Air Force chief backs indigenous production of 5th generation jets
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to get a major makeover with the addition of French Rafale fighter jets, 83 indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, and 114 new medium range multi-role aircraft to its fleet in the coming years.
US-built heavy lift Chinook and the advanced multi-role Apache attack helicopters have already been added to the IAF fleet, and are expected to make their debut at the Air Force Day show at the Hindon Air Force Station on Tuesday. In addition, the IAF is set to take delivery of the first batch of the S-400 Russian air defence systems between 2020 and 2024.
As for a fifth generation stealth fighter aircraft, IAF chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria said on Friday that India had no plans for imports right now and would be looking at the indigenous advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) to meet that requirement.
