I feel Israel will not get f22's, and f35 will be adopted to their first tier fighter. There might be a scope for a second tier low observable fighter. that is where AMCA might fit in.
Nobody gets the F22, UK, Israel and Japan tried it (because they found the F35 not to be good enough) and got rejected, but who says AMCA is meant to be like the F22? In fact wasn't the aim of DRDO to present it as our 2nd tier below the FGFA, similar to the low end F35? So that's not really a point for Israel right? But as I said, financial and political hurdles will be a bigger problem for them.
Next India being India, should look at a modular combat system which can cater to western as well as russian system with two distinct sensor systems. Israel and India both have expertise in dealing with both western and russian systems.
That's an advantage when you have access to Russian and western stuff, but India is one of the very few countries that has this luxery, so when the aim is to make AMCA an export stealth fighter too, the variety is actually a limiting factor which already can be seen in the LCA now. We are not able to sell it to any Gulf state, because of the Israeli techs, the US engine means exports can be limited by them and there are not many countries left that would use Russian weapons, when they have western alternatives on offer. Same goes for our Frigates and Destroyers, highly powerful and with advanced systems, thanks to the Russian weapons and Israeli systems, but when we want to export them it will be difficult to find suitable customers for exactly this variety.
Europe is not a very reliable partner french are an exception, as they have been throughout thier history.
And still we procure most of our weapons and techs now from them, if we don't go to Russia in first place. Germany for example is providing us with arms for a long time, but today Indias importance is much higher than in 2000 for example and we have to take "offensive" steps to get them in propper partnerships with us. That's why India being a defence hub for the world would be so important, because it makes all the important countries to commit themselfs to us and the more committed they are, the better for a reliable partnership.
Israel is already there but I feel previous government has missed quite a few opportunities to consolidate the partnership.
True we are at partnership level with Israel, but with crucial limitations based on their financial and political relation to the US. Be it EL 2052 for LCA, for Gripen IN, be it AESA co-developments with them, most likely a denial to provide us with David Sling missiles..., too many problems that sets limitations, not to mention that their industrial capability is limited to certain fields too. Compared to them, Europe is far more independent and can offer much more defence related systems. However as long as they still see us just an emerging country, that is not reliable in defence procurements and developments, it will take time till we actually get to partnership levels. That's why we need to use procurements like MMRCA, LUH, Avro replacement... to a much greater extend to increase political and industrial ties. Seeing them just as procurement is too less and a missed chance.
The way AMCA is progressing, it seems like the LCA story all over again, if we learn from our mistakes, IAF's future will remain bleak.
Sadly yes, which shows that we didn't learned from our mistakes, especially ADA and DRDO. As I told you earlier, for me AMCA is the best chance for HAL to show that they are more than just a production house for ADA / DRDO and that they can be even better than the these 2, by presenting an alternative AMCA in competition to the DRDO / ADA design. But as I said in my last post, the biggest problem is the purpose, because IAF don't need AMCA earlier than in 2030/35, which alone makes that project now unnecessary, except for I, unless IN finally forgets about the useless N-LCA and pitch stronger on a NG carrier fighter, that's where AMCA is really needed!
That in mind, I believe an Indo-Israeli-South Korean/Japanese venture would work best.
India partnering with 3 countries that are highly dependent on the US? We have to increase the relations to these countries independently, but can't really depent on them to take decisions that are not guided from the US.
Very correct.
Germans were very much impressed with LCA designed and wanted to contribute in program. They wanted to place an order of 12 fighters but we had a blind government at the center in late 80 s an nineties. We missed the opportunity.
It's not about the Germans = the government or forces, but EADS that showed actual interest in a trainer version and not the actual fighter and it wasn't in the 80s or 90s, but in the recent years when EADS already got involved as a consultancy partner:
EADS Offers Mako Trainer Technology For LCA
