nam wrote:I hope when they say Scalp, they mean an Indian weapon similar to Scalp. I really don't us to spend money on integrating a super expensive silver bullet like Scalp.
We need air launch low-vis CM in hundreds, so it must be Indian developed. Just need a CM engine and a bigger SAAW.
I think, once we master stealth, we need a B2 type stealth bomb-truck that has serious tonnage in terms of gravity bombs, standoff subsonic & super/hypersonic cruise missiles. A fighter will always be limited in its tonnage capacity. Moreover, stealth & its attendant "internal weapons bay" requirement will make it nearly impossible for say the AMCA to carry a Brahmos-mini or a Nirbhay-mini. Even if they do, the payload will be minimal. There are both space & weight restrictions.
We should have started a bomb-truck program long time back, but didn't. I believe doctrinal reasons are behind it, i.e. we don't have one that involves bombers. Plus the IAF has the "fighter jock" mentality, which means that they don't give much attention to bombers. But bombers, especially the stealth variety, are invaluable in "kicking the door open" SEAD missions, destruction of the enemy's airpower on the ground & also for strategic payloads.
We should have started a B2-type project in parallel with AMCA. But now that we have so many fighter programs, this needs to unfortunately wait till at least some of them come to fruition.