India’s ambitious fifth-generation fighter programme

Dr. Rahul Bharatbhushan Kamble

(rahulkamble01433@gmail.com)

On March 7, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the project to design and develop the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which will be the fifth-generation, medium-weight stealth fighter jet. It is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under a project worth around Rs 15,000 crore. DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will develop the stealth jet and the associated technology in partnership with various private and public sector agencies. According to sources, about five prototypes will be built in around five years. The public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will have a role in the manufacturing of the prototypes. The aircraft will propel India into a handful of nations that have or are developing 5th generation fighter jets based on futuristic technology in partnership with various private and public sector agencies.

The fifth-generation fighter jet has four main attributes. First, it is stealthy. That means it is near-invisible to enemy radars, which is a function of the jet’s radar cross section. Secondly, it can ‘Supercruise’, or fly faster than the speed of sound without using the fuel-guzzling afterburners on its engines. Third, it has advanced avionics and sensors with network-centric operations. Increasingly, artificial intelligence is also being used in this regard to enhance the pilot-aircraft interface. This allows a single pilot to both fly the aircraft and engage in combat. Last but not least, it should be able to outrange its adversaries by detecting and engaging targets from long distances, which is achieved by employing active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars. To achieve stealth, these aircraft are specifically shaped to scatter radar waves instead of reflecting them back. After that, special materials and paints, called ‘Radar-absorbing structures’ and materials, are used to further reduce radar reflectivity. When operating in stealth mode, these fighters have to conceal their weapons in an internal bay and can only count on the fuel carried in tanks located within their bodies. Weapons or fuel tanks carried externally, like conventional aircraft do under their wings, reflect radar waves and compromise stealth. 

AMCA is proposed to be developed in two phases. Phase 1 development will result in the AMCA Mk-1, powered by the US GE-414 engine. Phase 2 development will result in the AMCA Mk2, which will feature an advanced, more powerful engine. What is more significant is that it would be a difficult-to-swallow pill that the AMCA projected to be inducted by 2035 may not be a ‘Completely 5th-generation fighter aircraft’. Based on specifications,it would be classified as a 4.5 gen bird. The AMCA Mk-1 will lack ‘at least’ three defining 5th-generation fighter traits, which include supercruise, supermaneuverability, and sensor fusion. Additionally, the AMCA Mk-1 would feature limited stealth. Why these timeline developments are significant can be appreciated from the already existing global fifth-gen fighter ecosystem.

China is set to outpace the US in the production of stealth aircraft. In fact, China’s inventory of the J-20A Mighty Dragon, China’s first fifth-generation fighter, was slated to overtake that of the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor last year. The F-22 Raptor was the first-ever fifth-generation fighter to enter service. However, the F-22 hasn’t been in production for some time now, and the US has shifted its attention to the F-35 Lightning II family of stealth fighters, which are meant to be more affordable. Incidentally, in April of 2018, India pulled out of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft programme, or FGFA, which was a joint effort with Russia that was supposed to lead to an India-specific variant of the Russian Su-57 stealth fighter. Even South Korea and Turkey have taken a lead in the race for fifth-generation fighter aircraft. In July 2022, the prototype of South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae next-generation fighter jet conducted its first flight. Indonesia is a 20 percent partner in the Boramae programme. The KF-21 Boramae is stealthier than previous fourth-generation jets. In February this year, Turkey’s next-generation fighter, known as the TF KAAN, took off for its first flight. Of concern to India would be the fact that in August last year, the Turkish government announced that Pakistan could officially join the Turkish Aerospace KAAN aircraft programme. Also, the reports of Chinese J-20s being offered to Islamabad have been an eyebrow-raiser.

Following years of ups and downs, the home-grown, Desi-bird LCA Tejas has been inducted by the Indian Air Force, and a naval version is in the works. To address the elephant in the room, India’s fighter squadron strength is on the decline and lagging behind the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons. New Delhi is exploring all options to augment the squadron numbers, as a couple of Rafale and Tejas LCA squadrons are too inadequate to fill the gap. From the point of view of the IAF, the urgency and importance of acquiring manned stealth fighters mandate CCS approval for the AMCA project.

Supercruise, supermaneuverability, and situational awareness can always be added to a stealth platform later, as well as evolving technologies such as loyal wingman and drone swarm control. Although we have delayed the much-awaited go-ahead for the project, it is important to be aware of the pitfalls and remain alert to the impact of project delays on the IAF’s combat capability. Meticulous, careful steps in this direction, along with meeting the requirements of the IAF, can prove to be a game changer.