Really didn't want to bother but since we are here, let's discuss with the case about the dwindling squadron in IAF.
https://iafhistory.in/2023/07/09/iafs-combat-fleet-the-80-year-journey-to-42-squadrons/ for context refer to this, i am not getting into the specifics.
TLDR; IAF is way under the their target strength of 42squadrons - as laid out almost 4 decades back.
They are tending to now 29 squadrons post Mig 21 retirements from 31 currently.
For reference, PAF has 26 squadrons, PLAAF has 66 - i don't have exact details how many of these are stationed in western theatre but rest assured they have enough production to outcompete both in quality and quantity against IAF/India.
For decades, IAF has chased one silver bullet after another, spent 2 decades for illusionary silver bullet in the name of MMRCA. Eventually they got 36 rafales as sort of emergency g2g purchase but due to politics etc. government didn't proceed with the next set of orders. There are reports that dassault even failed to integrate some packages as requested by IAF with almost 9 years passed.
There was indigenous program Tejas, which was penned in ultimate constraints by IAF to ensure that they have a chance at imports. Despite its first flight in 2001, IOC around 2011-14 and FOC in 2019. During this process IAF / MoD had only granted piecewise order of mere 20 + 20 for IOC and FOC respectively.
Eventually 3 years delay for mk1a due to price negotiations mostly. Eventually tejas had order of 97 mk1a but the delay lead to the closure of GE404, powerplant used for Tejas mk1a, and due to covid and other geopolitical reasons the production of engines is slow which in turn is major bottleneck for production of tejas mk1a. Currently GE aims to deliver 2 engines per month eventually 20 engines per year.
Recent news was that MoD has given order of additional 97 more mk1a, 40 of which was twin seaters trainer - possible hint at CATS type system utilization. So HAL is negotiating with GE again for new set of 150 engines or so, with higher delivery rate.
This is one state of what's happening, MMRCA is still around and IAF veterans and shills every day are pushing propaganda points to import of $30 bn usd.
Tejas orders are now 40 + 97 + 97 covering tejas mk1 (IOC + FOC) + Tejas mk1a.
Tejas mk2 first flight is aimed at next year or maybe early 2027. Goal is for additional 200 orders based off snippet from ANI.
Another thing which is happening is our pursuit for 5th gen jets, rumors of pakistan getting hands on J35 riled up the defense fans and who started clowning the boastful veterans about their failures - rightfully so.
Rumors of india reviewing option of Su57, we were part of JV with Russia under project FGFA where we shelled out 300mn usd but eventually backed off because russians were very uncooperative where they just wanted our money nothing else. Things have changed a lot but many things remain the same, russia stuck in war with ukraine, needing new set of funds to revive their production - india needing a stopgap until AMCA arives by 2035 or so. There's a chance for it.
All this is happening but not my point of the thread, just basic contexts etc. on what's happening.
IAF has reasons to be critical at HAL who have missed deadlines upon deadlines but we also can't blame the obsession of IAF with silver bullet instead of being part of the iterative development process and being part of the system. Veterans are not helping the case with their clearly biased and many a times dehumanization of the critics.
Amidst all of this, i just feel sad that none of the people are trying to think beyond the box. We have an engine which is capable of 40kN of thrust, kaveri, despite the call of atmanirbharata DRDO, (GTRE) have been starved off the funds for FTB (Flight test beds)s, other infra.
Despite the call - there's been not serious effort to mate kaveri with existing aircrafts and see the performance. Though now we are seeing rumors of tejas with kaveri, but atleast 3 years away in most optimistic manner and it will still not have enough thrust.
But there is an alternative, UCAV powered by Kaveri dry version. This is exactly the solution for IAF's dwindling squadron strength. System like CATS should be priority not anything else.
In the era where it's case of BVRs, barely any dogfights and despite the showcases of chinese PLAAF we are still ignoring the UCAV development.
A ucav like Ghatak can be stealthier, avoids the human risk, using indigenous engine and can be perfect for creating a great kill chain. And best it can be mass produced.
The fact that there's been no movement over this is saddening because you have the engines, you have the infra, you just gotta pour money into it and get started. Spam 200 of these enough to cover length and breadth against atleast western counterparts.
Ideally IAF should be thinking about this, funnier thing is that even Indian Navy has shown more interest and working with likes of Newspace India when it comes to UCAV/UAVs while IAF is stuck at the same clock of $30 bn usd worth of imports.
So there it is. We should be mass producing kaveri engine, ghatak ucavs, mating them with all sorts of projects.
Apart from that following armaments need priority
>a2g version of Pinaka - instead of importing likes of rampage from israel
>higher range and different payloads of SAAW
>production of Rudram anti radiation missiles
>speeding up Astra mk2 production
All sorts of small ammunitions but that can be easily taken care by Adani defense. They should only be allowed to either do jv with drdo or produce ammunition. Rebadging of israeli drones should be banned.
IAF's dwindling squadron strength
Anonymous
loc-IN
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Really didn't want to bother but since we are here, let's discuss with the case about the dwindling squadron in IAF.
https://iafhistory.in/2023/07/09/iafs-combat-fleet-the-80-year-journey-to-42-squadrons/ for context refer to this, i am not getting into the specifics.
TLDR; IAF is way under the their target strength of 42squadrons - as laid out almost 4 decades back.
They are tending to now 29 squadrons post Mig 21 retirements from 31 currently.
For reference, PAF has 26 squadrons, PLAAF has 66 - i don't have exact details how many of these are stationed in western theatre but rest assured they have enough production to outcompete both in quality and quantity against IAF/India.
For decades, IAF has chased one silver bullet after another, spent 2 decades for illusionary silver bullet in the name of MMRCA. Eventually they got 36 rafales as sort of emergency g2g purchase but due to politics etc. government didn't proceed with the next set of orders. There are reports that dassault even failed to integrate some packages as requested by IAF with almost 9 years passed.
There was indigenous program Tejas, which was penned in ultimate constraints by IAF to ensure that they have a chance at imports. Despite its first flight in 2001, IOC around 2011-14 and FOC in 2019. During this process IAF / MoD had only granted piecewise order of mere 20 + 20 for IOC and FOC respectively.
Eventually 3 years delay for mk1a due to price negotiations mostly. Eventually tejas had order of 97 mk1a but the delay lead to the closure of GE404, powerplant used for Tejas mk1a, and due to covid and other geopolitical reasons the production of engines is slow which in turn is major bottleneck for production of tejas mk1a. Currently GE aims to deliver 2 engines per month eventually 20 engines per year.
Recent news was that MoD has given order of additional 97 more mk1a, 40 of which was twin seaters trainer - possible hint at CATS type system utilization. So HAL is negotiating with GE again for new set of 150 engines or so, with higher delivery rate.
This is one state of what's happening, MMRCA is still around and IAF veterans and shills every day are pushing propaganda points to import of $30 bn usd.
Tejas orders are now 40 + 97 + 97 covering tejas mk1 (IOC + FOC) + Tejas mk1a.
Tejas mk2 first flight is aimed at next year or maybe early 2027. Goal is for additional 200 orders based off snippet from ANI.
Another thing which is happening is our pursuit for 5th gen jets, rumors of pakistan getting hands on J35 riled up the defense fans and who started clowning the boastful veterans about their failures - rightfully so.
Rumors of india reviewing option of Su57, we were part of JV with Russia under project FGFA where we shelled out 300mn usd but eventually backed off because russians were very uncooperative where they just wanted our money nothing else. Things have changed a lot but many things remain the same, russia stuck in war with ukraine, needing new set of funds to revive their production - india needing a stopgap until AMCA arives by 2035 or so. There's a chance for it.
All this is happening but not my point of the thread, just basic contexts etc. on what's happening.
IAF has reasons to be critical at HAL who have missed deadlines upon deadlines but we also can't blame the obsession of IAF with silver bullet instead of being part of the iterative development process and being part of the system. Veterans are not helping the case with their clearly biased and many a times dehumanization of the critics.
Amidst all of this, i just feel sad that none of the people are trying to think beyond the box. We have an engine which is capable of 40kN of thrust, kaveri, despite the call of atmanirbharata DRDO, (GTRE) have been starved off the funds for FTB (Flight test beds)s, other infra.
Despite the call - there's been not serious effort to mate kaveri with existing aircrafts and see the performance. Though now we are seeing rumors of tejas with kaveri, but atleast 3 years away in most optimistic manner and it will still not have enough thrust.
But there is an alternative, UCAV powered by Kaveri dry version. This is exactly the solution for IAF's dwindling squadron strength. System like CATS should be priority not anything else.
In the era where it's case of BVRs, barely any dogfights and despite the showcases of chinese PLAAF we are still ignoring the UCAV development.
A ucav like Ghatak can be stealthier, avoids the human risk, using indigenous engine and can be perfect for creating a great kill chain. And best it can be mass produced.
The fact that there's been no movement over this is saddening because you have the engines, you have the infra, you just gotta pour money into it and get started. Spam 200 of these enough to cover length and breadth against atleast western counterparts.
Ideally IAF should be thinking about this, funnier thing is that even Indian Navy has shown more interest and working with likes of Newspace India when it comes to UCAV/UAVs while IAF is stuck at the same clock of $30 bn usd worth of imports.
So there it is. We should be mass producing kaveri engine, ghatak ucavs, mating them with all sorts of projects.
Apart from that following armaments need priority
>a2g version of Pinaka - instead of importing likes of rampage from israel
>higher range and different payloads of SAAW
>production of Rudram anti radiation missiles
>speeding up Astra mk2 production
All sorts of small ammunitions but that can be easily taken care by Adani defense. They should only be allowed to either do jv with drdo or produce ammunition. Rebadging of israeli drones should be banned.
