This would make a good pollManish_Sharma wrote: Put in priority how you want IAF fighters in next 20 years:
1. AESA radar.
2. Thurst Vectoring
3. Stealth
4. Having 2 best missiles ie. Python 5 + Meteor.
5. Best Datalink
6. Super Cruise
Probably this is how most BRfites are going to vote:
1. AESA radar
2. Having 2 best missiles ie. Python 5 + Meteor
3. Best Datalink
4. Stealth
5. Thurst Vectoring
6. Super Cruise
My vote is for an Indian developed fighter that has the following capabilities that i believe can be developed in india relatively sooner with currently available expertise.
1) AESA
2) Best datalink
4) Good mix of PGM and AAM and ECM capability
5) Great unrefuelled range, aerial refuelling capability
6) Easy, relatively inexpensive maintenance, modular equipment suite
7) Low down time
8) Stealth
9) Supercruise
10 Thrust vectoring - this is IMO more difficult to achieve than supercruise
I put thrust vectoring last because I believe there is a connection between stealth, supercruise, thrust vectoring and maintenance. Stealth means internal weapons, more difficult/expensive maintenance of skin/surface of a/c Stealth also means a bigger aircraft because an aircraft with internal bays is necessarily bigger (bigger cross section) The surface area increases with the square of the radius of cross section and maintenance issues increase with bigger stealthy surface area. The bigger the aircraft the more it will benefit from thrust vectoring (TV). And engine development must come before TV. So TV comes later. Maybe India will get UCAVs before an indigenous TV engine?
I stress that I am talking about what I expect from India given Indian technology. The list changes if we are importing.