http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-needs-about-200-250-rafales-to-maintain-edge-outgoing-iaf-chief-arup-raha-4448992/

Actual quote from Air Chief Marshall posted by Aditya_V on BRF, which make more sense … of course everyone make it 250 Rafael, LCA, Typhoons, F-18/16, F-31, J-17 or F-22

Raha said a void has been created in the past because of obsolescence and many of the squadrons will be past their use-by date.

“We have already used them for four decades plus. It is time to retire them and get new aircraft,” he said adding this void has to be filled up quickly and 36 Rafale aircraft “will not do as we require much more”.

” Over the next 10 years, we must have 200-250 aircraft. It has to be balanced out. In the heavy weight spectrum, we have enough. But in the medium weight category, we need to have more. Yes, about 200 will be very good,” he said.

Why the hell, China have to release always pixels instead of photos?? Better delay the pictures and/or don’t release at all if you don’t have the gutsto publish good quality/decent photos.

And other people must be having lots of spare time to stare at these pixels and kill their time to prove subject experts 🙁

Mirage 2000 is one of bench mark fighter for India. Regarding others fighters because those are offered to complement LCA. So I don’t see a big issue with this. Even F-16 is about to close production line, that’s why its production line is offered to India. Lets not say much about Gripen.

Having RFI for another single engine fighter is not equal to LCA is not good. Which some people here trying to make.

Everyone is free to make stories …. so keep going 😉

I might love to have 1-2 RR cars but that does not mean I will buy 10s. If we wanted to buy much more why we would cancel the tender for 126 and go for 36? Lets have few in our hands then can make educated decision plus there will be other new options in next 3-5 years.

We are like that only… Mig-21 were kept ready as backup along with some helicopters. Even when we have more capable fighters, nothing beats these machines. Who will have thought this ???

^^
Why not name it PAK FA and done with super Su-30. At least we will keep the existing fighter planes in service and get at least 50% new 5th gen air frames.

Update oldest few Su-30 with local technology created for LCA (oxygen on board, hot refuelling, pressurised refuelling, carbon materials) and technologies which we are working for LCA/AMCA (Uttam AESA radar, Digital panels and digital mission computers etc etc). Whatever works, fix it on any plane which comes for mid life/major upgrade. Existing Su-30Mki can defeat/hold on any other 4th gen fighter.

Just a after thought …we are also working in parallel on AMCA. Number and time line wise, we will not be able meet J-20. But then that is never intended by India, if India has issues with pakistan. China has its own issues with tiwan, japan, vietnam, Indiq, Russia and USA. So they can not concentrate their whole strength at one place, if other nations play the game spolier for China, they will be in deep sh*t and running pole to pole. So at the end it is not a zero sum game between India vs China or China vs USA.

I think everyone is missing the point … why India should buy a 4+ gen fighter when our adversaries (e.g. China and passing to its extended states) will start having 5 gen in next 5-10 years. It is worth to hold on for some more time, PAKFA and F-35 will see the operational service within next 5 years. Depending upon the political and performance situation, it will make sense to buy 1-3 sq off the shelf with rest manufactured in India.

LCA is a clear winner during next 10 years, no matter how HAL, IAF and MoD supports (or dis-owns) it. Rafale is becoming a loser in India with each passing day. On top, Rafale delivery and induction timeline is far fetched. Lets not talk about extended orders :rolleyes: