New Delhi
India, which is struggling with the shortage of fighter aircraft, has approved the fifth generation fighter aircraft. However, these aircraft will not be able to get the Indian Air Force before 2035. Before starting production, the aircraft will have to undergo a long process of design, development and testing, which is a big challenge and time -eating task. In such a situation, the challenge before the Government of India is to fulfill this need immediately. Indian Air Force is now publicly talking about lack of fighter jet. In fact, the Indian Airforce, facing challenges on two fronts from China and Pakistan, needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets to maintain their fighter capacity. A squadron consists of 18 aircraft. However, at present, the Air Force has 32 squadrons left. On the other hand, the Air Force of China and Pakistan is now being equipped with fifth generation aircraft. In such a situation, there is a challenge. However, both the government and the Air Force consider this challenge and appropriate steps are also being taken for this.
Second aspect of challenge
Well, today we are not talking about this challenge but another aspect related to it. It can be called a lapse, not an aspect. In fact, in 2007, the Government of India signed an inter -government agreement with Russia for the construction of the fifth generation fighter jet. Under this agreement, Sukhoi fighter jet maker in Russia and Indian government company HAL was about to develop a fifth generation fighter jet. This project had to be pushed forward towards BrahMos missile. It is to be known that in the past, the BrahMos missile, which broke the back of Pakistan’s Air Force in Operation Sindoor, was developed together with Russia.
According to the report, the fifth generation fighter jet by India and Russia was a stealth jet. Two engines were to be installed in it. He was to be built to destroy air, ground and naval targets. For this, India sent one of its teams to Russia in 2006. Following the agreement, in December 2008, fighter jet’s design and in December 2010 were also compromised. India and Russia plan to produce 154 aircraft with an investment of $ 6-6 billion.
Problems started coming in the project
India asked Russia to share the technical equality of the project and the source cord. Source Code has a software control system in a plane. Through that, any change in the aircraft can be carried out in future. However, Russia refused to give this source code. Then the conversation took place and for this Russia demanded an additional 7 billion dollars. Until 2016, India’s interest in this project was reduced due to disagreement on issues like the number of aircraft, source code, technical transfer. Then India officially announced to leave the project in 2018. India decided to focus on the Desi AMCA program. Along with this, 36 Rafale aircraft were purchased from France to meet the immediate needs of the Air Force.
Russia continued to work on the fifth generation fighter jet project. Then it came out as Sukhoi-57. There are many things in this aircraft that are compatible with the needs of India. In this way Russia became the third country to make fifth generation fighter jet. Prior to this, America and China have fifth generation fighter jets.
Now the compulsion of both
From 2018 to 2025, many things have changed. On the one hand, India is in dire need of fifth generation fighters at this time. At the same time, Russia’s economic condition has completely collapsed due to Ukraine War. He is not able to produce this fighter jets due to lack of money. So far, he has been able to make only 40 units of it. In such a situation, he now wants to give India with source code and technology transfer. Fighter jet, which is made according to India’s need, has been named Sukhoi-57 E. He has also said to produce it. It can also be easily built in the current plant of HUL.
What is less than F-35 and J-20 drying-57
From the time of getting out of the project, some knowledgeable people have been highlighting the lack of this fighter jets. If some reports of The Hindu and The Indian Express newspaper, the Air Force questioned the radar cross-section and stealth capacity of this fighter jets. India had demanded 43 such technical reforms in this aircraft, which Russia refused to accept.
political reasons
According to a report, India increased defense cooperation with Western countries to balance relations with Russia. One of the reasons behind this is Russia’s alliance with China. India is worried due to the constantly strong alliance between Russia and China. In such a situation, India feared that Russia should not share the technique of this fifth generation fighter jet to China.
