MRCA (Many Rakshaks Choose Aircraft) Contest - Episode III

[bkswarti]

Moderator Note: Please do not post just links without a title and a date. Your post has been edited.

India Recalibrates 114 Jets MRFA Tender, Eyeing to Reduce Rafale F4 Jet Purchase to 60 for Interim 5th-Gen Stealth Jets
https://defence.in/threads/india-recali ... ets.14997/
22 July 2025

[drnayar]

If we are indeed going down the expected route, the least that can be done is to get the French to invest some money into a silent eagle type treatment for the Rafale. Even a small reduction in the rcs would help decrease the detection range vis a vis the Chinese stealthish fighters.

Reminds me that Tejas Mk2's frontal RCS is a fraction of the Tejas Mk1! Equivalent to Rafale.

[Manish_P]

X abuzz with rumors of deal reached with the Russians.... looks like psyops started by baba Banaras

42 Su-57s and 50 Su-35s

Su 35s ???... might as well have added Su 34s and Tu 160s

[Rakesh]

India Recalibrates 114 Jets MRFA Tender, Eyeing to Reduce Rafale F4 Jet Purchase to 60 for Interim 5th-Gen Stealth Jets
https://defence.in/threads/india-recali ... ets.14997/
22 July 2025

Kindly refrain from posting links from Defence.In and IDRW.org

Both are propaganda news peddlers and plagiarizers. Nothing they publish is worth reading.

OEMs - like Dassault - do not sign agreements with companies in India, without a large order in the works. That is not how this works. Like India, UAE is another international Rafale customer and has an order book (80 airframes) larger than the IAF (36). How many agreements has Dassault signed with an aviation company in the UAE? Same with Egypt that has 54 airframes or Indonesia that has ordered 42 airframes?

These are fighter aircraft we are talking about....not roasted channa that you buy from a roadside vendor. Such acquisitions take years to discuss, finalize and then finally sign on the dotted line. Putin's offer of the Su-57 is similar to Trump's offer of the F-35. The aircraft has to be studied by Air HQ, examine what is coming in the offer, see how the aircraft fits into the IAF's ORBAT, how the aircraft can be tactically employed in conflict, a MRO facility for the aircraft + turbofan, etc, etc, etc.

You don't just wake up one morning and arbitrarily change a number that has existed for more than quarter of a century i.e. the start of the MMRCA contest. Squadron strength and ORBATs do not change, just because some world leader "offers" an aircraft.

[Rakesh]

X abuzz with rumors of deal reached with the Russians.... looks like psyops started by baba Banaras

42 Su-57s and 50 Su-35s

Su 35s ???... might as well have added Su 34s and Tu 160s

Baba Banaras is doing psyops indeed

Su-35 is fake news, especially with the Super Sukhoi upgrade in the works. There is nothing on the Su-35, than the Super Sukhoi upgrade cannot do or even exceed. The Su-57 will take some time to arrive, if it ever does. Please see post above.

[Manish_P]

X abuzz with rumors of deal reached with the Russians.... looks like psyops started by baba Banaras

42 Su-57s and 50 Su-35s

Su 35s ???... might as well have added Su 34s and Tu 160s

Baba Banaras is doing psyops indeed

Su-35 is fake news, especially with the Super Sukhoi upgrade in the works. There is nothing on the Su-35, than the Super Sukhoi upgrade cannot do or even exceed. The Su-57 will take some time to arrive, if it ever does. Please see post above.

babaji actually typed S-35

Guess he wanted to type F-35

Others picked up on his post and put it as Su 35

[Rakesh]

babaji actually typed S-35

Guess he wanted to type F-35

Others picked up on his post and put it as Su 35

In all seriousness though, Baba-ji meant to say Su-35 onlee. See the tweet below. No mention of any deal being finalized between India and USA.

https://x.com/RealBababanaras/status/19 ... 7471664525 ---> As per source, the deal has been finalized between India and Russia to procure 42 SU-57 and 50 S-35 under Make in India initiative with complete transfer of technology.

[bkswarti]

I am inclined to agree with Rakesh. It makes no sense to pivot from Rafale to the Su-35. Dassault has built partnership within India over multiple years. The navy jets are purchased, they are setting up domestic manufacturing and safran will build the engines for AMCA. I do not see how the babus will be silly enough to even entertain anything else. 114 Rafales is only a matter of time. It’s possible the number may be +/- 20.

I also think it’s possible India get a couple squadrons of the Su-57 as a stop gap as the Pakistanis are going to be getting a 5th gen soon. I am skeptical to even call Su-57 a fifth generation aircraft but it may be enough of a deterrence to keep Pakistan / China at bay until the AMCA comes.

I have heard rumblings that Dassault is looking to ditch the other euro partners for the 6th gen aircraft. I am wondering if we are looking to team up with someone for the 6th gen aircraft; maybe Dassault is the answer. I have more faith in the Dassault program than the Tempest.

[rajsunder]

X abuzz with rumors of deal reached with the Russians.... looks like psyops started by baba Banaras

42 Su-57s and 50 Su-35s

Su 35s ???... might as well have added Su 34s and Tu 160s

Read that Russia is making SU-25 ground attack jets. I think we should get some instead of SU-35, they will be cheaper than buying Apache helicopters.

[Manish_P]

....
the Pakistanis are going to be getting a 5th gen soon. I am skeptical to even call Su-57 a fifth generation aircraft ....

No doubts about the chinese aircraft being a 5th Gen then?

[SRajesh]

Moderator Note: Please do not post just links without a title and a date. Your post has been edited.

Here we go... the scare mongering has started! All things great and simple from Unkilnadu, wonder how much and how many are paid and put into service. Regardless of this, I don't think F-35 or Uber Taiyyara are coming unless of course they have Techniki problems!

Fighter jets: Flying towards scary parity with Pakistan
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ind ... 879702.cms
24 July 2025

[Rakesh]

Twitter is already abuzz with Su-57 in IAF colours. How quickly the wildfire (aka propaganda) spreads...

https://x.com/elitepredatorss/status/19 ... 5321063468 ---> Looks the best in Tipnis grey and tricolor, isn't it?

[SRajesh]

^^Bas Saabji
Now the wait for the Phoren Maal starts!!

[bkswarti]

Moderator Note: Please do not post just links without a title and a date. Your post has been edited.

Lagta hai yeh log iss forum padkar news chhap dete hain.

IAF looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from foreign sources
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 724200508/
24 July 2025

[Rakesh]

The importance of having your own MIC (in military aviation) is clearly illustrated. When will we ever learn?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has operated four of the aircraft below. By the way, where is France's VLO fighter below? The aircraft at the very bottom right (Rafale) is France's only viable fighter till the FCAS arrives in the late 2040s. When will we *EVER* learn?

https://x.com/officialTatya_1/status/19 ... 8571504886 ---> The Dassault Family



https://x.com/AviationMarlene/status/18 ... 3418924270 ---> "La Famille Dassault"

[Rakesh]

The importance of having your own MIC (in military aviation) is clearly illustrated. When will we ever learn?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has operated four of the aircraft below. By the way, where is France's VLO fighter below? The aircraft at the very bottom right (Rafale) is France's only viable fighter till the FCAS arrives in the late 2040s. When will we *EVER* learn?

So 114 MRFA plus 50 (± 10) stealth fighters = no money for local programs.

https://x.com/Varun55484761/status/1948409836812599615 ---> The IAF recently made a detailed presentation to the govt outlining its future requirements for maintaining an edge over adversaries. IAF is looking to acquire around 2-3 squadrons (40-60 aircraft). India is also looking at a programme to build 114 modern 4.5 plus generation fighters.

[bkswarti]

^ I agree. AMCA must be fast tracked. Not sure what’s worse: kill switch amriki F35 or barely 5th gen Russi SU-57 or a decade with Pakistanis having chini 5th gen.

Perhaps we need a different thread to keep this about the 114 Rafales

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/1948404882794299463 ---> What if I told you that MoD and IAF has already selected the fifth gen jet and it is….Which one is it? The one built at Fort Worth, Texas? OR The one built by Knaaz at Komsomolsk on Amur…?

[Rakesh]

Lagta hai yeh log iss forum padkar news chhap dete hain.

IAF looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from foreign sources
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 724200508/
24 July 2025

https://x.com/wartrophy_414/status/1948406798060228955 ---> Mujhe samjh nhi aata inka 2-3 sqn ka acquisition se hota kya hai? That's like buying something, so you can write on wikipedia that we have them, look at Rafale 2 squadrons, 1 towards Pak & other towards China & that's 18 jets on each side of an air force that talks in 42-60 fighter squadrons.

https://x.com/wartrophy_414/status/1948413230474478018 ---> IAF, veterans, GoI & exfarts after every 2 squadron acquisitions, telling everyone how everything they buy is a game changer.

[Rakesh]

Lagta hai yeh log iss forum padkar news chhap dete hain.

IAF looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from foreign sources
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/ge ... 724200508/
24 July 2025

https://x.com/Neetivaan/status/1948421938730139666 ---> Why don't you just sabotage AMCA completely and import everything? Skilled, intelligent leadership too if there's an option.

https://x.com/Tej_Intel/status/1948620345059278887 ---> Thanks to Pakistan and their forward-thinking strategy. Our galleries are buzzing with the names of AMCA, Su-57, and F-35. Strangely, Chinese developments don't spark similar fire in the IAF/MoD.

https://x.com/cvkrishnan/status/1948628108409798688 ---> If the F-35 does come, IAF should re-organise itself into:

• Russian Fighter Command
• Indigenous Fighter Command
• French Fighter Command
• American Fighter Command

Air Defence Systems too will go into respective commands.

[LakshmanPST]

What if--->
- Withdraw 114 MRCA proposal.
- Say that the order should be split between 3 squadrons of Rafale and 3 squadrons of 5th Gen fighter
- Order 3 squadrons of Rafale
- Drag the 5th Gen proposal with Chai Biskoot sessions for years
- Finally cancel it and order AMCA