India's Airforce

[HindustaniLadka]

India has one of the largest and one of the best airforces in the world, but it has been having some problems lately. The IAF's MiG-21 and Jaguar aircraft are getting old and are becoming crash prone because of poor pilot training for these aircraft and becase of technical problems. The IAF has already taken care of the training issue by purchasing more advanced training aircraft, but it still needs to take care of the technical problems buy purchasing new fighters(It has already decided to purchase 126 fighters, but it has not decided which ones to purchase).

I personally feel the IAF should go with the French Mirage or Rafale aircraft as replacements for the MiG-21 since they are combat proven and because France is willing to give India a complete technology transfer and more. Also, India already has experience with French aircraft, so no new training will be needed. As a replacement for the Jaguar fighters, i think India should purchase the Russian Su-34 and give it an MKI upgrade. India has already had a good experience with the Su-30MKI(which is a heavily upgraded version of the Su-37) and the Su-30MKI is the most advanced fighter in service today next to the F-22 raptor...so an Su-34MKI could be very good for the IAF.

Anyway, which aircraft do you think the IAF should choose to replace the MiG-21 and the Jaguar fighters?

[Surya]

If not for the sales of the planes to Pak from the US, India could buy some right now, but now India doesn't wanna get into an arms race with Pak like the US did with Russia. Tough situation.

[HindustaniLadka]

I don't think the US sale will really stop India. India will probably just upgrade more of its aircraft and buy new aircraft without making too mcuh noise. Either way, the US aircraft that Pakistan will be getting are not a threat to India, since India already has superior aircraft. India was able to defeat the f-16s and the f-15s(pakistan is not getting f-15s, but they are far superior to f-16s) in wargames with the US and other countries.

[P_R]

Didn't Condoleezza Rice recently sign an agreement that part of the production processs was going to be in HAL Bangalore ? Also I heard that the new American aircrafts we are going in for are going to have Israeli guidance systems, which would give us a clear advantage in the region ? I know I sound illiterate, informed hubbers please elaborate.

[HindustaniLadka]

I haven't actually heard about hte aircraft being coproduced in Bangalore or about the Israeli upgrades, but they both seem entriely possible since both Russia and France have offered India production rights of certain aircraft and almost all of the aircraft, and even most of the armored vehicles, in the Indian military have been upgraded with Israeli tech.

I personally feel that India should not go for US weapons because the US will basically have control of the Indian airforce(since the IAf will have to get parts, training and equipments from the US) and the US is not very trustworthy. I feel France, Israel and Russia are more trustworthy.

[blahblah]

the US is not very trustworthy. I feel France, Israel and Russia are more trustworthy.

Agreed two hundred percent. -deleted-
And they will suffer in the coming years for their short sighted opportunism.They funded and armed the Taliban,Saddam Hussain,Saudi Arabia and the Pakistanis.Now they are being paid back in their own currency.

India may be forced to by their fighters,but we should never forget that the Americans are not at all trustworthy,and that is a universal sentiment.

There is nothing wrong in depending on nations like France,Russia[which is a foul weather friend] and Israel.

[Rohit]

To me, the question about who can be trusted and who can’t be trusted arises only when there is dependency on others. It is the Indian dependency on countries like France, Russia, UK, US as the established suppliers of advanced military technology and hardware that makes India vulnerable to play in the hands of world’s established military powers.

Israel is relatively a new player in military market. However, the pace at which it has established itself as an innovative force in military technology is exceptional even if one realises the strong US support to Israel.

On the other hand, if one compares the Indian situation with that of the Chinese, the Chinese situation is by far, on a much firmer footing than the Indian situation as far as the dependency on other countries for the supply of critical military hardware is concerned.

So, it is all about the military and political power that a country holds on the world stage. As long as India remains dependent, without establishing itself as a competitive technological and innovative force, the exploitation of its vulnerability would remain unguarded.

[Surya]

I personally feel that India should not go for US weapons because the US will basically have control of the Indian airforce(since the IAf will have to get parts, training and equipments from the US) and the US is not very trustworthy. I feel France, Israel and Russia are more trustworthy.

I feel the exact same way too. But the US basically ownes the war weapon monopoly!! If the US doesn't want to, what are the chances that France or Israel are going be willing to do business? Basically the final word on any legal weponry transactions in the world comes from the US. Directly or indirectly.

[HindustaniLadka]

I personally feel that India should not go for US weapons because the US will basically have control of the Indian airforce(since the IAf will have to get parts, training and equipments from the US) and the US is not very trustworthy. I feel France, Israel and Russia are more trustworthy.

I feel the exact same way too. But the US basically ownes the war weapon monopoly!! If the US doesn't want to, what are the chances that France or Israel are going be willing to do business? Basically the final word on any legal weponry transactions in the world comes from the US. Directly or indirectly.

In the past, France and Israel have ignored the US many times and they have sold very advanced weapons and technology to India. Recently, the US told Israel not ot sell extremly advanced Radar, Missile and Aircraft technology to India, but they did anyway.

[Surya]

Oh that's right! I forgot about that. But doesn't isreal really need US's support badly right now, since the stability in the middle east is getting worse by the day?