Philip wrote:During the CW era we were able to get MIGs and T Series MBTs from the Soviets at friendship prices.
One probably need to read up "friendship prices" and its impact on Indian industry in the 90s to really understand the depth of thefriendship. There was a factor of the price that was publicly known and some that wasn't. Later, a fund was created to be used by Russian Industries in the 90s as complete payment. These friendship prices played havoc with Indian industry.
Remember that the West denied us many items like subs (UK) and the Soviets stepped in.
Remember that Nations do not have friends - only interests and these change over time. If one remains locked in forever....! Also remember that Russian Aviation Industry was in a state of collapse in the 90s when India helped sustain them with 1) 100% advance payment of approx. $2 billion (about 5300 crores) without seeing anything in return for almost a decade; 2) Purchase of the crappy Mig-29Ks that are hangar queens today and IN is floating an RFI for 57 aircraft (which will cost at least $10 billion).
So before we tom-tom russi-desi bhai bhai, let us look at history in the correct perspective - not a biased one.
The HF-24 was the first genuine weapon system made for Indian needs.
So why was the HF-24 just "thrown away" when the Mig-21 is still flying 50 years since introduction? Both aircraft probably entered squadron service in the IAF at about the same time. For all its faults, the IAF would have been better off sticking with the HF-24. Supply disruptions in the Mig-21 lead to death of several pilots in peacetime.
Of course there also was the Vijayanta - IA should have continued its serial development instead of sending Indian jobs overseas.
I don't think that the designers of Arjun, which wasn't the IA, anticipated that Arjun would end up so heavy and overweight.Essentially heavily influenced by the German Leopard MBT, using a similar engine too, its dimensions increased commensurately.
Are you an engineer? If you spec the Leopard, can you avoid the weight?
We will require a new MBT for the bulk of the IA's armour
Totally a waste of taxpayer money for the DRDO to design anything for the IA.