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Economic Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Would you fly a jet with Chinese chips? Veterans say no to Russia's Su‑57, push for India's AMCA instead
India's fighter jet debate has split top Air Force veterans. One side backs Russia's Su‑57E offer with promises of full technology transfer. The other says importing any fifth‑generation jet risks national security and undermines self‑reliance. Ajay Ahlawat and RKS Bhadauria want India to put all weight behind the homegrown AMCA, now under design. With Pakistan eyeing Chinese stealth jets, the choice is stark: build at home or depend on foreign vendors. The stakes are clear. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Call for direct oversight Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A different view Former chief says no Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Stronger defences the answer Where AMCA stands now Former Air Force officer Ajay Ahlawat has sounded a clear warning. He believes India must reject the lure of imported fifth‑generation fighters and put every resource into building its own stealth jet, the AMCA "It would be best if we eliminate the option to import FGFA ( Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft ). We have two bad choices. F‑35 comes with strings attached. US can not be trusted to steer a predictable foreign policy. Su57 is not really a FGFA. Moreover, a large part of electronics, avionics components and chips etc are sourced from China. Imagine being in a shooting war with your equipment vendor," Ahlawat wrote on words land at a time when Russia has made a tempting pitch: co‑produce the Su‑57E with complete technology wants more than just a rejection of imports. He wants the AMCA declared a national mission, personally monitored from the top."AMCA is the only viable option. Bring the program under PMO. Call it a mission of national importance. Nominate one IAF 3‑star as program head, reporting to NSA. All agencies under," he his view, India must break free from foreign dependency if it wants real air not everyone agrees. Former Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor sees strategic merit in Russia's plan. He thinks India should grab the chance while President Putin is set to visit."Just before Putin's visit on Thursday, Russia proposed a game changer offer for us, full tech transfer for co‑production of the Su‑57E at HAL Nashik (site of 220+ Su‑30MKI builds) plus direct delivery of Su‑35M jets in India's MRFA tender for 117 fighters. The dual offer promises deep localisation, source code access, it is a strategic boost for India's ' Make in India ' and our air power ambitions ," Kapoor said on him, Russian cooperation means faster firepower with local jobs and know‑ Ahlawat's view, former Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria stays firm. No shortcuts, no imported jets. He says India must stick with its plan to finish the AMCA, no matter how long it takes."My answer is no. Now, the government has clearly put their faith in AMCA, and now we need to do everything as a nation to expedite the AMCA," Bhadauria spoke against panic buys, especially since Pakistan is expected to get Chinese J‑20 or J‑35 jets."That cause of concern in terms of what Pakistan is going to get from China in the interim – be it J20 or J‑35 – let them get these. That will be studied. What is important is in the interim how do you handle these threats and there are ways and means of tackling this threat that they will have,' he stressed that India's answer lies in tougher air defences, not shopping abroad."We have already demonstrated our capabilities in the air defence zones… in air‑to‑ground precision zones in terms of standoff. So therefore we'll need to have an action plan to be able to sort this out and I think that's the way to go," he accepts that Pakistan may fly stealth jets before India. But he believes that does not have to tilt the balance."In terms of stealth capability Pakistan is likely to get before us, we'll have to take some other measures in order to be able to detect by some means, to be able to still hold them off our borders much inside so that they are unable to launch. And should they be able to launch their cruise missiles or their standoff weapons, we are able to tackle the weapons," Bhadauria AMCA, short for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, is India's first attempt to build a fifth‑generation stealth fighter on its own. DRDO, HAL and private firms are working together. The project is now in the detailed design stage. The first flying prototype is likely by the end of this stake is more than just an aircraft. The real test is whether India can build what it needs without outside help. If it works, the AMCA could close the stealth gap with rivals and cut foreign ties that come with hidden next few months will show which path India picks: build at home or buy from abroad. The debate has begun.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Would you fly a jet with Chinese chips? Veterans say no to Russia's Su‑57, pushes for India's AMCA instead
Former Air Force officer Ajay Ahlawat has sounded a clear warning. He believes India must reject the lure of imported fifth‑generation fighters and put every resource into building its own stealth jet, the AMCA . "It would be best if we eliminate the option to import FGFA ( Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft ). We have two bad choices. F‑35 comes with strings attached. US can not be trusted to steer a predictable foreign policy. Su57 is not really a FGFA. Moreover, a large part of electronics, avionics components and chips etc are sourced from China. Imagine being in a shooting war with your equipment vendor," Ahlawat wrote on Tuesday. His words land at a time when Russia has made a tempting pitch: co‑produce the Su‑57E with complete technology transfer. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dukung Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma: Mulai Di Sini Limfoma Pelajari Undo Call for direct oversight Ahlawat wants more than just a rejection of imports. He wants the AMCA declared a national mission, personally monitored from the top. "AMCA is the only viable option. Bring the program under PMO. Call it a mission of national importance. Nominate one IAF 3‑star as program head, reporting to NSA. All agencies under," he added. Live Events In his view, India must break free from foreign dependency if it wants real air power. A different view But not everyone agrees. Former Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor sees strategic merit in Russia's plan. He thinks India should grab the chance while President Putin is set to visit. "Just before Putin's visit on Thursday, Russia proposed a game changer offer for us, full tech transfer for co‑production of the Su‑57E at HAL Nashik (site of 220+ Su‑30MKI builds) plus direct delivery of Su‑35M jets in India's MRFA tender for 117 fighters. The dual offer promises deep localisation, source code access, it is a strategic boost for India's ' Make in India ' and our air power ambitions ," Kapoor said on Monday. — sanjeev__kapoor (@sanjeev__kapoor) For him, Russian cooperation means faster firepower with local jobs and know‑how. Former chief says no Backing Ahlawat's view, former Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria stays firm. No shortcuts, no imported jets. He says India must stick with its plan to finish the AMCA, no matter how long it takes. "My answer is no. Now, the government has clearly put their faith in AMCA, and now we need to do everything as a nation to expedite the AMCA," Bhadauria said. He spoke against panic buys, especially since Pakistan is expected to get Chinese J‑20 or J‑35 jets. "That cause of concern in terms of what Pakistan is going to get from China in the interim – be it J20 or J‑35 – let them get these. That will be studied. What is important is in the interim how do you handle these threats and there are ways and means of tackling this threat that they will have,' he said. Stronger defences the answer Bhadauria stressed that India's answer lies in tougher air defences, not shopping abroad. "We have already demonstrated our capabilities in the air defence zones… in air‑to‑ground precision zones in terms of standoff. So therefore we'll need to have an action plan to be able to sort this out and I think that's the way to go," he said. He accepts that Pakistan may fly stealth jets before India. But he believes that does not have to tilt the balance. "In terms of stealth capability Pakistan is likely to get before us, we'll have to take some other measures in order to be able to detect by some means, to be able to still hold them off our borders much inside so that they are unable to launch. And should they be able to launch their cruise missiles or their standoff weapons, we are able to tackle the weapons," Bhadauria added. Where AMCA stands now The AMCA, short for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, is India's first attempt to build a fifth‑generation stealth fighter on its own. DRDO, HAL and private firms are working together. The project is now in the detailed design stage. The first flying prototype is likely by the end of this decade. At stake is more than just an aircraft. The real test is whether India can build what it needs without outside help. If it works, the AMCA could close the stealth gap with rivals and cut foreign ties that come with hidden risks. The next few months will show which path India picks: build at home or buy from abroad. The debate has begun.
India.com
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- India.com
Kerala airport to charge parking fees for UK's ‘Made In US' F-35 stealth jet; amount is Rs..., towed to....
Kerala airport to charge parking fees for UK's 'Made In US' F-35 stealth jet; amount is Rs…, towed to… The 'Made in US' British F-35 fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and was parked there for the past 22 days, was shifted from its grounded position to the hangar on Sunday. The fighter jet was moved after a team of aviation engineers from the UK arrived at the airport to repair the jet, which belongs to the Royal Navy. But did you know that Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is going to charge for the F-35, as it was parked in a space reserved for VIP aircraft? F-35 Fighter Jet Stranded: What Is The Parking Fee for The Stranded British Jet? As per reports, the fighter jet was stationed at Bay No. 4. The bay was closely monitored and guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force. It is estimated that the single-day parking fee of an F-35 fighter jet is around Rs 26,261, as per the Indian Defence Research Wing. So, the parking fee for the 22 days must be around Rs 5,77,742. However, the British officials rejected Air India's offer to move the F-35 fighter jet to the hangar. The jet was moved to the hangar after 22 days when UK aviation engineers arrived at the airport. However, reports said that the exact fee structure has not been finalised by the airport authorities and there is a possibility that the Indian government cover the costs. F‑35 Fighter Jet Stranded: Is It The First Time The Jet Has Been Stranded Abroad? An unprecedented event occurred when a cutting-edge fighter jet, valued at $110 million, experienced a mechanical failure requiring an extended stay overseas. A six-person team from the HMS Prince of Wales provided security during the jet's immobilization. Despite multiple repair attempts, the aircraft ultimately needed to be towed to a hangar. F‑35 Fighter Jet Stranded: How Did It Happen? Notably, the fighter jet is a part of UK Royal Navy's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group. It took off from a British aircraft carrier approx 100 nautical miles off Kerala's coast. The Made in US fighter jet made an emergency landing at Kerala airport on June 14 due to extreme weather and low fuel levels. A British Royal Air Force team of technicians arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to inspect an F-35 fighter jet. Images released by ANI show the aircraft being moved to a hangar.
India.com
04-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
US learns lesson from this Asian country, plans to upgrade F-35 fighter jets with..., move was effective during...
US President Trump (File) F-35 jets upgrade: In a move that has taken the global defence experts by surprise, the US Air Force is reconsidering an upgrade in its F‑35 jets after observing Israel's use of drop tanks and conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) on the fighter jets. As per media reports, Israel did some modifications in the F‑35 aircrafts which allowed it to fly deep into enemy territory without needing aerial refueling. Here are all the details you need to know about the recent development on the upgrade of F-35 fighter jets. As per media reports, the US, under the leadership of Donald Trump is now allocating part of its FY 2026 budget to study the feasibility of external tanks for all F‑35 variants under the Block 4 modernization program, taking a leaf of Israel's book. The report indicates that US is hoping to reduce dependence on vulnerable tankers by adding the external tankers, which will help it to strike a balance between increased range and maintaining stealth, potentially using drop tanks for transit and discarding them before entering contested airspace. Israel calls downing of F-35 jets 'fake news' In another development relating to the F-35 jets of Israel, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) recently accused the Iranian media of 'spreading lies' while terming reports about the downing of two Israeli F-35 fighter jets as 'fake news'. For those unversed, Iran had claimed that the air defence force of its army has successfully shot down and destroyed two Israeli F-35 fighter jets and a large number of other micro air vehicles. IDF's international spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani took to social media, labelling it as a 'complete FAKE NEWS'. 'While the Iranian regime spreads lies, we're taking down real threats like this Iranian UAV shot down over northern Israel this morning,' he posted on X along with a video of Israeli defence forces downing an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. What does Israel's 'Operation Rising Lion' mean? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of 'Operation Rising Lion' against Iran, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat of nuclear weapons to Israel's very survival. He asserted that the operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove the threat. (With inputs from agencies)
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
NATO Member Expects F-35 Fighters in Trump Deal
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had made progress on the long sought acquisition of F-35 fighter jets in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during the NATO summit. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Defense Department and Turkish Foreign Ministry for comment. Turkey's delivery of F‑35 jets has been halted since 2019 after Ankara acquired the Russian S‑400 air defense system. Erdogan has cultivated close ties with Trump yet remains one of the most vocal critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a major U.S. ally in the Middle East. If Turkey acquires F-35s it would bring them closer to parity with the air force that conducted the massive recent air campaign against Iran. Ankara has also intensified efforts to develop an independent defense industry, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign arms suppliers amid persistent restrictions from Western allies. "We discussed the F-35 (fighter jet) issue. We made payments of $1.3 to 1.4 billion for F-35s, and we saw that Mr. Trump was well-intentioned about delivering them," Erdogan told a news conference in The Hague, according to Anadolu Agency. U.S. officials had previously said the presence of a Russian intelligence-gathering platform alongside F‑35 stealth technology is unacceptable. "It undermines an agreement that NATO made several years ago, to begin divesting of Russian equipment. It moves in the wrong direction," former Acting Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper said, during Trump's first presidential term. But Trump had called the ban "not fair" lamenting the financial losses, according to Reuters. Turkey began receiving S-400 equipment in July 2019, in a deal valued at $2.5 billion. The U.S. removed Turkey from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, as a result. "It is not fair to remove Turkey, a main partner, from the F-35 Program and also the claim that S-400 system would jeopardize the F-35s is baseless," the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded in a statement. Saudi Arabia, another key U.S. partner in the region, is also eyeing the F-35s. Israel exclusively has the fighter jets and has deployed them in its recent strikes on Iran. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as quoted by Anadolu Agency: "Our teams are continuing work on the maintenance and modernization of our F-16s as well as on procurement related to the F-35s." Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) think tank in April: "Regardless of whether Turkey gets the F-35, however, we also recommend that Congress consider requiring that at least high-end U.S. weapons sales to Turkey be legally required to meet the standard of not adversely impacting Israel's qualitative military edge (QME)." President Trump and the administration are yet to confirm Erdogan's announcement and further details regarding the deal. Related Articles Iran's Khamenei Issues First Statement Since Israel War EndedTrump Just Undid Decades of Nuclear Diplomacy | OpinionWhite House Posts 'Daddy's Home' NATO SupercutMap Shows How Much Each NATO Member Contributes as Trump Touts Increase 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
