SOME IDEAS ON MRFA AND PROCURMENT OF 5 TH GEN AIRCARFTS AND ITS LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS

Well from the last of October 2024 to the last week of March 2025 , The Indian defense aerospace committee had witnessed the conduct of various sessions , seminars in defense think tanks , conferences and aerospace enterprises meet in aero India 2025 and finally with suggestions being recommended and been verified at various levels including the presence of Top Air brass , Secretary of Mod and Industry to facilitate the short , medium and long term plans for the IAF to strengthen its core operationality therefore sustaining the losses during air crashes and retiring the aircrafts in a pace where the fulfillment of those retired aircrafts by indigenous aircrafts and subsequent procurement of Fighters from MRFA and long term indigenous procurement route !

Before I speak about MRFA route and 5 th gen aircrafts ! Let me tell you the the subsequent shouts from the media , Indian defense twitter enthusiasts and also from independent freelancing defense experts and some strategic defense dialogues channels about USA selling its 5 th gen aircraft F-35 under G TO G deal where they offered India to equip Indian air force operational and technological capabilities and provide a leap in Asian subcontinent ! This lead to massive outcry of the news where f-35 will be procured in "xxx" quantity with yyy" specific enhancement and some baseless rumors of politics ! Yes there is politics and benefits behind it ! But majority of the defense channels and so called Exfarts have not realized that F-35 is not officially offered and Indian air force did not release any RFP siting to procure f-35 or neither the well anticipated Russian 5 th generation aircrafts ! Procurement of 5 the generation aircrafts was just a recommendation from government , IAF simulation and aerial warfare training colleges , Think tanks and finally some defined experts ! So there is significant rejection over the claim which was later clarified by our current Air chief and subdued the biased data

Well, two years ago there was discussion among then Air chief and the Top brass about entering of 5 the gen aircrafts in MRFA program where former Air chief concluded that there is good possibilities of 5 th gen aircrafts being procured through "MAKE IN INDIA AND BUY GLOBAL CATEGORY which is technically from MRFA , Let me also share the viewers that Parliament recommendations committee also argued and suggested the IAF to procure 5 the gen aircrafts in order to stay edge until the indigenous ecosystem is completely matured and are delivered promising with expectations to the services .

Well as i had stated the entry of 5 the aircrafts in MRFA program , Its better we merge MRFA along with 5 th generation aircrafts in a single multi Global tender , where Firms and OEMS compete each other by providing solutions ! Because as i said that one of the statements released from recent committee discussion states the importance of procuring MRFA AND 5 th gen aircrafts under G TO G deal . MY idea is to combine both under MRFA , If 5 th generation aircrafts are being in MRFA program then We have only two countries : One is USA offering f-35 and another potential competitors is Russia with its su-57! Now i request the viewers to see the eligibility criteria and technical parameters to meet the general MRFA requirements and also 5 th generation requirements for the IAF The RFI states or the requirements states that OEM need to submit the bids , approve considerable TOT , Customization , Maintenance and overhaul (MRO facility) , Supply chain and value creation for the local enterprises , Now in hypothetically if we merge both MRFA and 5h gen then there should be some changes in issuing RFP which is not yet been approved or formulated ! The advantage of combing both MRFA and 5 gen requirement is that there will be no more logistic complication , No complexity in maintenance and the streamlining of operating last foreign aircraft will be easier as states that MRFA will be last aircraft to be procured from foreign ! Now coming back to the clause and conditions , Clearly f-35 is not favorable for the clause and conditions which are kept as basic requirements and f035 will be clearly out of the program ! There is only one tender who left that is Russia offering its SU-57, i will not specify in details about Su-57 as most of the viewers knew in details . Now the su-57 offered various advantages over f-35 and also the restrictions are far from the mightier with interest!

Such advantages that we is that we have good experience in operating Russian aircrafts , maintenance easy , Strategic and compatibility benefits with existing aircrafts , Customization and Shared IP rights , Easy dwelling into prediction , No restrictions o operation capabilities where f-35 does not come near to su-57 in these parameters ! Absolutely there are Geopolitical considerations in both merits and demerits ! But MRFA and procurement of 5 th gen aircrafts need to be procured in one umbrella to avoid cost overruns , complexity in operations and logistics supply chain ! This idea must embodied that This idea must look on strategic benefit for indigenous industry and how this idea benefits the Indian aerospace OEMS such that they can take help of foreign OEM and build their expertise where in future ! The private industry will manufacturer our long term destined AMCA and subsequent future aircrafts by having healthy competitive ecosystem for the future

jai hind