@Kinetic
We need to ask for fighters on need and some technical bases.
like (1) Aircraft Capability: which includes, the Fuselage, Engine, thrust vector nozzle, Weight, Flying manuverability etc. Which all depends on the Basic Plane Design, Carbon fiber nano tubes skelton like design that help in the protecting the plane, active radar denial and much more.
(2) Electronic Capacity: This is what now cost more, The Mig-35 with the 3D or 4D nozzle have best maneuverability amongst all plane, perhaps more than Raptor, but have not Those extraordinary electronic suits, like the French Spectra. We need Extraordinary 5th Gen like techs electronics as used in the our planes.
(3) RADAR and IRST/DAS: To deal with the Future Warfare we need AESA Radar and Longest Range IRST, I read somewhere india is building 130km (as I recollect memory) IRST System we need to ask whether we need DAS (Direct Aperture System) like systems for the Fighters. The FGFA have all side Radar, We need some modules with S band or weather radar frequency against which the Stealth is not working, and DAS like Passive system, so without using Radar we can find the enemy object, moreover jamming proof, if AESA is their its jamming proof. the 3d radar capacity of the FGFA is better, but passive system DAS is morepowerful then radar, as that is passive detection. US is searching for the skin which is Infrared proof for its next gen fighter.
(4) material that is able to withstand against the laser Temparature.
(5) Air To Air Barak-1 like missile, to save Fighters from the enemy missile.
(6) EYE: The System of all Frequecy, Radar, Radiowaves, and Electronic Spectrum, with UAV passive detection. The Eye is the of motto "Jis Desh ki Nigehban he ankhen, us desh ko koi chu nahi sakta"
(7) Better weapons that can deal with enemy, weapons system. in short enemy fighters, including stealth and supersonic fighters.
If the purpose to have better electronics then such must be fulfilled by the Rafale and we need to ask our self why we need TOT(transfer of Technology) If purpose is to copy the plane, then it can be done in India too like china copy su-27, if we do not get any great things as seems from rafale, question is raised for what we are paying them more for? Start some six generation tech right now and choose plane that can deal with it in future, as US going with 6th gen and some country like Japan, RUSSIA, and France are jumping on sixth gen right now. We need the Fighters that will deal not only with the Fighters but also with the UAV, as dark sword like UAV will be used with the future Chinese fighters, The all direction UAV will protect such fighters, and more send weapons too.
We need to use money with right WISDOM, as the time is to see the future too, and the planes that will able to deal with the future fighters too.
