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India faces a conundrum. Its ongoing effort to develop an indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet will take 8-10 years to fructify. In the meantime, New Delhi can either opt to wait, or as an interim measure, accept an offer from either US or Russia. The US has offered India the F-35 and the Russians made their pitch with Sukhoi 57 – both fifth generation planes.
The primary concern in India’s decision-making is the fact that China already has operational fifth-generation jets, the J-20 and J-35, and has promised to supply them to Pakistan. This was, in fact, the first “sop” Beijing announced for Islamabad after the India-Pakistan skirmish in May 2024.
The US has offered the F-35 to India, while Russia is promoting the Sukhoi Su-57—both operational fifth-generation fighters. The F-35 is already used by the US and several NATO allies.
India’s plan
India is developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation fighter jet. Last month, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), invited expressions of interest (EoI) from Indian companies, setting a timeline of eight years to achieve a flying prototype, with full-scale production and induction expected another two years after that.
The Indian Air Force wants two variants: the AMCA Mark 1 is expected to use the General Electric F414 engine (98 kN thrust), and the Mark 2 will use a 110 kN thrust engine. Both versions will require foreign collaboration for engine development. Production of F414 engines is planned under a joint venture between GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). For the Mark 2, India is considering partnerships with either Safran or Rolls Royce.
India can pursue two parallel paths
Even if the India opts to accept the US or Russian offer as an interim measure, it needs to go full steam ahead with the indigenous development. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has okayed a budget of Rs 15,000 crore budget for development and prototype making of the AMCA.
For the Ministry of Defence, there is an example to follow from what the Indian Navy did when it tested out the single-engined Light Combat Aircraft, called the LCA Navy, for an on deck landing on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The Navy said it wanted a twin-engine jet for operations over sea.
The Navy fully backed development of the next generation ‘twin engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) and till the time it matures, expected by 2030-2031, the Navy opted to import a small number of Rafale-Marine jets as an interim measure.
Why fifth-generation aircraft are needed
A fifth-generation aircraft is defined by its capabilities that allows the pilot to maintain decision superiority over an adversary. Onboard sensors and stealth technology make it tough for enemy radars to track a fifth-generation plane that is backed by millions of software codes.
The classification of a generational shift occurs when a technological innovation cannot be incorporated into an existing aircraft through upgrades and retrospective fit-outs.
The first generation subsonic jet fighters are from mid 1940s to mid 1950s; the second generation jets are from mid-1950s to early 1960s; Third generation jet are from early 1960s to 1970; Fourth generation jet fighters are from 1970 to late 1980s; Four and half generation jet fighters followed. And the fifth gen arrived in 2005 when the US unveiled the F-22 Raptor.
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