Opinion Can MRFA Program Rescue India's Fighter Jet Fleet from the Brink?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is facing a critical juncture as it grapples with the pressing need to modernize its aging fighter jet fleet. While ambitious indigenous programs like the TEDBF and AMCA hold promise, the immediate reality demands urgent action.

The Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender, aimed at acquiring 114 new jets, has become a symbol of this urgency, yet it has languished in bureaucratic delays for over a decade.

As Prime Minister Modi embarks on his third term, experts stress that the time for decisive action is now. This is not merely about buying new jets; it's about safeguarding India's skies and ensuring national security.

Streamlining the procurement process, prioritizing domestic manufacturing under "Make in India," and ensuring cost-efficiency and lifecycle support are key to resolving this issue. Additionally, the chosen jets must seamlessly integrate with existing IAF systems and be adaptable to future upgrades.

While indigenous programs like the TEDBF and AMCA represent India's long-term aspirations, the MRFA program serves as a critical bridge to maintain the IAF's operational readiness. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), already engaged in multiple projects, cannot immediately meet the demand for new jets. The MRFA tender, with its focus on domestic manufacturing through private sector or Indian subsidiaries of foreign OEMs, offers a viable solution.

The government's focus on clearing the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the MRFA program and allocating sufficient budgetary resources is crucial. Exploring alternative funding mechanisms like deferred payment plans or defense bonds can further mitigate financial constraints.

With geopolitical tensions on the rise, a robust and modern fighter fleet is not a luxury but a strategic necessity for India. The MRFA program, with its emphasis on swift procurement, domestic manufacturing, cost-efficiency, and technological integration, is the most practical way to address this urgent need.

By taking decisive action now, the government can not only bolster the IAF's capabilities but also lay the groundwork for a thriving domestic aerospace industry. The stakes are high, but the opportunity for transformation is equally significant.

 

[Anant]

Finally, a truly sensible article laying the facts. I have said this time and again: We do not have the production capacities to simply replace MRFA with local jets, unless we are ready to have the IAF shrink to a critically low level in the late 2030s and early 2040s.

Add to that the fact that up-scaling a force is very difficult due to the fact that if you have more pilots than needed, you either lose the skill over time, or you keep training on what few aircraft you have, reducing their lifespan in turn.

MRFA will not be cheap, but it is a quantitative necessity. Those 6 squadrons might not sound like much, but they will play a critical role in bridging numbers.

 

[M S Chatterji]

In today's age and technology; MRFA is a fancy acquisition to maintain 45 squadron strength which was determined in 1995. Now the today's fighter capabilities are twice as good as these were in 1995. Hence pay more attention to UAVs and other evolving technologies than to MRFA.

 

[Bharat007]

MRFA looks wasted now. Even if Govt. orders it, it will be like 2030-31 where deliveries will start. By that time, our time will be on to fully concentrate in AMCA, Tejas Mk2, TEBDF, etc. Window for MRFA is over......... Unless, goverment have the money to spent further.

 

[Ashutosh Shukla]

order 2 more squadon of rafale thats it, 72 rafale will be good number. focus on Lca 2 and others

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

How the IAF and Govt can fix long delayed MRFA tender?

First step - privatise HAL (This would help pitch HAL as a potential competitor instead of a confirmed integrator).

Second step - Cancel the MRFA tender to include bid for next gen aircrafts which are currently or planned for induction. No point in procuring 4.5 Gen aircrafts from overseas when we can manufacture our own and our adversaries are deploying 5th gen aircrafts at border.

 

[Pink Panther]

Finally, a truly sensible article laying the facts. I have said this time and again: We do not have the production capacities to simply replace MRFA with local jets, unless we are ready to have the IAF shrink to a critically low level in the late 2030s and early 2040s.

Add to that the fact that up-scaling a force is very difficult due to the fact that if you have more pilots than needed, you either lose the skill over time, or you keep training on what few aircraft you have, reducing their lifespan in turn.

MRFA will not be cheap, but it is a quantitative necessity. Those 6 squadrons might not sound like much, but they will play a critical role in bridging numbers.

Only best fixing is cancelling MRFA and making 100’s of Tejas MK1A and MK2, with GE F414 engine deal nearing, we don’t need 4th gen foreign fighter jet, if we are offered 5th gen aircraft, we could get 2 squadrons of them, strictly no more foreign 4th gen aircraft, especially the expensive ones.

 

[sanket]

Pvt players are Not keen in the production of Fighter jets they are more worried about Return/Profit, I recently mention if Dassault buy remaning stake in DRAL then india will not get benefit of ToT even after paying 20% more if Indian Subsidary of OEM in country.........................??? Winner of MRFA should form JV with Indian PVT Players to Manufacture this 114 Fighter Jets Under Make in India.

 

[Akshat]

Only best fixing is cancelling MRFA and making 100’s of Tejas MK1A and MK2, with GE F414 engine deal nearing, we don’t need 4th gen foreign fighter jet, if we are offered 5th gen aircraft, we could get 2 squadrons of them, strictly no more foreign 4th gen aircraft, especially the expensive ones.

HAL makes only 5 planes annually. Mk2 hasn’t even been rolled out despite 1000s of crores being wasted. So that’s not the fix.

 

[Akshat]

In today's age and technology; MRFA is a fancy acquisition to maintain 45 squadron strength which was determined in 1995. Now the today's fighter capabilities are twice as good as these were in 1995. Hence pay more attention to UAVs and other evolving technologies than to MRFA.

We are not even going to have 30 squadrons without MRFA.

 

[Akshat]

MRFA looks wasted now. Even if Govt. orders it, it will be like 2030-31 where deliveries will start. By that time, our time will be on to fully concentrate in AMCA, Tejas Mk2, TEBDF, etc. Window for MRFA is over......... Unless, goverment have the money to spent further.

Mk2, tedbf and Amca ain’t coming till at least 2040.

 

[sanket]

Only best fixing is cancelling MRFA and making 100’s of Tejas MK1A and MK2, with GE F414 engine deal nearing, we don’t need 4th gen foreign fighter jet, if we are offered 5th gen aircraft, we could get 2 squadrons of them, strictly no more foreign 4th gen aircraft, especially the expensive ones.

India Needs Twin Engine Medium Multirole Fighter jets You mention Jets are Single Engine .

 

[Akshat]

order 2 more squadon of rafale thats it, 72 rafale will be good number. focus on Lca 2 and others

What do you mean by focus? GoI has given the money many years back. And they are ready to give orders as soon as it comes out. Right now 114 planes, at the very least, is a quantitative urgency.

 

[Akshat]

How the IAF and Govt can fix long delayed MRFA tender?

First step - privatise HAL (This would help pitch HAL as a potential competitor instead of a confirmed integrator).

Second step - Cancel the MRFA tender to include bid for next gen aircrafts which are currently or planned for induction. No point in procuring 4.5 Gen aircrafts from overseas when we can manufacture our own and our adversaries are deploying 5th gen aircrafts at border.

We can manufacture 4.5 gen planes on our own? Since when?

 

[Akshat]

Pvt players are Not keen in the production of Fighter jets they are more worried about Return/Profit, I recently mention if Dassault buy remaning stake in DRAL then india will not get benefit of ToT even after paying 20% more if Indian Subsidary of OEM in country.........................??? Winner of MRFA should form JV with Indian PVT Players to Manufacture this 114 Fighter Jets Under Make in India.

When have they ever been asked to manufacture fighter jets by GoI? Only time they were asked was in MRFA and they came in jumping up and down.

 

[Pink Panther]

HAL makes only 5 planes annually. Mk2 hasn’t even been rolled out despite 1000s of crores being wasted. So that’s not the fix.

MRFA doesn’t mean Medium Rafale fighter Aircraft, we could increase the production to 24/year in a matter of time gradually, no big deal.

 

[Pink Panther]

India Needs Twin Engine Medium Multirole Fighter jets You mention Jets are Single Engine .

There is no such condition like that in MRFA competition, then F21 and Gripen wouldn’t even be part of the competition, if we want twin engine jet we have ORCA that could be made.

 

[Pink Panther]

We are not even going to have 30 squadrons without MRFA.

That’s totally fine, we are good till the time of retiring MIG-29 and Mirage, all we need is 36 new fighter jets in case of skirmishes on both sides, that we have already ,there are absolutely no possiblities of a full fledged war, 30 squadrons is more than enough, especially with 36 Rafale’s, 50+ upgraded MIG’s and 50+ upgraded Mirages, after we are done upgrading SU-30’s to Super we will be powerful enough, we are no way in a hurry whatsoever, all we need to do rightnow is speedup super SU-30 upgrade and start slowly inducting Tejas MK1A 8-12/year and jump to MK2, IAF is not going to retire MIG-29’s and Mirages until at-least till 2050.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

MRFA doesn’t mean Medium Rafale fighter Aircraft, we could increase the production to 24/year in a matter of time gradually, no big deal.

Talk sense for once. No big deal to increase production... what are jokers waiting for ? Muhurat ?

 

[Pink Panther]

I think we should get 36-54 more Rafales on G2G for IAF and crack the whip on ADA & HAL to accelerate the TejasMk2 & AMCA projects.

36 will cost more than $10Bln., there us a huge debate going regarding the price of Rafale-M, $6Bln for 22 new Rafale-M’s and 4 used Rafale-c’s, people are saying that these will be bought with no offsets and 0 (Zero) TOT and 0 (Zero) local employment.