Nikhil T wrote:With due respect Rakesh saar, I think you're misinterpreting the Air Chief's remarks. Here's what he said, based on the link you shared:
1. Air Chief: "In the Balakot operation, we had technology on our side, and we could launch precision stand of weapons with great accuracy"
-> Translation - M2Ks were sufficient to break the door and sneak past Paki air defences.
2. Air Chief: "In the subsequent engagements, we came out better because we upgraded our MiG-21 Bisons, and Mirage-2000 aircraft. The results would have been further skewed in our favour had we inducted the Rafale aircraft in time."
-> Translation - The un-upgraded M2Ks and Bisons were able to hold off the numerically superior PAF air strike package. As further validation, last week he commented in the India Today conclave that he didn't believe that PAF had night strike capability (which is why they came in the morning) and he didn't believe they missed on purpose (our air defences engaged them, forcing them to drop in haste). When he says the results be skewed in our favor if we had Rafales, he means if Rafale were flying CAP instead of MiG-21s.
Saar, when I am referring to breaking down the door...I am talking about an enemy that has its entire defence system fully alert and active. That was not the case with Pakistan on Feb 26th. It was business as usual for them. They never expected the strike. Breaking down the door is taking out the enemy's SAM systems, their air assets (if any present) and other systems that would be used to guard the airspace at a given point in time. What the Rafale does is breaking down that door with the alert enemy having very little to no reaction time. The Spectra EW suite uses active cancellation.
French fighter jets - 'undetected' by Russian radar - take off for Syrian bombing
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/94 ... us-strikes
In a shock development, it also appears that the French fighter jets involved in the strikes went undetected by the radar of Russian air defence systems since the Russian General Staff claimed that only British and American missiles had been detected.
In Balakot, the Mirage 2000s had to cross the Line of Control, enter PoK airspace and drop the Spice bombs.
Exclusive: 'We Didn't Miss' - Air Force Pilots Who Flew Balakot Mission
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/balakot ... ve-2058547
One of the pilots said he had flown approximately eight kilometres across the line of control to get into a position to fire the Spice bomb.
With the Rafale, it would have been different. There is no need to cross the LoC. Launch the weapon (i.e. SCALP) from your own airspace and the weapon will do the rest. So when the Air Chief is talking about the results being further skewed in the IAF's favour, he is referring to the capability on the Rafale that is presently not there on any of the other IAF fighters.
Secondly, with regards to CAP. The Meteor on the Rafale outranges the AIM-120C-5. The PAF would have a challenging time to get a lock on any of the IAF fighters if the Rafales were on CAP duty. Again, the results would have been further skewed in the IAF's favour. There would have been no IAF losses that day.
Nikhil T wrote:Back to your point about breaking-the-door in a Balakot style strike, I'm not able to understand why 50 x upgraded M2Ks and 36 x Rafales (i.e. total 86 a/c or 5 squadrons of cutting edge 4th gen aircraft) would be insufficient for this purpose.
What happens post 2032, when the upgraded Mirage 2000s retire? In 2032, the Mirage 2000Is will be 47 years old. The 86 Mirage 2000Is and Rafales will reduce in strength to just 36 Rafales. So more than 36 is required. Otherwise this whole exercise of getting just 36 Rafales is a waste of money. But do not take my word for it.
Just look at the senior IAF leadership who is clamouring for additional Rafales. They have made the investment at two airbases to house two squadrons each. So two additional Rafale squadrons make perfect sense.
Nikhil T wrote:This apart from
1. The planned induction of Rs. 45,000 crore S-400 which would provide air defence envelope over Pakjab/Sindh and engage any PAF 3rd gen or 4th gen aircraft that would be foolish to interfere with a technologically superior IAF strike package.
2. The planned MKI upgrade - which again I'm not sure why it wouldn't include the "break-the-door" capabilities on at least some of the 272+ jets?
With regards to Point #2, do we know what capabilities are coming with the Super Sukhoi upgrade? I know of BrahMos-A which has an advertised claim of 300 km. But not sure if it is cost effective to use BrahMos-A against every target (i.e. JeM camp). What other stand-off weapons are available with the Super Sukhoi upgrade? What other stand-off weapons are available in the present Rambha fleet?