Scenario: PAF inducts 5th Generation Fighters

[V. Makarov]

In case of Pakistan, buying a fifth generation fighter is like buying a Toyota Land Cruiser in a crowded urban city like Lahore. It has got more power, people turn their heads to look at it and you feel good driving in it. However, a normal four door family sedan with the same luxury options and utilities would do the same thing while being much more adapted for the congested city.
The Land Cruiser has a very large diesel tank even though you have to travel only a few Kms every day. It has huge maintenance and running cost.

In Pakistan's scenario, stealth is not as important as is the response time and operational readiness. Best electronic warfare and communication systems are also critical. All of these objectives can be achieved with advanced single jet fighters.

Pakistan has no strategic depth. It is a small strip of land. We dont need large double engine "SUVs" because they have nothing to defend past our own land. We are good with agile fighters that can give befitting response to misadventures.

However, if you are referring to fifth generation fighters in order to take the air battles deep into the enemy territory, you would need at least 2-3 times more 5th generation jets as there are 4.5 generation jets inside the hostile territory. This is because of very advanced air defence systems and electronically hostile environments and the fact that you are trying to impose air superiority over hostile land which has a large airforce.

>Furthermore, By the time Pakistan or India try to gain air superiority over the skies of the other, something has gone really really bad. This means that one of the nation would be least bothered about air superiority and would be mating the nuclear warheads with the delivery systems before the airforce takes them out.

5th generation fighters wont help in regaining air superiority over our own land, but large number of advanced 4.5 generation single jets with high quality air to air missiles like the AMRAAM will.

Rest God knows better.

 

[TheTallGuy]

5th Gen Fighter squadron can pose death penality on HVAs that are Tankers, AWACS and Stand off ECM/ESM.

As i said before its Like a "Silver Bullet" use to operate inside Indian Air Space. 5th Gen Fighter can bring a massive change in dynamics of air war in subcontinent.

 

[Trango Towers]

Hi,

Work on the 5th gen project but do not procure any at this time---. Keep adding the 4th or 4.5 gen as long as you can---.

Couldnt agree more and you know we dont often agree. By the time a new platform is procured, delivered and inducted azm will be flying

 

[Armchair]

Even with 4 j20s, PAF could sink any ship of IN at any time they wish, should they venture into the Indian Ocean.
That drastically degrades their naval force projection and creates a partial blockade situation.
It can drop s SOW on any shipyard or strategic target.

The Indian Ocean is big and threatening Indian South can only be done via a system like the J20.
Not JFTs

 

[Ali_Baba]

Even with 4 j20s, PAF could sink any ship of IN at any time they wish, should they venture into the Indian Ocean.
That drastically degrades their naval force projection and creates a partial blockade situation.
It can drop s SOW on any shipyard or strategic target.

The Indian Ocean is big and threatening Indian South can only be done via a system like the J20.
Not JFTs

This is why both countries are racing towards getting a stealth platform as quickly as they can, in the context of South Asia it offers a lot of potential capabilities for both sides.

Pakistan choices in stealth are more than India's right now, which is an interesting state of affairs!! Pakistan has, the TFX, FC-35, Azm .. and maybe with a pull and push, J20s(export variants...). India has the Su-57(which is more 4.75 gen and not 5, if you ask me) and AMCA(home grown effort) .. On paper the F-35 is available to them, but in reality i dont see India going for it, so it is not an option. They could try and become a customer of Tempest, or the EU stealth effort if they wanted.