in small numbers compared to the rest of the fleet or will it go for mass induction.