India's Fighter Jet Dilemma: Why the Air Force Says 'We Need Both Pilots AND Drones'

The Indian Air Force is at a crossroads. They've got fancy new drones and plans for even more high-tech unmanned planes in the works. But here's the thing: they're saying those unmanned fighters can't do it all. India, they explain, needs a full fleet of old-school, pilot-flown fighter jets... 42 squadrons of 'em, to be exact!

Why all the fuss? It's about India's neighbors. With countries like China and Pakistan constantly upgrading their own air forces, India feels the pressure to be ready for anything – even a potential war on two fronts at once.

Drones: The Cool New Kid, But...​

Sure, those unmanned planes are super helpful. They can spy on enemies, keep a watchful eye on borders, and, sometimes, even launch an attack. But India's Air Force brass says pilots are irreplaceable when things get really intense.

Think of it like this: a pilot in the cockpit can make split-second decisions, change plans if the situation goes sideways, and pull off crazy maneuvers that might give India the edge in a dogfight.

The Enemy Factor​

Here's another wrinkle: China and Pakistan are also buying up these unmanned fighters. India doesn't want to get left behind in the drone race. But they also don't want to fall behind in the "classic" fighter jet game either. It's a tricky balance!

Drones have their downsides too. They can be hacked, sometimes can't quite think for themselves when missions get complicated, and they need a lot of people back at base keeping them connected and running smoothly.

The Bottom Line​

India's Air Force is saying "yes" to progress, but also "no" to putting all their eggs in the drone basket. Balancing pilots and unmanned planes is the name of the game, all to make sure India's got the airpower it needs to handle whatever comes its way. The future of air combat is going to be a fascinating mix of humans and machines working side-by-side!

 

[Vijigishu ( विजिग्शु )]

They should buy another 2 squadrons of rafale, close the mrfa saga.invest in airforce version of tedbf along with Amca. 4plus gen will be staying for another 40 years.

I used to type the same thing here 2 years ago, but have to say it, MRFA is only viable option to maintain some actual strength in IAF. All other projects of similar caliber are on paper.

 

[Akshat]

To some extent,I agree with your logic but our notorious beaurocracy can hardly be expected to stick with timelines as they have no accountability. This could only happen if some tough taskmaster is made as defence minister. Present incumbent is incapable to do the job .

On the contrary, the incumbent probably has the best record since at least 2000 (don’t know much about DMs before that so can’t comment on them). If you compare sheerly based on hard deliverables, his resume will stand out by miles.

 

[Akshat]

Order 300 Tejas mk2 and cancel phoren maal MRFA...
The delivery timeline will be same anyway
Plus price of 300 mk2<<<<104 rafale
300mk2 ORDER WILL BE DEVIDED 50:50 BETWEEN HAL AND PRIVATE COMAPNY

114 Rafale will cost around 30-35 billion
In 2016 F3 rafale costed us 8 billion euro ~10 billon dollar.
Almost 270 million dollar per F3 Rafale.
Now it's 2024, 8 years of inflation.
And Rafale has new F4 version.
Let's assume the price of F4 Rafale after improvements and inflation 290-320 million per jet
Thus price of 114 jets will cost at least 30-35 billion dollar.
May reach 40 billion due to cost escalation bcz of local production like Su40MKI
Also 300 Tejas mk2 production order would be divided between Hal and private company (Tata or Adani or Mahindra) 50:50. Delivery will complete within 8/9 years if both (Hal n private company) produce 20 jet per year which is very much possible.

How does 8 billion divided by 36 comes to 270 million usd? Wonder which company’s calculator are you using.

HAL hasn’t made 10 Tejas in any given year. After running the line for almost a decade. How do you propose they increase it to 20 annually? Not to mention, production can’t start before 2040 anyways.

 

[shivkumar sinha]

On the contrary, the incumbent probably has the best record since at least 2000 (don’t know much about DMs before that so can’t comment on them). If you compare sheerly based on hard deliverables, his resume will stand out by miles.

I am frustrated with him due to continued lingering on of vital defence projects like MRFA fighters ,AWACS and refuellers, P-75I submarines,P-75 Alfa SSNs ,MALE and HALE armed drones, subsonic & hypersonic cruise missiles. I can't give him more than 2 marks out of 10 . Even if you evaluate entire last 10 years, u will find very dismal performance of defence acquisitions . 6 scorpenes on order from last dispensation, 22+6 Apache ,15 Prachand , 36 Rafales ,16 LCA Tejas,4 P-8I and one aircraft carrier vikrant without Deck based fighters. For Bharat,as a whole,these acquisitions in 10 years are zero. Su-30 upgrade is on indefinite mode . Mirage upgrade was without AESA and long range BVRAAM .WE are still flying Mig-21 and Jaguars ,long ago retired by the source country.

 

[kumar]

42 squadrons ok.But 2 squadrons must be 5th gen Jets like F35.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

42 squns are for China and Pakistan . The Defensive outlook and shortage of resources brought down the Squn strength to less than 30 . With a trillion $ of exports and a trillion of imports likely to double by 2030 to over two trillion each , from Continental force the IAF has to expand and reach for global operations with expansion of bases abroad , tankers , Awacs , Space based assets and ground attack aircraft including bombers . The IAF must target 42 squns by 2030 , 50 by 2036 , 60 by 2045 . After AMCA , the country needs to set course and design A heavy weight fighter like SU-57 and a turbofan engine with 100-120 kn dry thrust and almost 190 -200 kn afterburner thrust . Heavy investments are the need of the hour and an Aerospace commission headed by financially empowered professionals both scientists , engineers , Businessmen and officials of Defence psus , Private enterprises , academic institutions , IAF DRDOis the need of the hour to develop technology , within the country and become free by 2045 removing the babus of MOD , Finance from decision making and approvals which has been the bane of this country .

 

[Akshat]

I am frustrated with him due to continued lingering on of vital defence projects like MRFA fighters ,AWACS and refuellers, P-75I submarines,P-75 Alfa SSNs ,MALE and HALE armed drones, subsonic & hypersonic cruise missiles. I can't give him more than 2 marks out of 10 . Even if you evaluate entire last 10 years, u will find very dismal performance of defence acquisitions . 6 scorpenes on order from last dispensation, 22+6 Apache ,15 Prachand , 36 Rafales ,16 LCA Tejas,4 P-8I and one aircraft carrier vikrant without Deck based fighters. For Bharat,as a whole,these acquisitions in 10 years are zero. Su-30 upgrade is on indefinite mode . Mirage upgrade was without AESA and long range BVRAAM .WE are still flying Mig-21 and Jaguars ,long ago retired by the source country.

Mirage upgrade wasn’t during his tenure. And he can’t change things overnight buddy.

Fact is, under his tenure we have started utilizing the entire defense budget for the first time. We even overspent for a couple of years. So he simply has no money to do more than what he has done. This is unlike our past DMs including even Manohar ji.

Also, you can’t blame him for the performance of DPSUs. He can’t change it all in 5 years. But he has already corporatized OFB, increased orders to private companies and made it a rule to give a share of DRDO budget to them. That’s more than what anyone else has done in the past.

You always need comparisons bro. Tell me one DM who has done more than him. You can never compare in absolute terms alone.

 

[Puneet]

Rafale for MRFA can fill the void

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Infact till the time unmanned warfare is perfected, IAF should look for more squadrons than 42. However given the present scenario for next 15 years even achieving 42 would be difficult.

 

[Pink Panther]

They should buy another 2 squadrons of rafale, close the mrfa saga.invest in airforce version of tedbf along with Amca. 4plus gen will be staying for another 40 years.

But we have to wait for 10-15 years before we can get the 2 squadron’s due to the heavy backlog Dassault has currently, so it is really not worth waiting that long, it’s better we focus on local jets MK2 and AMCA, we can definitely make them before we get our first Rafale’s, it would be better to go for a few 5th gen foreign fighters instead of Rafale, 62 Rafale’s that we have are plenty.

 

[Pink Panther]

Mass production of Tejas variants is the only option to achieve them . MRFA should be abondoned after an order of 36 additional Rafales on urgent basis.

We can’t get 36 Rafale’s urgently, they have 300 order backlog, it will take 10-15 years to get our Rafale’s even if we order tomorrow, so it is not worth waiting that long, we need to get 36 squadrons from different Country if we want them immediately, in-fact for the price of 36 Rafales we could get 72-75 aircrafts also.

 

[Pink Panther]

I am in favour of reducing HAL's role in producing all aircrafts including Tejas gradually to zero and unlike some posters, I think Bharat can easily afford $25-30 billions for MRFA without endangering acquisitions of indigenous fighters . I downgrade necessity of MRFA due to other reasons. MRFA will not result in any significant transfer of technology. Potential air war against PLA will not allow both sides to send 4th generation fighters to cross the borders due to presence of dense air defence environment except to be used to fire stand off and long range missiles,CATS hunters .Those operations can be efficiently handled by our home grown fighters and upgraded Su -30 s . Next war with china will be protracted for months .This will require huge volume of munitions,spares that can only be handled through indigenous productions . A limited squadrons of Rafales will be useful in SEAD and DEAD operations across LAC.

For $25-$30Bln, we can’t get 114 Rafales, that is GOI’s main problem, also GOI doesn’t have 15 years to wait, WW3 is brewing already, so it would be better to cancel MRFA and focus on MK2, if there is a delay on MK2, then we can consider buying cheapest 4th gen fighters or even 5th gen fighters from different Country.

 

[Pink Panther]

How does 8 billion divided by 36 comes to 270 million usd? Wonder which company’s calculator are you using.

HAL hasn’t made 10 Tejas in any given year. After running the line for almost a decade. How do you propose they increase it to 20 annually? Not to mention, production can’t start before 2040 anyways.

Better than Dassault making 6-8/year.

 

[Pink Panther]

Rafale for MRFA can fill the void

We don’t have $40Bln or can wait for 15 years to get Rafale, time is essence here, WW3 is brewing, by that time 4th gen tech will reach it’s obsolence.

 

[Philippe Picard]

Better than Dassault making 6-8/year.

Really? Dassault making 6-8/year? Keep repeating a lie becomes the truth?

 

[Philippe Picard]

We don’t have $40Bln or can wait for 15 years to get Rafale, time is essence here, WW3 is brewing, by that time 4th gen tech will reach it’s obsolence.

Better off with F-21? Rafale will fly until 2070, long after you became senile (maybe you are already senile)...

 

[desigandu]

Long term problems must be addressed even if they take time - second player in fighters besides HAL + either local assembly of GE 404s or acceleration of Kaveri 2 to meet the requirements + high thrust engine with local capability; these problems will not be solved with just HAL, DRDO thus either needs foreign JVs and also a private player step in…no private player will take huge risks unless heavily backstopped by GOI, which should be done…say Tatas givens blank check by GOI to setup assembly, TOT of MRFA within 4 years of contact signing so first aircraft rolls out by 2030; same with engines where a JV with GE will produce GE 404 with the assembly line moving to India within 3 years of contract signing; but we must be realistic, practicle and look for solution…highest capability and lowest cost are impossible together, so we have to make tough choices now and be willing to spend money, a lot that is in short supply, thus we need trade offs…

 

[Pad UwU]

Better buy alternative Tejas mk1a production is farce and slow... Mk2 is still faraway dream... AMCA is just story without a proof of working prototype. Rafale has tons of backlog order... GE is just reasoning an excuses for slow production for f404, better to go license manufacturing instead than waiting too long
Other candidates for MRFA would be

• F16viper
• Gripen e/f
• Eurotyphoon tranche 4/5
• F15ex strike eagle
• Su57 new version with serrated/flat nozzle
• Or go with SK kf21 Boramae mk1

Stop fantasizing f35 US government won't allow it because we don't have advance technology infrastructure and the reason of ownership of s400

World war 3 is brewing faster, look at the new financial aid of Ukraine.... The military build up of west especially US in ASEAN REGION for defending Philippines and Taiwan against Chinese aggression... Don't forget the Israeli genocide of Palestinian people to wipe out terrorist Hamas.... Iraq Iran cooperation against Israel... Imagine if Pakistan involved todin development of Iran nuclear weapon that would be hilarious🙃😹

 

[Pink Panther]

Better off with F-21? Rafale will fly until 2070, long after you became senile (maybe you are already senile)...

Of Course especially when hearing the price of your Rafale, everybody will become senile, I am surprised that you are not already, also we can’t get Rafale before all here become senile including you even if we order next second

 

[JK]

Really? Dassault making 6-8/year? Keep repeating a lie becomes the truth?

We received 36 in 6 years even when no Country in the entire World other than us and France ordered them, now there are 300 order backlog, just yesterday Croatia ordered 6 of them, so the backlog is 306 and counting, how long do you think it will take France to make 306?