F-16 for India Air Force…Really?

[Sloth 22]

I don't understand why our govt is going with an American fighter even after they are aware of the strings attached with it. Also inducting a new platform results in a logistical nightmare and mpresent ce the serviceability no matter even if the jets are manufactured in India. Moreover, Trump's whole campaign has been based upon bringing back the jobs to US, most importantly the manufacturing jobs. So, even if LM offers the production line, it would be more of an assembly line rather than full scale production which most Indians here are claiming that F-16IN has a possibility of being manufacturing with 90% Indian raw materials. Also, PAF has tremendous experience with F-16s and they know the bird in and out, so atleast in the next two decades if IAF opts F-16s they may only have an advantage in BVR combat due to Blk-70 but PAF would have an upperhand in WVR combat.

It is always better to stick to the LCA, open up two more production lines for the private sector in order to increase the rate of production and there is a higher possibility to improve the quality and order two more squadrons of Rafales. Invest more on developing newer and more advanced blocks of LCA and AMCA by partnering with private Indian defense entities and push Russians for the FGFA.

The requirement for SE is arising from the fact that the mismanagement from HAL with LCA has meant that no private sector company is willing to join in with the present terms and conditions of HAL. And neither is HAL interested in utilising its present capacity to the fullest to deliver the present numbers fastly.

So IAF has reconciled that they cannot depend up on HAL.

Then lets come to the options , its Gripen vs F16, where F16 is a better choice.

About serviceability of F16, well just like we have a contract with LM for our C130s for 85% availability rate , we will have similar agreement for F16s.

About its production , we will be getting enough ToT to manufacture the aircraft and its spares in India.

And an IAF pilot will always have greater chances on an F16 than on Mig21.

 

[truthseeker2010]

Either way they loose jobs. Because the only orders they have now is of Iraq , which will be completed this year. After that , without any new orders ,the production line would be dismantled by an year. Also right now there are no more new orders/negotiations going on.

So they can at best sell the production to us and earn few bucks or loose both !

so than for whom will it be made in india? for IAF? if yes than at max the orders would be 100-120 that too is highly unlikely, but that too means the line would be for 5 yrs max, now you don't invest in a plant for so short term, because the sunk cost would be very high.

 

[Sloth 22]

so than for whom will it be made in india? for IAF? if yes than at max the orders would be 100-120 that too is highly unlikely, but that too means the line would be for 5 yrs max, now you don't invest in a plant for so short term, because the sunk cost would be very high.

Remember the original plan for LCA production was 300+. And it was based on 42 squadrons plan which further is based on 15 years old security analysis.

China has now got much more asets closer to our border.The basic requirement is having enough numbers to have 1.25:1 ration with Respect to Pakistan and 1:1 ratio for 33% of PLAAF fleet simultaneously.

Now given that LCA will see at max ~150 MK1A in service , we can easily expect atleast 250 F16s.

 

[truthseeker2010]

Remember the original plan for LCA production was 300+. And it was based on 42 squadrons plan which further is based on 15 years old security analysis.

China has now got much more asets closer to our border.The basic requirement is having enough numbers to have 1.25:1 ration with Respect to Pakistan and 1:1 ratio for 33% of PLAAF fleet simultaneously.

Now given that LCA will see at max ~150 MK1A in service , we can easily expect atleast 250 F16s.

yeah just like MMRCA came down from 126 to 36.............

 

[Incog_nito]

PAF now doesn't need F-16s as it's focusing more on JF-17s and FC-31s...

 

[Sloth 22]

yeah just like MMRCA came down from 126 to 36.............

MMRCA or Rafale deal is more bigger now than it was then.

A cool minded analysis of investments made, and that of the total cost of deal , and then its comparison with other examples in IAF will tell you the bare minimum numbers.

PAF now doesn't need F-16s as it's focusing more on JF-17s and FC-31s...

Your Ambassador to the USA feels otherwise.

 

[AMRAAM]

Now given that LCA will see at max ~150 MK1A in service , we can easily expect atleast 250 F16s.

But don't you think that by the time 150MK1A will be completed, Rafales will be 4 or 5-decade old technology and might have retired from service.

 

[graphican]

UAS has done all they could to convince India to buy F-16s. They created a unique bock for them, renamed it to F-21 and denied Pakistan sale of mere 8 units to appease "AMRAAM dodgers" - but in vane. Indians might opt for F-15 instead.