India Next-Gen Fighter Jet Program: The Indian government has told a defence panel that the Indian Air Force is looking at joining a new fighter jet project in Europe. This is about sixth-generation fighter planes, which are more advanced than the jets we see today.
Right now, India is already working on its own fighter called AMCA. But still, the country does not want to fall behind in future technology. So it is checking if it can work together with other countries on even more advanced aircraft.
Iran Drone Strike Destroys MQ-9A Predator at Ali Al Salem Air Base; What Really Happened?
The Air Force is looking at two main groups. One group includes the UK, Italy and Japan. They are building a jet under the Global Combat Air Programme, which was earlier called Tempest. The second group has France, Germany and Spain working on something called the Future Combat Air System.
What makes sixth-generation jets special
These new jets are not like normal fighter planes. They are much more powerful and smart. Today’s modern jets like F-22, F-35 and China’s J-20 already use stealth and advanced sensors. But the next generation will go even further.
These future jets will work like a full system. They will control many drones in the sky and even fight together with unmanned aircraft. Artificial intelligence will help in making quick decisions. They will have better sensors and strong electronic warfare systems.
They are also expected to use new engines that give more power and save fuel. Some reports say they may even use laser-type weapons. These jets will be very hard to detect and will be built for very tough war situations.
Importance for India
India is still waiting for more Tejas Mk1A fighter jets to be delivered. At the same time, it is pushing its AMCA project faster so that a new Indian fighter can be ready in the next 10 years.
DRDO’s Sigma 4.0: New Camouflage Tech to Hide Indian Army From Drones and Radar
But the government is also thinking long term. Joining one of these European programs can help India learn new technology early. This includes engines, sensors, artificial intelligence and new materials, which are very costly and hard to build alone.
The Global Combat Air Programme may become the first working sixth-generation jet by the mid-2030s. The FCAS project is also aiming for a similar timeline, though it has faced some delays because of disagreements between partner countries.
France is trying to convince India to join FCAS. This is because India is already using Rafale jets and planning a big order of 114 more.
