IAF Unveils 2047 Vision with Fully Indigenous Stealth Fighters, Advanced UAVs, and Cutting-Edge Weapons to Dominate Indian Skies

In a bold declaration on the eve of the 92nd Indian Air Force Day, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh unveiled the IAF's ambitious vision for 2047: a fully indigenous fleet of fighter aircraft, advanced UAVs, and cutting-edge weaponry.

This goal, announced during a comprehensive press conference held days before the annual celebrations on October 8th, aligns with India's broader "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) initiative.

Air Marshal Singh emphasized that this vision extends beyond simply replacing imported platforms. "By 2047, we envision an Indian Air Force that operates with a fully indigenous inventory," he stated, highlighting the need for homegrown technologies capable of meeting the evolving challenges of modern aerial warfare. This ambitious plan will rely on continued collaboration between the IAF, Indian industry, and research institutions.

The IAF is already making significant strides towards this goal. The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), now an integral part of the IAF's fleet, exemplifies India's growing aerospace capabilities.

The upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, is poised to be a cornerstone of this indigenous future. Air Marshal Singh provided updates on the AMCA program, confirming close collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private sector partners to ensure its timely development and induction.

Beyond fighter jets, the IAF is prioritizing indigenous development across all domains. The Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) is already in service, with more advanced variants under development. Similarly, indigenous radar systems, air defense systems, and electronic warfare platforms are being rapidly developed and deployed.

The Chief acknowledged the challenges ahead, including sustained investment in research and development, navigating global supply chain disruptions, and ensuring the timely delivery of critical platforms. He expressed confidence, however, in the potential of India's burgeoning defense industry and the growing synergy between the public and private sectors.

This announcement comes at a time when India is increasingly asserting its aerospace prowess. The successful development and induction of the Tejas LCA, coupled with the ongoing AMCA program, signal India's determination to become a major player in the global defence industry.

 

[R. Singh]

With active participation of Indian pvt sector +HAL+ADA should make 205 Tejas-1A, 169 Tejas-AF-MK-II, 169 internal weapon bay capable MWF and 145 twin engine ORCA powered by KAveri-2.0 engines ! Then comes AMCA-MK-I and AMCA-II as required by IAF ! DRDO should also develop stealth bomber like B-21 !

 

[vvgnag6933]

The govt should allocate atleast 1-2 lakh crores on research & development, prototypes for aircraft engines, fighter jets, advanced missiles, UAVs, lasers etc. This fund should be allocated and available for spending by both public and pvt sector.

 

[sanket]

IAF is Happy with Indigenous developments of Fighter jets

 

[Anant]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

Then CANCEL and SCRAP MRFA tender, and start ORCA designs using Tejas-TEF-Naval jet platforms on twin RD33MK Sea Wasp engines of MIG35 using pvt players involvements. Keep useless defunct ADA out of the design loop and, only HAL-IAF fighter jet design agencies must undertake this task...

Once GEF414 deal is signed then redesign above ORCA for F414 twin engines also.....

 

[Praveen]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

They will sell all the remaining planes and only fly on paper planes. This will definitely be indegenous , right

 

[Ashutosh]

He is not saying he would retire Su30s and Rafales by 2047, the plan is to reach ~100% indigenization of these two( in case of Rafales only if MRFA is successful), most of the force would be formed by indigenous fighters-200+ LCA mk2, 200 LCA mk1a, 200+ AMCA, 150 MRFA, 84+ Super Sukhoi.

 

[Ysmir Rewari]

Great vision, but HAL remains a major roadblock. Either HAL must be reformed or alternatives must be encouraged to mitigate reliance on a non-performing (at least in fixed wing aircrafts) entity.

 

[SK]

What about Transport Aircraft??

What about serviceability Rates of 5th Gen jets when India has No prior experience in operating Stealth Aircraft & it's Maintenance?

What about development of Strategic Bombers for Precision strke capabilities for both Conventional & Nuclear War-heads??

 

[PKPRS]

IAF is Happy with Indigenous developments of Fighter jets

yes we save $40Bln that we can use to procure other critical items like submarines, carriers, Landing dock ships, AEW&C planes and others.

 

[PKPRS]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

means we are not buying any more foreign fighter jets, SU-30 MKI will become indigenous as we will be the sole user and exporter of that fighter jet.

 

[Akshat]

means we are not buying any more foreign fighter jets, SU-30 MKI will become indigenous as we will be the sole user and exporter of that fighter jet.

This means that MRFA is now confirmed. Full 114 set.

 

[Sandeep]

Everybody wants an indigenous air force but for that they need to design, develop, manufacture and deliver it on time to the front line.

 

[beencensured]

What about Transport Aircraft??

What about serviceability Rates of 5th Gen jets when India has No prior experience in operating Stealth Aircraft & it's Maintenance?

What about development of Strategic Bombers for Precision strke capabilities for both Conventional & Nuclear War-heads??

First if India makes a stealth aircraft as proposed and researched, then it will be more then capable of operating and maintaining such things it made. Tejas has upward of 80-90% availability.

Our hijras/ napunsak, illiterate politicians gave up tu-142 based on tu-95 bombers with a perfect service record without any effort to overhaul, or recertify which would have given strategic bombing capabilities. This is their logic they follow listen to foreign arms lobbies and make country impotent.

 

[Anant]

I believe that MKI will be retired long before that due to sanctions and limited scope for future upgrades.
As for Rafale,it most likely would serve post 2050,but since the numbers are very low at least without any further buys,I believe it too may see sunset earlier than expected.

Personally, I have a feeling the MKI will start retiring around 2040. I am also fairly certain not every Su-30MKI will get the Super Sukhoi upgrade as some airframes will be approaching the end of their lives, and the upgrade may be too expensive.

In any case, by my calculations, and going by the most optimistic scenario, the Su-30MKI will come to double digit fleet strength by 2049-50, and be gone latest by 2054-55.

Depending on just how many Su-30s do not receive that upgrade, that timeline may come forward by 4-5 years.

 

[Anant]

means we are not buying any more foreign fighter jets, SU-30 MKI will become indigenous as we will be the sole user and exporter of that fighter jet.

The Su-30MKI has never truly been indigenous, just as the Jaguar, MiG-21, and others have never truly been indigenous. Heck, even the Tejas isn't technically indigenous, going by the number of foreign-sourced components used in it.

 

[Kira]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

I believe that MKI will be retired long before that due to sanctions and limited scope for future upgrades.
As for Rafale,it most likely would serve post 2050,but since the numbers are very low at least without any further buys,I believe it too may see sunset earlier than expected.

 

[Kira]

Personally, I have a feeling the MKI will start retiring around 2040. I am also fairly certain not every Su-30MKI will get the Super Sukhoi upgrade as some airframes will be approaching the end of their lives, and the upgrade may be too expensive.

In any case, by my calculations, and going by the most optimistic scenario, the Su-30MKI will come to double digit fleet strength by 2049-50, and be gone latest by 2054-55.

Depending on just how many Su-30s do not receive that upgrade, that timeline may come forward by 4-5 years.

Yup, the older MKIs will meet their end by 2040, may be even before that,may be due to lack of upgrades and the fact they were inducted back in early 2000s. While the MKIs upgraded in future and the latest airframes (produced in 2010s), they may serve till the middle of the century, although can't be sure as that will also depend on the 5th Gen jets the IAF ends up inducting by the 2040s.

 

[Anant]

Yup, the older MKIs will meet their end by 2040, may be even before that,may be due to lack of upgrades and the fact they were inducted back in early 2000s. While the MKIs upgraded in future and the latest airframes (produced in 2010s), they may serve till the middle of the century, although can't be sure as that will also depend on the 5th Gen jets the IAF ends up inducting by the 2040s.

Agreed. I base my calculations off a 35 year airframe life, which can be extended to 42.5 years with a massive upgrade like the Super Sukhoi program.

 

[PKPRS]

The Su-30MKI has never truly been indigenous, just as the Jaguar, MiG-21, and others have never truly been indigenous. Heck, even the Tejas isn't technically indigenous, going by the number of foreign-sourced components used in it.

SU-30 MKI is already 70% indigenous, in the coming days it will become 100%.

 

[Dredd]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

Su30 MKI will definitely start retiring by then .. rafale will be there till 2060s

 

[Kira]

Agreed. I base my calculations off a 35 year airframe life, which can be extended to 42.5 years with a massive upgrade like the Super Sukhoi program.

But since the engine is destined to remain the rather inefficient Al-31F,I dont think that IAF will keep them for so long,and will definitely pull the plug quicker if better 5th Gen fighters with greater domestic content(such as a viable domestic powerplant) become available over time.

 

[PKPRS]

This means that MRFA is now confirmed. Full 114 set.

may be but will not be purchased from your country.

 

[Akshat]

may be but will not be purchased from your country.

Of course. MRFA is for foreign planes so no Indian plane can be bought. It won’t be from your Russia or China either.

 

[Akshat]

Su30 MKI will definitely start retiring by then .. rafale will be there till 2060s

Depends. If we get more Rafales under MRFA, then the type will be around till even the 2070s. If not, well, if you think maintaining 55-ish Mirage 2000s has become a challenge due to spares and the like, just you wait to see how worse it'll be with just 36 Rafales. In that case, the Rafale may well have to be retired early (late 2050s or early 2060s).

 

[Anant]

SU-30 MKI is already 70% indigenous, in the coming days it will become 100%.

No, it isn't. We still get some knocked-down kits from Russia, not to mention the engines themselves are built using Russian-supplied kits.

An aircraft is truly indigenous when you can build it completely within the nation without sourcing any critical components externally.

 

[Akshat]

Fully indigenous inventory? Does that mean we are planning on retiring the Su-30MKI and Rafale by that point, then? Because if not, then this "fully indigenous inventory" isn't happening.

Stuff made in India counts as indigenous. So MRFA is confirmed now.