Speaking at a recent seminar, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, stated, “Technology delayed is technology denied.”
He was referring to delays in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) programs, which are sapping the IAF’s squadron strength and impacting its operational readiness.
The IAF urgently requires stealth fighters to counter the growing fleet of such aircraft deployed by our northern adversary and the planned acquisitions by our western adversary.
Denying the IAF access to stealth fighters on the grounds that India will develop its own in the next 10–15 years is a clear case of technology denied through delay.
First, the IAF’s need for stealth fighters is based on current threat perception, not distant future projections. Our adversaries must be deterred now, not 15 years later.
Second, by the time India develops its own stealth fighter, manned stealth aircraft will already be losing relevance. The next decade will see a rapid shift towards remotely piloted and autonomy-capable systems.
Self-reliance in defense is crucial, but it must be pursued with pragmatism. National security cannot be compromised in the name of misplaced passion.
Interim Stealth Fighter
The IAF must have the option to induct an interim stealth fighter to effectively deter adversary adventurism.
However, this proposal faces strong opposition due to concerns that it would:
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The risk or delay of the AMCA program.
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Strain the IAF’s financial and logistical resources.
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Result in the IAF operating two stealth fighters once the AMCA is inducted.
Impact On The AMCA Program
The induction of the Su-57 as an interim stealth fighter would not impact the AMCA program.
Local production of the Su-57 would be managed by HAL, while the ADA—which intends to delegate AMCA manufacturing to a private company or a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)—would continue development independently.
Additionally, HAL could repurpose much of its Su-30MKI assembly infrastructure for Su-57 production, reducing costs and enhancing Atma-Nirbharta (self-reliance).
Introducing a stealth fighter at this stage will not diminish the urgency of the AMCA program. That might have been a concern before the government approved AMCA, but now, it can only benefit the program by providing valuable insights into stealth aircraft design, manufacturing, and operational use.
As previously stated, the two programs would be handled by separate entities, ensuring no conflict of interest.
Financial & Logistics Resources
IAF’s financial and logistics resources would not be stretched as much as they would be from the acquisition of additional Rafale squadrons or through the induction of the SAAB Gripen or the Lockheed F-16s under the MRFA (Multi-Fighter Aircraft) program.
More Than One Stealth Fighter
There is no reason why the IAF cannot operate two stealth fighters. The Su-57 costs no more than the Rafale—so if the IAF can induct additional Rafales, why not a stealthier and more capable Su-57?
Every country that builds its own stealth fighter actually builds or operates two:
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The U.S. operates both the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
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China has two operational stealth fighters, the J-20 and J-35. It is also building two sixth-generation fighters!
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Russia has deployed the Su-57 and is developing a second stealth fighter, the Su-75.
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South Korea is developing its own stealth fighter but also continues to order additional F-35 fighters.
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Even Pakistan plans to eventually operate two stealth fighters.
Take South Korea, a nation with modest resources and a lower threat perception than India. It ordered 40 F-35A fighters in 2014, all delivered by 2023.
Meanwhile, it began developing its indigenous KF-21 Boramae (Falcon) stealth fighter in 2015, with its first flight in July 2022.
Since then, six prototypes have been built, including two twin-seaters. Despite this progress, in December 2022, South Korea still opted to supplement its fleet with additional F-35s!
Similarly, Turkey, which faces lesser security threats than India, is developing its own Kaan stealth fighter while still seeking F-35s. The Kaan completed its first flight on February 21, 2024, powered by General Electric F110 engines. However, Turkey is also developing an indigenous engine to reduce reliance on foreign technology.
In an interesting twist, Turkey has engaged Pakistan in discussions on potential collaboration for Kaan’s development and production, aiming to share expertise and resources to advance the program.
The Kaan could be Pakistan’s second stealth fighter after the J-35!
Manned Fighters
In November 2024, Elon Musk criticized manned fighter jets like the F-35, calling them “obsolete” in the era of drones. He argued that unmanned systems are the future of air combat and that continuing to build traditional manned jets is “idiotic.”
While some tech leaders, such as Marc Andreessen, support Musk’s view, many defense experts disagree, emphasizing that human pilots provide flexibility and real-time decision-making—capabilities that are difficult to replicate with autonomous systems.
However, Musk was likely misunderstood. He wasn’t dismissing all manned fighters—only those where the pilot sits in the cockpit. His argument was that the future lies in remotely piloted aircraft, where the pilot operates the fighter from the ground rather than being physically onboard.
The Mikoyan Design Bureau of Russia’s UAC is testing a future “pilot-AI-pilot” interface that supports a paradigm in which a ground-based human pilot works in tandem with an AI system piloting a combat aircraft. The human pilot on the ground operates using wide-format monitors to assimilate information and respond to the aerial situation.
The Mikoyan Design Bureau is also developing technical solutions for the integrated processing of data from onboard avionics, enabling the ground pilot to visualize the aircraft’s spatial position and to operate and maneuver the aircraft in tandem with AI.
By placing the pilot on the ground rather than inside the aircraft, the flight envelope of the combat aircraft can be expanded considerably, thereby increasing its combat capabilities. A remotely piloted AI drone, for example, would be able to turn much tighter than manned aircraft, which are limited to around 8 G turns due to human pilot limitations.
According to a Rostec statement, “It will be possible to remove human physiological limitations from the operating conditions of a fighter and bring the speed and strength loads to the maximum values of the hardware, not the pilot.”
Conclusion
The induction of an interim stealth fighter is well within India’s budgetary and logistical capacity and does not threaten the AMCA program.
Every nation that has developed a stealth fighter either already operates a second stealth fighter or plans to do so.
Supporting the AMCA project secures our future, but acquiring an interim or additional stealth fighter ensures we meet current operational needs. There is no contradiction.
- Vijainder K Thakur is a retired IAF Jaguar pilot, author, software architect, entrepreneur, and military analyst.
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