MRCA (Many Rakshaks Choose Aircraft) Contest - Episode III

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 15 Feb 2025 03:20

Trump Offers India Path To F-35
https://www.twz.com/air/trump-offers-f-35-to-india
14 Feb 2025

In a statement provided to TWZ, Lockheed Martin also welcomed the statement:

“We are encouraged by the recent announcement by President Trump to provide the F-35 to India. Lockheed Martin stands ready to support these government-to-government decisions. We look forward to working closely with both governments on upcoming strategic procurements including the fighters, Javelin, and helicopters that will further empower the Indian Armed Forces with 21st-century security solutions and deterrence capabilities to address their pressing needs. This will be a huge step forward in the growing U.S.-India comprehensive strategic partnership.”

While it’s highly significant that Trump would pitch the F-35 to India in this way, there are many more hurdles to negotiate before we even get to a point where a formal offer can be made. Essentially, what we are seeing now is a review of U.S. fifth-generation fighter policy for India. What happens next is very much unclear, with Indian fighter procurements already well known for their unpredictability.

williams · Post by **williams** » 15 Feb 2025 03:45

If the cost of Rafale is the same as cost of F-35 should we procure it? Every system provided by a foreign OEM will have a backdoor. Therefore, you could dangle them to deter your enemy, and it will work when the OEM you are buying is strategically aligned with you. Beyond that, you need your own software and electronic hardware to avoid such backdoors IMO.

Also what do we really get if we simply buy let us say a squad of F-35 and a squad of Su-57? Access to their advanced engines? Challenging specs that our engineers have not thought about in AMCA? Further training for our pilots to operate a 5th gen figher? Pakis and Chins getting nervous? I think we should think through this one instead of simply dismissing it. After all we were ready to buy their nuclear reactors if insurance issues were sorted out.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 15 Feb 2025 03:49

@williams: pick your poison...either F-35 or Su-57. Not going to get both.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 15 Feb 2025 03:56

Rakesh wrote: ↑14 Feb 2025 06:16 Trump just upped the ante in the MRCA contest and has offered the F-35 to India.

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1890179916387463573 ---> Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, "Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35, Stealth fighters..."

The *ACTUAL* meaning of "ultimately provide F-35" to India. Below is from Lockheed Martin's twitter account and the tweet below is dated 13 Feb 2025, the same date that Trump announced an offer for F-35 for India.

https://x.com/LMIndiaNews/status/1889978908629745813> Global threats demand advanced solutions. The F-21 is the right fighter at the right time for @IAF_MCC, ready to deliver next-gen tech and unmatched situational awareness for India.

==============================================

• Buy F-21, Bye-Bye Tejas Mk2
• Buy F-35, Bye-Bye AMCA

SRajesh · Post by **SRajesh** » 15 Feb 2025 12:45

^^
Rakesh
Get your point
But how do you absorb or withstand Trump & Co's relentless pressure to buy Yemrican Jehaz!!!
Rafale and Su-57 will upset Trump
So we buy : Poseidon, Apache, M777, heavy lifters, LUH
and kill local MIC!!

SRajesh · Post by **SRajesh** » 15 Feb 2025 12:45

Whatever we do looks like caught between : Rock and a Hard Place!!

Khalsa · Post by **Khalsa** » 16 Feb 2025 15:54

Su-57 is going to be the worst choice. Better to reopen the SU-30 MKI factory line IMHO.

Here is my proposal while all of us are going for it.

Buy 5 X F-35 squadrons
Kill the MRCA
Tejas Mk2 is the MRCA.
Kill any chatter of further rafales for the Air Force.
No more upgrades on the Rafales - EVER !!
Purchase any and all Mirage 2000 on the market and raise the next squadron and strengthen the under strength Wolfpack squadron.
Go Hard on the AMCA front and bite hard into the gap about to opened by retiring Su-30 MKIs.
Go Hard on the Tejas Mk1A meanwhile.

There is plenty of space in the IAF for many amazing initiatives to exist with the F-35. Stop worrying about tooling or assembling the F-35s. Stop that nonsense. Pitch the F-35 purchase vs guarantee of the GE engines for Tejas Mk2. That factory has to be stood up now and not in 2040.

bharathp · Post by **bharathp** » 16 Feb 2025 16:45

lease/buy strategic bombers from the americans?
i mean, if its the trade deficit he is after.. buy that much of GE stock.. or a 1000 engines and stockpile them
buy raw naterials. oil.. anything to preserve our budding MIC

ernest · Post by **ernest** » 16 Feb 2025 21:28

Rakesh wrote: ↑15 Feb 2025 03:20 Trump Offers India Path To F-35
https://www.twz.com/air/trump-offers-f-35-to-india
14 Feb 2025

Article states, we bought Small Diameter Bomb last year. For what purpose? We do not even have a plane that has IWB that would require SDB. All the while while SAAW has been waiting for orders.

Any foreign fighter orders are going to eat away more of our Capex by way of munitions. There is no way this can be sustainable.

RCase · Post by **RCase** » 17 Feb 2025 00:10

There has been too much hype and shrill calls for 5th gen fighters NOW, especially in the media. These guys make it out as if we can go and acquire 4 -5 squadrons within the next year.

The IAF's history of procurement (I have no confidence in the IAF top brass!) will see a circus of evaluations, RFQ, RFP, L1 etc. that probably will take at least 5 years to make a decision and then start negotiations for India specific packages (beats me as to why the IAF is so different than NATO or Russian AF requirements). The deliveries will then start over the next 3 to 4 years. (The whole process might even get cancelled in lieu of the next generation). I am willing to bet that even if the IAF decides on SU-57 for F-35, it will be at least 10 years before we see a plane in the fleet.

We just have a recent example of the Navy running an aircraft carrier without any aircraft. Even though the aircraft carrier takes a while to design and build, no thought was made to get the aircraft procurement process going in parallel. What a colossal waste and dereliction of planning.

With 3 lines set up for Tejas Mk1/A, HAL should be taken to task to crank up the production rate on a mission mode. FREEZE the modifications and crank out the numbers.

Advance the timeline for AMCA development. Have a plan to have two sources for the engine. Have a realistic set of design objectives rather than 'we will have everything that F-35 has'. The aircrafts can be upgraded as newer technology stabilizes. Make IAF do the testing on a mission mode. Don't understand why the IAF takes such a long time to test and certify. They induct foreign stuff and do not seem to have the same rigor of testing. (Someone reminded me of the hasty purchase of Su-7 that were used in the 1971 war, literally assembling the aircraft from the crates shipped to Mumbai).

Transfer of Technology keeps getting bandied around constantly. It is high time we stop this nonsense. If need be hire the appropriate tech talent from other countries to complement the talent within the country. (This was done before with the HF24 program).

ISRO used to have its set of failures in the 70s and 80s and it seemed like nothing will be possible to build in India. Despite all the technology denial regimes, ISRO has persevered and is now delivering consistently. Maybe get some project management expertise from ISRO. They seem to have a better handle on timelines.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 21:46

Rakesh wrote: ↑15 Feb 2025 03:10 https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890398943101788581 --->

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890686051066507370 ----> To understand why the F-35 is a bad idea you need to understand how the IAF fights a war. It fights all of India as a single air defence theatre. In which all of its radar and sensors systems are fused under India’s Integrated AirCommand & Control System where data from radars of theatre level S-400, Barak MRSAM, Akash, VSHORADS, LRTR, India’s NETRA AWACS, and radar data from fighter aircraft across all Sukhois to Rafales to Tejas and Mirage 2000s talk to each other. All this apart from ground based radars of the Army and surveillance radars of Air Force. They come together to operate as a system of systems where data and communications is passed on over secure channels within this network. If America gives a F-35 without allowing its sensors and weapons packages and datalinks to be opened up to be integrated to this network it is a lone player. Achieves nothing against a fully network centric PLAAF J-35/J-20. That can talk to its other fighters and air defence radars. We will be only handicapping our own.

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890686345699332596 ---> Secondly the conditions that the US will impose. Will the F-35s be allowed to participate in 3rd party bilateral or plurilatetal exercises or does India have to seek US permission on where to deploy exercise or service?

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890686640256897376 ---> Will servicing be done by Indians completely or US insist on few contractors to be present in base every time to do maintenance repair and overhaul of the aircraft? Similarly will spares have to be shipped from US every time?

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 21:49

https://x.com/rahulsinghx/status/1890638232116719941 ---> Trump's F-35 offer comes at a crucial time -- India is serious about AMCA and LCA Mk2, Russia ready to jointly produce the Su-57 stealth fighter & IAF scouting for 114 multi-role fighters. The question is how the F-35 fits in with IAF's modernization goals.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 21:54

https://x.com/ajitkdubey/status/1890393313716412444 ---> For 4 year tenure, we cannot buy headache for next 50 years.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 21:56

https://x.com/AviationWall/status/1890807045227491398 ---> A fighter jet is just a weapons platform. India, flanked by two strategic threats, must keep this in mind. The F-35? A marvel of tech, sure—but also a product of American PR. More than just expensive, it's super expensive. For the IAF, it could be a burden, not a boost. Before dreaming of F-35s in IAF colors, pause. Look at who operates them and their per capita income. Owning a McLaren is one thing. Maintaining it? A whole different story. India needs fighters, not financial sinkholes.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 22:01

Wing Commander Sudhakaran (retd) speaking the truth. Must watch. Alas no one in Govt will listen.

VIDEO: https://x.com/fishy_bong/status/1891037343865544863 ---> Wing Commander Sudhakaran (retired) has some valid points. Do listen. I really like how RW IT cell wala forget a year back, the entire American Establishment was behind us looking for doing a regime change but this isn't a issue for them. As they believe that DJT is here to stay for eternity and Democrats won't again get into these shenanigans once they come again in future all throughout the serviceable tenure of the F-35 i.e. at least for 20-30 Years. The entire RW IT cell is defending this deal. I don't endorse INC's view though, let me clarify that in advance.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 22:10

https://x.com/manupubby/status/1891362107540586817 ---> The proposed F-35 procurement from US could follow the Rafale model - Govt-2-Govt deal and as a stop gap arrangement. May require special monitoring clauses.

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1891371381767524766 ---> Qatar bought Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon & Boeing F-15E strike Eagles to placate all 3 Western P-5 nations. May as well call it the Qatar route to buying influence than capability.

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1891380391292084341 ---> Why did all of you guys not utter a word for “strategic needs” of the F-35 until last week and suddenly are discovering “capability gaps to be filled” etc, etc to justify the purchase? Either group think or sold outs or just “my fave politicians have discussed, so just be right” nonsense!

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 17 Feb 2025 22:19

We have a few of these characters on BRF

https://x.com/Cloudwatch199/status/1891047794720248068 ---> Any Indian politician or party opposing India’s purchase of F-35s is either bought off by Soros and the far left or serving China’s interests.

AkshaySG · Post by **AkshaySG** » 17 Feb 2025 22:29

FaaS - Fighters as a Service.

Make a IAF- Lockheed Martin teams chat and share login codes for every day ... we can get TCS and Infosys involved to do operational work on the F-35 software systems and troubleshoot.

drnayar · Post by **drnayar** » 17 Feb 2025 22:31

Rakesh wrote: ↑17 Feb 2025 22:19 We have a few of these characters on BRF

https://x.com/Cloudwatch199/status/1891047794720248068 ---> Any Indian politician or party opposing India’s purchase of F-35s is either bought off by Soros and the far left or serving China’s interests.

quite the case of accusing the other of the same thing one is doing

drnayar · Post by **drnayar** » 17 Feb 2025 23:05

Rakesh wrote: ↑17 Feb 2025 21:54 https://x.com/ajitkdubey/status/1890393313716412444 ---> For 4 year tenure, we cannot buy headache for next 50 years.[/size

couldn't have said that better !!

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 18 Feb 2025 07:03

Rakesh wrote: ↑17 Feb 2025 21:46 ....

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890686051066507370 ----> To understand why the F-35 is a bad idea you need to understand how the IAF fights a war. It fights all of India as a single air defence theatre. In which all of its radar and sensors systems are fused under India’s Integrated AirCommand & Control System where data from radars of theatre level S-400, Barak MRSAM, Akash, VSHORADS, LRTR, India’s NETRA AWACS, and radar data from fighter aircraft across all Sukhois to Rafales to Tejas and Mirage 2000s talk to each other. All this apart from ground based radars of the Army and surveillance radars of Air Force. They come together to operate as a system of systems where data and communications is passed on over secure channels within this network. If America gives a F-35 without allowing its sensors and weapons packages and datalinks to be opened up to be integrated to this network it is a lone player. Achieves nothing.
...

We can retire the Suryakirans and use the F35s as our air show team

williams · Post by **williams** » 18 Feb 2025 08:04

I think there is going to be a lot of chat biscoth sessions and nothing concrete is going to transpire. It is going to be the same as importing GE nuclear plants.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 18 Feb 2025 08:23

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1891545129154179320 ---> On US President Donald Trump's offer of F-35 fighter jets to India, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh says, " It is not an offer as yet. What he said is that, they will look at roadmap for making that available. We will look at that offer when it becomes a firm offer. Anyways, our procurements are done through a process, requirements are raised by the services...let's see how it goes...creating an option of this type is important for us, we will certainly look at it with an open mind."

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 18 Feb 2025 08:52

https://x.com/Firezstarter1/status/1891664858354974804 ---> Sobering points here in this F-35 discussion via @SandeepUnnithan, beyond the hype.

1. How do we integrate the F-35 with the IAF?
2. Will it even arrive in time?
3. Are we not giving up way too much leverage?
4. OPEX costs, not just CAPEX.

Will IAF Take Up Trump's Offer to Purchase F-35 Stealth Fighters?

Trump has extended India an offer to purchase the fifth generation F-35 stealth fighter. While US has offered India the F-15, the F-16, the F-18, the F-21, this new offer came as a surprise. So will India take up Trump's offer? Join News9 Plus Editor Sandeep Unnithan, Lieutenant General Ravi Shankar (retd) and Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhary (retd) as they discuss US' surprising proposal and if India will take it up.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 18 Feb 2025 09:09

https://x.com/ShiroBarks/status/1891412861529760055 --->

• Rafale: Game changer, PAF is done, can't compete with us.

• S-400: Game changer, PLAAF can't even fly airplanes in our airspace.

• F-35: Game changer, J-20 is nothing.

• FCAS: Game changer, J-36 is nothing.

konaseema · Post by **konaseema** » 18 Feb 2025 09:40

The President of USA said that his government will clear the deck to sell these F-35 jets to India. Did our PM say that he will buy it? All this euphoria or the doom / gloom after just a joint press conference with these news articles is not funny any more. For me, If it comes, it's good and if it doesn't come, even better. The president of USA wants to reduce the trade imbalance with India (like all other countries) and instead of levying tariffs on Indian exports, the Indian government might try to buy US military hardware over the next 4 years. It need not be F-35, if we decide to not buy. It can be platforms like P8i's, C-17's (from USAF storage), C-130's or even KC-46. There are many such platforms for which there is NO desi equivalent and those can be purchased without hurting our Atmanirbartha. Let's wait and watch on how this story unfolds in the coming 1-2 years. Going by our decision making process / standards, this government in USA will be long gone before we make a decision of F-35's. For the amount we will save in terms of cost not spent on a foreign OEM and the GST we will earn by buying Tejas Mk1A, IAF should pay more per aircraft so that HAL can setup the infrastructure were 36 (as long as GE can supply engines) aircrafts can be manufactured every year.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 20 Feb 2025 21:41

https://x.com/SJha1618/status/1892108847755522340 ---> An example of what it really costs to buy F-35s if you are a foreign customer.

Italy to buy 25 additional F-35s for over $7 Billion
https://thedefensepost.com/2024/09/18/italy-buy-f-35s/
18 Sept 2024

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 20 Feb 2025 22:12

Should India Buy American F-35s?

In this podcast, Kushal speaks with Angad Singh about India's potential acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the United States of America. The Prime Minister of India has come back from his visit to America, where President Trump mentioned his interest in selling F-35s to India.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 20 Feb 2025 22:17

Don’t Be F-35ed
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toi ... 393433.cms
19 Feb 2025

By Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd)

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 20 Feb 2025 22:21

https://x.com/DivaJain2/status/1892400995700809805 ---> Import lobby has stepped in to action with leaked stories based on "Top Govt Sources"

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 21 Feb 2025 08:53

https://x.com/Indrani1_Roy/status/1892718398397714695 ---> MRFA so far:

- Weight Categories allowed: Light, Medium, Heavy

- Stealth categories allowed: Non-stealth, semi-stealth, stealth

- Countries of origin: US, UK, France, Sweden, Russia

- Countries of origin not allowed: China, India

Somebody has a requirement spec. Right?

srai · Post by **srai** » 21 Feb 2025 15:27

^^^
Basically, a requirement for a “zoo”

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 21 Feb 2025 21:17

https://x.com/ShivAroor/status/1892822405909012697 ---> All bullshit aside, does India even need to consider the F-35? I answer that without ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ in the latest episode of the ‘In Our Defence’ podcast.

Donald Trump's F-35 'offer': How real and what does it mean for India?

"We're also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters." This statement by United States President Donald Trump stood out when he addressed a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, DC, recently. The statement from the newly sworn-in President of the US comes against the backdrop of his larger push to get India to buy more American-made military equipment. But is the F-35 - a fifth-generation fighter jet that is the mainstay of the US military and which has been dangled as a potential export to India for over two decades now - really on the table? How serious is Donald Trump about offering the F-35 to India?

Host Dev Goswami and defence expert Shiv Aroor take this questions head on in the latest episode of In Our Defence. The two talk about the iconic jet and its features, and explain how buying an F-35 means buying into an entire ecosystem of support equipment that could cost billions of dollars. The two also talk about how officers and bureaucrats in the Indian military setup would be viewing Trump's statements and breakdown the various scenarios that New Delhi will have to contend with if an offer to buy F-35 was to actually materialise. And finally, the two answer the big question: What would a potential acquisition of F-35s mean for India's fledgling ambitions of developing and manufacturing its own fighter-generation fighter.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 21 Feb 2025 21:18

F-35 For India: A Mismatch in the Skies?
https://www.livefistdefence.com/f-35-fo ... the-skies/
21 Feb 2025

Instead of simply buying more planes in pursuit of “squadron strength”, the IAF would be better served by investing in the infrastructure and systems that enhance the effectiveness of its existing fleet.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Feb 2025 04:33

Rakesh wrote: ↑17 Feb 2025 21:46 ....

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1890686051066507370 ----> To understand why the F-35 is a bad idea you need to understand how the IAF fights a war. It fights all of India as a single air defence theatre. In which all of its radar and sensors systems are fused under India’s Integrated AirCommand & Control System where data from radars of theatre level S-400, Barak MRSAM, Akash, VSHORADS, LRTR, India’s NETRA AWACS, and radar data from fighter aircraft across all Sukhois to Rafales to Tejas and Mirage 2000s talk to each other. All this apart from ground based radars of the Army and surveillance radars of Air Force. They come together to operate as a system of systems where data and communications is passed on over secure channels within this network. If America gives a F-35 without allowing its sensors and weapons packages and datalinks to be opened up to be integrated to this network it is a lone player. Achieves nothing.
...

On the contrary, if the US F-35 (with various secretive restrictions) is as deeply integrated with Indian defense networks then that is not necessarily something to be happy about …

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 27 Feb 2025 21:42

https://x.com/aidefranceukr/status/1893366382051443149 ---> “The illusion of European military autonomy is collapsing in the face of dependence on the United States. With the F-35, taking off is one thing, staying operational is another: without the green light from Washington, no more maintenance, no more spare parts. ‘In the Europe known as the European Union, I buy American’, lamented Eric Trappier in 2018. A statement that exposes Europe to strategic paralysis. Every crisis proves it: follow American instructions or see your forces ground to a halt. Eurofighter, Gripen, Amraam missiles... Behind the apparent diversity of the European arsenal, the logistical chain remains under US control. Even the UK’s nuclear deterrent relies on Lockheed Martin’s Trident missiles.

Apart from sovereignty, the choice of the F-35 is also a financial trap. Its acquisition cost is far higher than that of the Rafale, and its maintenance promises to be ruinous: maintenance contracts locked in by Lockheed Martin, software updates by subscription, and spare parts at high prices. Several countries that have opted for the F-35 are already beginning to measure the budgetary impact, with exploding bills and fleets forced to remain on the ground for lack of resources. The Rafale, on the other hand, offers controlled costs and freedom of operation without intermediaries. As the CEO of Dassault Aviation, stated in 2023: ‘It is remarkable to have succeeded in manufacturing a Rafale entirely in France, at a price lower than that of an F-35 today.’ Faced with this dependency, the Rafale embodies the French exception: total autonomy, no hidden locks, and no embargoed parts. Bravo to Dassault for maintaining a sovereign model.” — @OpexNews

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 27 Feb 2025 21:48

Please drag and drop this picture into a new browser window for full size.

https://x.com/imRavikantYadav/status/18 ... 8499336437 ---> What is India's dilemma over fighter jets? Fifth Generation Figther Aircraft. Explained by Dinakar Peri: @dperi84

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 27 Feb 2025 22:08

A must watch video. There is an echo early on in the video. But it gets resolved.

Episode 35: Is the F-35 A Good Choice For India?

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 28 Feb 2025 20:41

IAF chief drops truth bombs, says his force in dire need of 35-40 aircraft/year, far behind in tech
https://theprint.in/defence/iaf-chief-d ... h/2516455/
28 Feb 2025

ACM Singh’s comments pointed directly to the long-pending Medium Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, which envisions the procurement of 114 new fighter jets. Some of these will be acquired from abroad in flyaway condition, while others will be made in India.

“We did an exercise in house. We need to actually produce or induct aircraft at the rate of two squadrons per year to cater for the ramped-up numbers we want and whatever will go out very soon,” he said/

ashishvikas · Post by **ashishvikas** » 01 Mar 2025 23:11

viewtopic.php?p=2640648#p2640648

Hukum on Twitter

https://x.com/hukum2082/status/18958591 ... 3niew&s=19 ---> Let me tell you a story:

He is at best a place holder in the larger scheme of things.The IAF as an org is ideologically aligned with inducting the Rafale.Large parts of its operational doctrine and CAPEX is aligned with the induction of this “game changer.” The elite Vajra cult spent a whopping $2.2 billion on upgrading the Mirage-2000H/TH to I/TI standard. So much so that the Su-30MKI mid life upgrades were completely put on the back burner. These shenanigans got exposed when the SU-30MKIs were found wanting in BVR engagements against a principal adversary. The Flanker is at best a Bhishma Pitamah in the larger scheme of things.

The Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A isn’t their blue eyed boy. It is just a promising kid who got admitted on an EWS quota. The boy will be allowed to rise, but not too much as it doesn’t belong to the elite clan. The leadership will hem and haw and make all the right noises, but not commit wholeheartedly to the program. This is a class war where the loyal knights will sacrifice themselves to protect the crown prince from the peasants. As far as the AMCA goes, it was chai biskoot time pass until the PAF started making the right noises about inducting the J-35s. That shook Vayu Bhawan out of its slumber and suddenly the AMCA was too late and too slow despite the org being fully aware that the CCS approval was allowed to drag for a good 3-4 years.

Suddenly it was no more Chai Biskoot , 5th Gen required a quick fix solution and what could sound more politically correct and visually pleasing than the F-35. The F-35 might or might not make it but you get the drift.The IAF’s Plan B remains the Rafale and it will use “साम, दाम, भेद “ to induct it.The Tejas Mk2 attaining primacy is a nightmare which makes the cult wake up drenched in sweat. The Tejas is a compromise candidate which was inducted because the defence minister of the day understood the organisational politics and cracked the whip. The commoner “Mk2” can never be allowed to be the crown prince.That would be sacrilege of the highest order.Long live the Cult! End

Disclaimer: “The characters in this story are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."