Military Aviation News and Discussion

[John Fedup]

Follow-on work will continue (NGAP) wrt adaptive cycle engines (formely AETP). Both GE and PW are involved and have new version s, XA102 and XA103 respectively. With NGAD in question, these engines don't have a designated airframe yet. So far, the USN's future FA/XX jet has no NGAP plans.

Billions For Next Generation Fighter Jet Engines Greenlit By Air Force

 

[Ananda]

Found this photo online from Aero India 2025. The uploader of photo has id R. Gupta. Well at this moment seems India still able to bring both Su-57 and F-35 in one aerospace exhibition venue. The Russian Su-57 ground crew seems taking close photo on F-35.

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Stealth rivals F-35 and Su-57 fighter jets meet for the first time - Air Data News

A unique sight emerged on Saturday at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, India. Two US Air Force (USAF) F-35 fighter jets arrived at the venue to take

www.airdatanews.com

 

[T.C.P]

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Found this photo online from Aero India 2025. The uploader of photo has id R. Gupta. Well at this moment seems India still able to bring both Su-57 and F-35 in one aerospace exhibition venue. The Russian Su-57 ground crew seems taking close photo on F-35.

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Stealth rivals F-35 and Su-57 fighter jets meet for the first time - Air Data News

A unique sight emerged on Saturday at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, India. Two US Air Force (USAF) F-35 fighter jets arrived at the venue to take

www.airdatanews.com

This picture is amazing.
But a caveat.
This is the T-50, the same one that was in the Zhuhai airshow a few months ago. Its not one fo the serial 57s in actual service (a small handful as they are as of now).

 

[Ananda]

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Well some say it is T-50 some other sources call it early batch of Su-57. Either way it is what Russian try to woo Indian public, as India is the main target market.

 

[koxinga]

It is Blue 054. They bring this around airshows and it is the 4th prototype... built in 2012. That's how old this is.

 

[Ananda]

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SAAB and TAI (Thai Aviation Industry) sign agreement for MOU and Logistics support for SAAB products including future ones. This is part of agreement support for Gripen E/F future contracts.

Seems the indications so far shown preference of Gripen E/F against F-16V. Thai AF also conduct highway operations for Gripen.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

Greece will contest Italy's sale of Piaggio to Baykar.
According to the hellenic government, Italy did not comply with EU Regulation 2019/452 (Foreign Investments Screening Regulation) and possibly EU Regulation 2022/2560 (Foreign Subsidies Regulation).
According to the latest laws approved in the EU, the EU Commission has now to approve the sale of strategic companies and member states have to notifiy the EU whenever non-european companies enter the EU market.

La Grecia contesterà la vendita Piaggio Aerospace a Baykar - Ultima ora - Ansa.it

La Grecia sta preparando una protesta formale contro l'Italia, in cui contesta la cessione dell'azienda di produzione areonautica Piaggio Aerospace alla turca Baykar, stando a quanto riportano fonti informate al quotidiano Kathimerini. (ANSA)

www.ansa.it

 

[Ananda]

Further news on Aero India, Rosoboron increase their offering to India with joint production of Su-57. Basically offering the same deal that India has now with Su-30MKI, which increasing local India content.

Russia offers joint production of SU 57E fighter jet to India

The Su 57E made its debut in India at Bengaluru Aero India 2025 and has been the star of Asia's biggest aerospace and defence exhibition along with the US F-35 Lightning II.

www.wionews.com

Su-30MKI from my understanding is not just simply under license agreement, as India also have some IP on system and weapon integration in MKI. Basically Russia offering India to build their own version of Su-57.

 

[T.C.P]

Hindsight is 20/20, but considering the absolute screw up the MMRCA program truned out to be, the heavy dealy on the Tejas, India should have stuck with the FGFA program.

Back in 2010, in a now shutdown Bangladeshi military forum Indian members were sure that by 2020, all 114 MMRCA aircraft would have been inducted and they would have over 100 Tejas. Its 2025, and they have less than 40 Rafales (none of which were made in India, the original tender was supposed include domestic manufacture) and have less than 10 Tejas. In the mean time, their Mig-21 fleet is barely usable, their plan to buy some 60 stock Mig-29s from storage fell through due to the Ukr-Rus war and the gap between them and China is larger than ever.

If they had stuck with the FGFA, they could have had some 20-30 5th gen platforms already inducted.

 

[Ananda]

This Russian Aero channel put video on Su-57 flight demo in Aero India. They keep calling it Su-57E eventough sources already shown this is more early batch of Su-57 thus in my opinion should not be considered as Su-57E which's more later batches of Su-57.

considering the absolute screw up the MMRCA program truned out to be, the heavy dealy on the Tejas, India should have stuck with the FGFA program.

We should better discuss this on Indian AF channel thread, so in here I just say India has shown abilities to execute some efficient program. India space agency ISRO has shown abilities to execute some space projects with fractions costs then others done. Shown effective and efficient implementation.

Perhaps the problem is not lies or related only to notorious India bureaucracy, but also to agency that manage it. Perhaps if HAL behave more like ISRO in their project implementation, their Fighter development are progressing faster and efficient then it is now.

 

[swerve]

Hindsight is 20/20, but considering the absolute screw up the MMRCA program truned out to be, the heavy dealy on the Tejas, India should have stuck with the FGFA program.

Back in 2010, in a now shutdown Bangladeshi military forum Indian members were sure that by 2020, all 114 MMRCA aircraft would have been inducted and they would have over 100 Tejas. Its 2025, and they have less than 40 Rafales (none of which were made in India, the original tender was supposed include domestic manufacture) and have less than 10 Tejas. In the mean time, their Mig-21 fleet is barely usable, their plan to buy some 60 stock Mig-29s from storage fell through due to the Ukr-Rus war and the gap between them and China is larger than ever.

If they had stuck with the FGFA, they could have had some 20-30 5th gen platforms already inducted.

India's rather consistently screwed up the procurement of combat aircraft in this century. I recall India having selected the Mirage 2000-5 for its MRCA requirement, & being offered the Mirage 2000 production line, & then reopening its competition with terms which effectively excluded the M2K. It eventually selected Rafale, buying a limited number made in France, but it never signed up to manufacture it, as had been planned. IIRC the government wanted Dassault to guarantee the quality of aircraft made by HAL, while not having any control over HAL's work. Obviously, Dassault wouldn't agree to that.

Then there was the Jaguar re-engining deal, where BAE's minimum change & presumably minimum risk offer of rebuilt Adours was rejected in favour of a "competition" with terms which effectively excluded the BAE option, leaving only Honeywell as a possible supplier. After about 10 years, re-engining the Jaguar fleet was abandoned, having cost a lot of money & work, because Honeywell's price was deemed to be too high.

And so on . . .

 

[koxinga]

India's rather consistently screwed up the procurement of combat aircraft in this century.

All these missteps seem to have a common thread, a desire to seek a "better deal", usually at the expense of the OEM. This is why even seemingly straightforward deals can fall apart.

The timeline for their domestic programs seem completely off.

1. TEBF 2038 onwards is somewhat impractical? Just get the Rafale-M and be done with it.
2. AMCA 2036 onwards seems woefully behind. Block 3 KF-21 would probably be in service, while even that KAAN might well be ahead. At least they are starting to fly their prototypes.

Will they work with RU for a SU-57? I won't rule it off the table. But as it is, the SU-57E might well benefit from Indian electronics/radar/sensors.

 

[T.C.P]

Will they work with RU for a SU-57? I won't rule it off the table. But as it is, the SU-57E might well benefit from Indian electronics/radar/sensors.

Are Indian Avionics better than Russian ones? India in the past used Western Avionics to augment their Russian birds, but Indian defense enthusiaist swear their new Uttam and Virukappaksha (still being develped) are better than nay Russian alternative. Is there any thrid party verification to this claim?
Western and Chinese electornics and Avionics are more advanced but has Indian ones surpassed Russia too now?

 

[swerve]

I remember Indian military fora being full of claims that Tejas was extremely advanced & was about to enter mass production & service, & would have completely replaced multiple types within a decade - 15 to 20 years ago. Enthusiasm is good - up to a point.

I think one problem is that instead of trying to do the basics well & then build on that, there's an urge to aim for the top, however far away it is.

The LCA/Tejas programme has been running for over 40 years so far. It's 24 years since a prototype flew. The IAF has a couple of squadrons of Mk1.

 

[John Fedup]

I remember Indian military fora being full of claims that Tejas was extremely advanced & was about to enter mass production & service, & would have completely replaced multiple types within a decade - 15 to 20 years ago. Enthusiasm is good - up to a point.

I think one problem is that instead of trying to do the basics well & then build on that, there's an urge to aim for the top, however far away it is.

The LCA/Tejas programme has been running for over 40 years so far. It's 24 years since a prototype flew. The IAF has a couple of squadrons of Mk1.

Indian military procurement has a feel good moment for Canadians concerned about our procurement woes....but it doesn't last very long, about as long as (can you guess?). Given the current geopolitical situation, both Canada and India, and perhaps others, really need evaluate where new kit should come from along with the collaboration component.

 

[koxinga]

Are Indian Avionics better than Russian ones? India in the past used Western Avionics to augment their Russian birds, but Indian defense enthusiaist swear their new Uttam and Virukappaksha (still being develped) are better than nay Russian alternative. Is there any thrid party verification to this claim?
Western and Chinese electornics and Avionics are more advanced but has Indian ones surpassed Russia too now?

Not a case of one is better than the other, but the two working together. The sanctions to RU have made access to technology difficult, while the war has made access to funds restricted and both will benefits.

But we are all forgetting the elephant in the room, CAASTA and other sanctions on Russia. Any form of new, large scale, long term collaboration seems unlikely, even for a old client like India.

 

[Ananda]

https://defence-blog.com/algeria-confirms-purchase-of-russian-su-57-fighter/

Algeria officially confirming in media, that they are the first export customer for Su-57. Something that Rosoboron already say before in Chinese Airshow, that they're already secure Su-57 first export customer.

 

[John Fedup]

A mystery tiltrotor aircraft is pictured in this TWZ article. Several links about other emerging designs are provided in the article.

Mystery Tiltrotor Aircraft Emerges

 

[Terran]

A mystery tiltrotor aircraft is pictured in this TWZ article. Several links about other emerging designs are provided in the article.

Mystery Tiltrotor Aircraft Emerges

This is likely not a military aircraft but a Future air mobility prototype. It’s small fuselage and multiple rotors limits its military potential.

 

[swerve]

Not really a mystery.

Reported in Aviation Week - Supernal's eVTOL Prototype Breaks Cover At Mojave | Aviation Week Network

Says it's by Supernal, a Hyundai subsidiary.

Quoting this report - Supernal prepares eVTOL technology demonstrator for first flight in Mojave - The Air Current

A mention by the makers, quoting a supplier - GKN - GKN Aerospace Delivers Full Composite Wing Assembly and Booms for Supernal’s eVTOL Full-scale Technology Demonstrator Aircraft.