U.S.‘s F-35 stealth fighters, during Aero India 2025 – Airshow at IAF Yelahanka Airforce Station, in Bengaluru on February 11, 2025. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Early last week fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) of both Russia and U.S. were at Aero India in Bengaluru, positioned at each end of the static display at the Yelahanka Air Force station. Just as the business days of the show came to an end, U.S. President Donald Trump, standing next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to Washington DC, announced that they will be increasing military sales to India “by many billions of dollars” and they are also paving the way to “ultimately” provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.
The first thing that flashes is if F-35 is “ultimately” what all is before that? That’s something to watch out for.
The announcement has created a flutter in India about the jet’s possible procurement for the Indian Air Force (IAF), and comes at a time when the country is caught in a huge gap in fighter induction and modernisation. However, responding to questions, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was quick to point out that there is a process to be followed for military procurements and that the formal process in this regard hasn’t started “as yet”. In addition, the biggest question is how will it impact India’s own fighter development programmes, though behind schedule, which are crucial for achieving self-reliance.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a tri-service, multinational, single seat, single-engine strike fighter aircraft expected to be in service well into the 2080s. It has three variants, F-35A conventional take-off and landing for the Air Force, F-35B short take-off/vertical landing for the Marine Corps and F-35C aircraft carrier variant for the Navy and the Marine Corps. In addition to the U.S., the programme has seven international partners, and 10 foreign military sales customers.
“It is too early to say anything very definitively, but whatever the decision be, it must be ensured that the indigenous programmes are shielded and prioritise their timely realisation,” one official said on condition of anonymity, a similar view expressed by many. “That is the key concern.”
Key challenges
While the offer of F-35 means the U.S. is no longer concerned with the Russian S-400s that India operates, it will present significant challenges in integration in India’s military architecture which has a mix of Indian, Russian, French and Israeli systems among others.
In all, the U.S. Department of Defence aims to procure 2,470 F-35s to replace several other aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps and to date, the programme has delivered over 990 aircraft to the U.S. services, international partners, and foreign military sales customers, according to a 2024 report of the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office (GAO). “The programme is also more than a decade delayed and has cost $209 billion more than originally planned,” the report said and highlighted that none of the F-35 variants are meeting availability targets.
A key point is that the F-35 is single seater, contrary to the IAF’s preference for twin-seater jets. One of the reasons the earlier attempt at co-development of the FGFA with Russia that was dropped after some preliminary work was the jet has been developed in a single-seat configuration and a Russian proposal for the development of a twin-seater variant came with a hefty price tag. So how will the F-35 proposal, if and when that takes shape, fit the IAF’s operational profile has to be seen and that too at what cost?
Powered by GE engine
Currently, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk1A project, 83 of which have been ordered and order for 97 more in the pipeline, has been delayed partly due to developmental issues and other due to engine delays. The jet, like the LCA-Mk1, is powered by the General Electric GE F404 engine and deliveries have been delayed by two years. Officials assured, at Aero India, that GE has resolved its supply chains and deliveries are expected to begin from this March onwards.
Further, there is the LCA-Mk2, a much larger and more capable aircraft, the first prototype of which is expected to roll out by year-end and make its first flight in the first quarter of 2026, according to Jitendra J. Jadhav, Director General of Aeronautical Development Agency. Then there is India’s own FGFA in the pipeline, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) which is envisaged to be ready for induction by 2034-35. Apart from the indigenous programmes, there is the 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender for the acquisition of a foreign jet to be manufactured in India under licence.
Given this long line-up, it has to be seen how the F-35 fits into IAF’s future plans given the fact that India has never operated a U.S. fighter and the F-35 being the apex of U.S. technology threshold, the leverage India would have in its operation and maintenance, given the stringent U.S. regulations and oversight.
Published – February 16, 2025 10:06 pm IST