it should be out in public by this month around 18 august. but will be under trial for 3-4 years and hopefully in 2013-14 years india's first squadron of single seater and then 2015-2016 twin seater indian MKIsed
The first flight could be this year but there won't be an operational Pak Fa before 2015! Also India won't get a single Pak Fa (single seat version), only FGFAs the double seat version which will be designed after Pak Fa. First FGFA could arrive in 2017/18!
There you have the crux of the so-called 'joint development'.
The Russians were cash strapped and needed someone to pump in the money to continue development. That is the sum total (pun intended) of the Indian 'contribution' to this 'joint development'. The composite material knowledge of Indians is not an asset since the Russians already have this expertise.
Of course! It was not a co-development from the start, Russia began it years before and we joint later, so the first developments in stealth, engine and radar will be Russian for sure. But should think about the difference of this development and MKI development and you will understand why it's a co-development now!
MKI was in design and all main parts developed from Russia alone. India only took the main Su 30 design and include different Russian (Bars radar, TVC, Canards, OSL 30) and western parts (avionics, EWS), to get a customized version.
This time India will not take only fully developed Russian parts, but is involved in the developments and design too!
Imo our experience in avionics and radar with some western countries will be the main share. Also HAL has experience with production of Russian engines (RD 33 and AL 31), so they should be involved in further developments. Not to forget that we already build weapons like Astra, Nag/Helenia and main electronics parts of Brahmos, so new weapons will surely have Indian techs too.
On the design India will clearly fund the whole redesign of FGFA, because Russia is not interested in double seat versions, but for exports to Brazil for example these will be important again.
At the end it should be two fighters that shares the main parts, which were jointly developed. Some more from Russia (because they started these, or are based on older Russian techs), some more from India (because of access to western techs and better electronic and IT field). The fact that both countries will be involved in funding, development and production of parts makes it a 50/50 co-development.
EF is a similar example! Four nations are involved in funding, development and production of parts and even if the main design and the engine are from UK, the other nations are involved in their developments too and include other parts of the fighter. That makes it a co-development on same shares, just like Pak Fa /FGFA development!
