ramana wrote:And what size fleet are we looking at?
13 Su-30MKI squadrons + 2 Rafale squadrons + 4 Tejas Mk1A squadrons + 2 Tejas Mk1 squadrons is all that will remain next decade. That is 21 squadrons. 114 MRFA at 18 aircraft each is 6+ units. That will bring it up to 27 units. No where close to the 42 units that the IAF is looking to achieve.
Three MiG-29UPG squadrons, three Mirage 2000 squadrons and 4 - 5 Jaguar squadrons are active now, but they will all retire in the 2030s. That is ~ 10 squadrons in all. My calculations say an order book of 200 (10 squadrons) as a one-to-one unit replacement. Even with 114 MRFA, the IAF will still be woefully short of units. The Tejas Mk2 is absolutely vital for the IAF, but they are only focused on 114 MRFA and the mythical AMCA.
ramana wrote:Indranil, If we were to say the Tejas Mk2 can replace M2ks, Jaguar, and the Mig-29s how accurate would that be?
Ramana-ji, not IR....but what you are saying is accurate IMVHO. And as per HVT Sir (former Jaguar pilot), the Mk1 already exceeds the Jaguar. See below. The Mk1A will be even better and the Tejas Mk2 will be in another league altogether.
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Tweets below from Group Captain Harsh Vardhan Thakur (Retd) - Test Pilot, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
https://twitter.com/hvtiaf/status/11760 ... 87329?s=20 ---> As it's already a widely acknowledged fact, Jaguar has a significant Radius of Action (RoA).
It's noteworthy that Tejas is even better.
https://twitter.com/hvtiaf/status/11745 ... 03744?s=20 ---> For weapon trials, Tejas goes from Bangalore to Jaisalmer direct. Even Jaguars can't do that. So whatever the combat radius,
it's pretty good.
https://twitter.com/drukkk/status/12202 ... 48640?s=20 ---> Can you throw some light on Tejas low flying ability? Can it take up DPSA role of Jaguar? Is its delta wing versatile enough for Jaguar type, long range, low level flying (with external fuel tanks of course)?
***Answer for above tweet is below***
https://twitter.com/hvtiaf/status/12203 ... 58113?s=20 ---> Yes, I think no problem in that.
Tejas can exceed Jaguars.
https://twitter.com/JaidevJamwal/status ... 71488?s=20 ---> Everything else remaining same, do you think that Tejas can have same effect on target as Jaguar, better or worse?
***Answer for above tweet is below***
https://twitter.com/hvtiaf/status/12205 ... 10560?s=20 ---> Yes.
Same or Better.