Indian Air Force News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

[Vayutuvan]

Astra MK3 was renamed Gandiva. As of now only a total of 298 ordered and being produced. (as per Wikipedia).

[Vayutuvan]

Don't we have 100s of Astras by now?
Are these not superior than AMRAAM & PL-15?

See above.

[srai]

Astra MK3 was renamed Gandiva. As of now only a total of 298 ordered and being produced. (as per Wikipedia).

Only Mk1 in production

[uddu]

https://idrw.org/indian-air-force-comme ... -missiles/
Procurement initiation of MK2 was reported in Jan 2025

https://idrw.org/drdo-official-downplay ... -missiles/
MK2 already commenced induction with full operational capability by 2026

[mukkan]

Moved from post conflict thread

Rafale’s RBE2 AESA Radar in optimal conditions can detect A2A missiles at 25-50KM depending on the RCS. If Su-30 MKI is using PESA, detection range reduces to 15-30KM. Assuming it was detected at 50KM, A2A at mach 4 speed will take 38s to hit. At mach 5 speed, it will take only 30s. Effective countermeasures require the pilot to act within the first 10-15s to maximize survival chances.
If the A2A missile is detected by AWACS and relayed via data links, the Rafale/Su-30 could receive warnings earlier (100-200KM), increasing reaction time to 75-150s for mach 4 missiles and 60-120s for mach 5 missiles. There are some reports of AWACS datalink integration with Su-30, integration with Rafale just started? Even if it was integrated with Su-30, may be it was not detected as incoming threat in some case.
maybe this technical discussion can be moved to Indian Air Force News & Discussion by admins

I hope Rafale is not using only its radar to detect A2A missiles. It would be sucidal. A2A tend to follow a lofted profile, and against a cold dark night sky, a rocket motor will set off a lot of passive IRST systems...Also, what do you mean PESA has a smaller detection range than AESA? Can you please back it up with logic?

Comparison was with the PESA used in Su-30. For A2A missiles with low RCS, detection range is reduced due to lower sensistivity. Anyway as you mentioned, it is suicidal if they rely just on its own RADAR against A2A.

[Vayutuvan]

Astra MK3 was renamed Gandiva. As of now only a total of 298 ordered and being produced. (as per Wikipedia).

Only Mk1 in production

Yes. Only Mk1. 1000s will take a long time.

[SBajwa]

Excellent discussion with Air Marshall retd. G.S Bedi. He had 35 sorties in kargil

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Defencematrix1/status/1924876559304806528 ---> HAL to Integrate SDR on IAF's IL-78 Tankers.

[Rakesh]

Ajit Doval to Visit Moscow, likely to push for early delivery of the remaining S400 air defence systems
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 323068.cms
21 May 2025

[Khalsa]

https://x.com/Defencematrix1/status/1924876559304806528 ---> HAL to Integrate SDR on IAF's IL-78 Tankers.

Not yet done ? OMG.
About time.

This 80 hrs conflict is probably the best thing for Indian Air Force and Indian Army.

[Kakkaji]

Lot of YouTube channels reporting India has finalized a deal for SU-57, and that 5 of these aircraft have already arrived in India. I am not going to post any links. Since no one on BRF has reported it yet, so I know it is fake news. But why suddenly this rumour is popping up on so many channels? Any idea what is going on?

[Roop]

Lot of YouTube channels reporting India has finalized a deal for SU-57, and that 5 of these aircraft have already arrived in India.

Yes, these rumors have been going strong for at least the past week, or maybe longer. I wanted to post about it here, but was afraid the admins would start a lathi-charge against me for reporting fake news, so I desisted.

Since no one on BRF has reported it yet, so I know it is fake news. But why suddenly this rumour is popping up on so many channels? Any idea what is going on?

Well, the fact that a rumor has not been reported on BRF doesn't automatically make it fake news, but it's quite possible that it is. If indeed it is fake news, your questions are appropriate: Who is doing this (i.e. investing such a significant effort to generate this stuff)? More to the point, what if it is not fake? Why the sudden interest by IAF in Su-57? (It is IMO inconceivable that the GoI would take such a significant step without a strong green light from IAF).

If it is true, let me say (always ready to run away at the first signs of a lathi-charge) that it's probably because: (a) IAF feels a strong likelihood of air combat with PLAAF in the next 5 to 10 years, and (b) AMCA will not be present in quantities in the next decade.

[pravula]

Su-57 will not satisfy IAF's requirements. We might restart FGFA, but thats about it...

[VinodTK]

IAF chief bombshell on delayed delivery of defence projects: ‘We know while signing contracts systems will never come’

Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit on Thursday, the IAF chief pointed out multiple cases of delays, particularly indigenous defence projects

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh questioned the delay in the timely completion of defence procurements and lamented that most contracts could not be completed due to delays in the production of weapon systems.

India's Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh called for designing weapon systems in India, urging the armed forces and the industry to develop trust and transparency. (AFP)

Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit on Thursday, the IAF chief pointed out multiple cases of delays, particularly indigenous defence projects, NDTV reported.

The top IAF officer lamented that none of the 83 Tejas Mk1A, a 4.5 generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), has been delivered so far by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Deliveries were expected to begin in March 2024, following the PSU's award of the ₹48,000 crore contract in February 2021.

HAL has been affected by the slow delivery of engines from General Electric due to supply chain issues faced by the US firm. “Deliveries of Tejas Mk1 are delayed. The prototype of Tejas Mk2 is yet to roll out. There is no prototype yet of the stealth AMCA fighter,” Singh said at the event, also attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh.


‘Need to have trust’
IAF chief called for designing weapon systems in India, urging the armed forces and the industry to develop trust and transparency. “We cannot just talk about producing in India, we need to talk about designing. We need to have trust between the forces and industry. We need to be very open. Once we have committed to something, we should deliver. Air Force is trying to do its best to make in India,” he added.

Stressing the need for the armed forces to be future-ready, Singh remarked that the industry might ramp up production in a decade, but the forces cannot efficiently operate without fulfilling today's needs.

“In 10 years, we will have more output from industry, but what we need today, we need today. We need to quickly get our act together. Wars are won by empowering our forces,” he said.
Weeks after military action against Pakistan under “Operation Sindoor,” the Centre on Wednesday approved a framework to build an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet – the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA)

From: Hindustan Times.

Got to give credit to the cheif for being upfront.

[basant]

The complete upfront sentence would be, ‘We know while signing contracts systems will never come on time and yet we cause years of delay in ordering'.

[Hriday]

https://x.com/Resonant_News/status/1928 ... 1R1bQ&s=19

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗠𝗦 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘆𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗥𝗙𝗔, 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗨.𝗦.-𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝘀

- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯’𝘴 𝘍-35𝘈 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 2025, 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵-𝘵𝘰-𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 (𝘍𝘔𝘚) 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘣𝘺𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢’𝘴 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪-𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 (𝘔𝘙𝘍𝘈) 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 2027.

𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢’𝘴 𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢’𝘴 𝘑-20 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘑-35𝘈.

𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢-𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘉𝘕𝘌𝘛 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘐𝘍𝘍 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍-35𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘜.𝘚.-𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴.

...

[fanne]

That is so rich, I think they should first offer the f404 that we have paid for and close the deal for f414 that the two parties had agreed to.

[Vayutuvan]

@fanne ji, that too after Trump claimed that he was responsible for the Ceasefire, IMF bailout, and funding terroristan through Crypto.

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍-35𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘜.𝘚.-𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴.

[Sumeet]

Here it is, the full speech of IAF chief. We need a big time private=public sector involvement to bring up tech R&D in this country to state of the art level.

[drnayar]

https://x.com/Resonant_News/status/1928 ... 1R1bQ&s=19

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗠𝗦 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘆𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗥𝗙𝗔, 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗨.𝗦.-𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝘀



...

Absolutely ridiculous.. they can't even supply the engines in a timely manner and now asking to stake out India s offensive capability onto a white elephant !

[VinodTK]

Strategic shift beyond US: India seeks new allies for next-gen fighter jets

India is actively engaging with manufacturers from the UK, France, and Japan to co-develop fighter jet engines, broadening its defense ties beyond the US as it faces mounting security challenges and looks to shore up its indigenous aerospace capabilities, a Bloomberg report said. Senior officials told Bloomberg that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will evaluate these proposals, with the aim to start the project swiftly.

The countries in talks-UK’s Rolls-Royce, France’s Safran, and an undisclosed Japanese partner-are all offering technology transfers and potential co-production arrangements, according to people familiar with the matter. Rolls-Royce offered to jointly produce and transfer technology to India during a visit by senior defense ministry officials to the UK in April, while Safran is reportedly open to sharing intellectual property rights, the Bloomberg report said.
Why it matters


India’s push to diversify its fighter jet engine partnerships signals a strategic rebalancing in its defense policy. For decades, India’s defense ties leaned heavily on Russian suppliers, with growing partnerships with the US in the past decade. However, India’s decision to explore new partners highlights a shift: an urgent focus on reliability, supply chain security, and technological self-sufficiency amid global uncertainties.

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh warned at an industry event on Thursday that delays in acquiring critical weapons “pose a serious challenge to national defense readiness,” adding bluntly, “Not for a single project that I can think of that has been completed on time.” His remarks underscore why India is moving beyond a single-source approach, especially after penalties were imposed on General Electric for delivery delays on engines that power India’s locally-made Tejas light combat jets.

The broader context

India’s military modernization push has been a long time coming, with delays plaguing every step of the way. Singh’s remarks-“once a timeline is given… not a single project that I can think of has been completed on time”-reflect growing impatience within India’s defense establishment.

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has faced flak for delays in delivering Tejas Mark-1A jets, forcing the government to pivot to private sector involvement to speed things up. The new execution model for the AMCA is a radical shift, designed to harness private innovation and global expertise while ending HAL’s monopoly on fighter production.

The big picture

India’s ambition is to power its twin-engine fifth-generation fighter jets-currently under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project-with engines co-developed or built domestically in collaboration with global partners. The AMCA program is part of India’s larger vision to modernize its aging, largely Russian-made air force fleet and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

Defense minister Rajnath Singh has approved a new “execution model” for the AMCA, which for the first time allows private sector firms to bid for the project alongside the HAL. Officials say the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is leading the project, will soon issue an expression of interest to domestic and international players.

The project’s significance is clear: China’s rapidly advancing J-20 and rumored sixth-generation jets have raised alarm bells in Delhi. Meanwhile, Pakistan is set to acquire at least 40 Chinese J-35A fifth-generation fighters. With only 30 active fighter squadrons against an authorized strength of 42, India needs to catch up-and quickly.

What they are saying

Michael Rubin, a South Asia analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, described India’s drive as part of a “broader effort to secure the supply chain for critical defense equipment.” He noted that the “military lesson from Ukraine’s war has been clear: self-sufficiency and reliable partnerships are paramount.”

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh emphasized in his CII Business Summit remarks, “We need to quickly get our act together… while design in India continues to produce results in the near future or maybe later, what is required today is required today.”

India’s defense collaborations are moving from traditional vendor relationships to true joint development. Rolls-Royce, for example, offered to share cutting-edge engine technology, while Safran has expressed willingness to co-create intellectual property within India-key for India’s ambitions to be more than just an assembly hub.

Japan, too, has signaled openness to deeper defense industrial ties, aligning with India’s vision of a broader Indo-Pacific security network. Defence minister Rajnath Singh held talks in May with his Japanese counterpart, exploring potential collaborations in tank and aero engine development.

Between the lines

These moves do not indicate a cooling of India-US ties-joint manufacturing of GE’s F414 engines is still a cornerstone of Indo-US defense cooperation. But delays in that deal have prompted India to cast a wider net, underscoring that while Washington remains a top partner, India wants alternatives to hedge against risks.

Indeed, India’s engagement with the UK, France, and Japan is about more than just hardware-it’s about building strategic resilience in the defense sector. A senior official involved in the negotiations said the goal is not to sideline US defense ties but “to ensure we have multiple options, as this is about national security.”


What’s next

India aims to finalize the AMCA’s prototype phase by developing five aircraft before moving to series production.

For the first two AMCA squadrons, India will rely on the US-made GE F414 engines. But for the remaining five squadrons-over 100 jets-it wants more powerful 110-kilonewton engines built with technology partners outside the US, according to officials.

India’s broader defense transformation, its AMCA program, and its engagement with multiple global players highlight a fundamental truth: for New Delhi, defense self-reliance and resilient supply chains are no longer optional-they are non-negotiable in a rapidly changing world.

[Roop]

The "probably fake news" and unconfirmed rumors about Russia's Su-57 offer have now moved a couple of steps closer to reality. Both Gaurav Arya and Palki Sharma have briefly discussed this on their respective shows. So it is definitely not fake news or unconfirmed. It is a news report. We'll see what comes of it.

The new "probably fake news" and unconfirmed rumor is about America's offer of the F-35.

[Vayutuvan]

The new "probably fake news" and unconfirmed rumor is about America's offer of the F-35.

One possibility is to string the US along on F-35 till India gets 404 and 414. Also, make them work harder, you know the idiom "sharpen their pencils" when you go to an Auto dealer, by keeping SU-57 as a competitor. They have to understand they are not the only game in town for 5th gen where as we are stuck with them on GE404/414 for Tejas.

[Bharat]

That is so rich, I think they should first offer the f404 that we have paid for and close the deal for f414 that the two parties had agreed to.

Deliver, not offer. Maybe delivery of 100+ engines is needed before formal offer on F35. Else, the F35 offer file will be permanently lost between MEA and MoD.

[sanjayc]

Army's Apache fighter helicopter makes emergency landing in UP, both pilots safe

An Apache fighter helicopter of the Army had to make an emergency landing due to a technical fault on the banks of river Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur on Friday, officials said.

The emergency landing was made moments after the helicopter took a routine practice flight from Sarsawa Air Force Station in Saharanpur.

Detecting a sudden technical fault during the flight, both the pilots acted swiftly and made a safe emergency landing. There was no loss of life or property in this incident and both the pilots were said to be safe.

The emergency landing of the helicopter took place in a controlled and safe manner and there was no explosion or accident of any kind, the officials added.

As soon as the helicopter landed in the fields, the nearby villagers reached the spot, but the army personnel and police removed the crowd for security reasons. The army's technical team started an in-depth investigation of the helicopter to ascertain the reasons for the malfunction.

The Apache helicopter, about 16-feet-high and 18-feet-wide, is flown by two pilots. The chopper is the first such fighter helicopter of the Air Force which is capable of hitting and destroying targets deep inside enemy territory.

Speaking about the incident over the phone, Superintendent of Police (SP) Rural Sagar Jain said that the army's technical team reached the spot and launched an investigation into it.

After the investigation, the chopper was flown back to the airbase. The incident happened during the training flight, in which the pilots kept the situation under control, he added.

The landing of the helicopter remained a topic of discussion in the area. Many people started making videos and taking pictures, which were later removed by the police.

After the landing of the fighter helicopter, the army temporarily cordoned off the area and created a security circle. After the technical team completed the investigation of the helicopter, the technical glitch was fixed.

Following that, the helicopter was flown back to Sarsawa airbase

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/a ... 2025-06-06

[Shameek]

^^ Our defence reporting still leaves a lot to be desired. Created a new term 'fighter helicopter'. Also, there are random nuggets thrown in about the Apache being the first helicopter that can hit and destroy targets deep inside enemy territory. And who describes a helicopter as 16 feet high and 18 feet wide? No wonder common public has no clue about defence matters.

[Rakesh]

Project delays are a drag on IAF power
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comme ... iaf-power/
06 June 2025

Concerns of Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal AP Singh on the industry’s failed promises and missed deadlines are a sobering reality check.

[sanjayc]

Rare global league: Rs 10,000 crore I-STAR project to put India in elite club of airborne battlefield intel
https://www.businesstoday.in/india/stor ... 2025-06-08
08 June 2025

The I-STAR project aims to procure three aircraft from global aviation majors, which will then be equipped with indigenous sensor and electronic systems developed by DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).

[Rakesh]

IAF to get Rs 10,000 crore indigenous I-STAR spy planes to help in precision strikes against enemy ground targets
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 608201017/
08 June 2025

[VKumar]

Should use drone based ISTAR/JSTAR/AWACS systems, remotely managed, AI enabled.

[isubodh]

Rare global league: Rs 10,000 crore I-STAR project to put India in elite club of airborne battlefield intel
https://www.businesstoday.in/india/stor ... 2025-06-08
08 June 2025

The I-STAR project aims to procure three aircraft from global aviation majors, which will then be equipped with indigenous sensor and electronic systems developed by DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).

https://m.economictimes.com/news/defenc ... 113162.cms

Same news appeared in 2022. Then cost proposed was 6k Cr now it's 10k Cr.

[SSridhar]

^ The farcical DTTI programme between India and the US had I-Star as one of its flagship projects.

By c. 2018, it was revealed that both countries were involved in I-STAR under DTTI. The I-STAR was to get a business jet, modified with a synthetic aperture radar, capable of very high resolution at very long ranges, along with an EOI sensor of phenomenal ranges for surveillance role in a benign environment and for long durations.

[Rakesh]

IAF to acquire more teeth through AWACS and mid-air refuellers
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 13095.html
10 June 2025

Tech experts to study Chinese and Turkish missiles and drones recovered during Op Sindoor. India is the only country to have data on Chinese weapon performance.

[A Deshmukh]

Can Bharat jump to UAVs as refuellers?

[Bharadwaj]

Looks like Orangie's little crypto stunt and performance of Russian hardware has turned the tables decisively.

https://x.com/CNBCTV18Live/status/1932738551063715892

[Aldonkar]

IAF to acquire more teeth through AWACS and mid-air refuellers
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 13095.html
10 June 2025

Tech experts to study Chinese and Turkish missiles and drones recovered during Op Sindoor. India is the only country to have data on Chinese weapon performance.

Expect the US (or their proxies) to come knocking at the door for access/info etc. In the light of the US involvement with Paki interests, any such access should be denied.I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the Paki A-bomb is fake; the US and China must be part of the deception for this theory to hold. However I have strayed off topic so I'll leave it there.

[Cain Marko]

Looks like Orangie's little crypto stunt and performance of Russian hardware has turned the tables decisively.

https://x.com/CNBCTV18Live/status/1932738551063715892

Well, this could very well mean fewer rafale? Having said that su 57 is probably the best manned fighter ever made IMHO. Maintains all the considerable strengths of the flanker (and adds so much more) with none of it's weaknesses, and practically cheaper than any US, let alone euro/French filly. An apt successor to the Rambha.