Latest news with #AeronauticalDevelopmentAgency
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
What is 4th, 4.5th, 5th generation in fighter jets? Which generation is India's Rafale jet? China is working on...
Fighter jets- Representative image After India launched Operation Sindoor on Pakistan, fighter jets like Rafale and US-F16 made multiple headlines across the world. The world talked about the powers of these 5th generation fighter jets and whether the S-400 Russian air defence system could intercept them or not. India's Rafael aircraft was also in news, as it was reportedly used to target terror camps in Pakistan. However, some terms that we commonly hear across world of fighter jets like the 4th, 4.5th, 5th generation. But do we really know what these terms actually mean? Fighter jets- Generational Overview: 4th Generation fighter jets: These fighter jets are lightweight, high speed, basic radar. They are used in missile combat operations of low intensity. 4.5th Generation fighter jets: The 4.5th Generation fighter jets like the Rafale fighter jet of India come with improved engines, stealth features, advanced sensors. 5th Generation fighter jets: The 5th Generation fighter jets come with stealth, supersonic cruise, AI, and multi-sensor data fusion, that make them the most destructive fighter jets to have ever existed. Rafale Jet: A 4.5th generation French-made fighter in the Indian Air Force, with stealth tech, advanced missile systems, a top speed of 1,912 km/h, and a range of 3,700 km. More notably, China is working on a 6th generation fighter jet named J-36 fighter jet. India approves execution model for 5th-gen fighter jet project In a recent development after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has cleared the 'execution model' to design and produce India's ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter jet — the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). India has been working on the ambitious AMCA project to develop the medium weight deep penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth features to bolster its air power capability. AMCA along with the Tejas light combat aircraft are planned to be the mainstays of the Indian Air Force. The defence ministry on Tuesday said Singh has approved the 'execution model' for AMCA that will be developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in cooperation with industry partners. The approval for the the critical step for development of the aircraft came against the backdrop of increasing focus on bolstering India's air power in view of China's rapid stride in the domain. (With inputs from agencies)
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
BIG trouble for China, Pakistan as India, US, Russia, to dominate the skies with F-35 and...
India recently unveiled a prototype of its AMCA 5th-generation fighter jet. (File) The recent India-Pakistan conflict proved how future wars would be decided by superior power as the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets decimated Pakistani military infrastructure and terrorist bases deep inside the enemy country with precise, yet deadly airstrikes. But imagine what advanced 5th generation fighter jets made by Russia, India, and the United States could do together if these three military powers combined their aerial prowess against the combined strength of Pakistan and China. Let us take a look at the latest 5th-generation fighter planes being developed by India, Russia and the US: While Russia has the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jet, a multirole 5th-generation fighter equipped with hypersonic missiles, in addition to stealth and super cruise technology, the United States has the monstrous F-35, its own 5th-gen fighter aircraft featuring advanced avionics and superior stealth technology, making it a formidable offensive weapon for any air force. On the other hand, India is mulling to procure its first fleet of 5th-generation fighter jets, and is weighing its options to acquire either the US-made F-35A, or the Russian-built Sukhoi Su-57. Notably, Russia, New Delhi's trusted defence partner and top weapons supplier, recently offered an enticing deal on the Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet, offering to sell the 5th-gen fighter to India as well as an assured transfer of technology, something which the US is unwilling to do. Additionally, India has its own indigenous 5th generation fighter jet program, with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)– an agency under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), being tasked with designing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and mass production expected to begin by 2035. The AMCA is being developed as a multirole fighter aircraft, capable of carrying out various types of missions, including air supremacy, ground-strikes, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and electronic warfare (EW), according to details. Tough challenge for China, Pakistan Apart from the US and Russia, China is only the third country in the world to possess a 5th-gen aircraft at present, with its Chengdu J-20, aka the 'Mighty Dragon'– a twin-engine all-weather stealth fighter– regarded as the most advanced warplane in Asia. However, Chinese J-20 fighter will face a tough challenge in the skies if the AMCA, F-35 and Su-57 fly together. On the other hand, the Chinese-made JF-17– a 4.5 generation fighter jet– is the latest in the arsenal of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), but experts believe that this jet does not stand a chance against any of the above mentioned advanced fighters.
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Tribune
India approves development of prototype advanced fighter jet
India's defence minister approved yesterday a programme to develop an advanced fighter jet prototype. Rajnath Singh approved the prototype of a 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the ministry said in a statement, calling it a 'significant push towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities'. India's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) -- a government agency under the Ministry of Defence responsible for aircraft design -- is 'set to execute the programme through industry partnership', it added. 'This is an important step... which will be a major milestone towards aatmanirbharta ('self-reliance') in the aerospace sector'. India's arms purchases have steadily risen to account for nearly 10% of all imports globally in 2019-23, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said last year. The world's most populous nation has deepened defence cooperation with Western countries in recent years, including the Quad alliance with the United States, Japan and Australia, as it slowly shifts away from its longstanding reliance on Russian military hardware. India signed in April a multi-billion-dollar deal to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation, adding to 36 already acquired, and replacing Russian MiG-29K jets. But Singh has also promised at least $100 billion in fresh domestic military hardware contracts by 2033 to spur local arms production. This decade India has opened an expansive new helicopter factory, launched its first homemade aircraft carrier, warships and submarines, and conducted a successful longrange hypersonic missile test.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
NDTV Explains: Everything About India's New 5th-Generation Stealth Fighter
The runway has been cleared - for a homemade fifth-generation stealth fighter that can vault India into an elite club, one of a few nations that can design and build next-gen combat aircraft. In fact, that list is uber-exclusive; as of May 2025, only three other nations have fifth-gen fighters. The United States has the F-22 and F-35, China the J-20, and Russia the Su-57. Advertisement - Scroll to continue And on Tuesday India took the first step to join that club. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the 'execution model' for the multirole Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, to be developed by the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Agency, in cooperation with global industry partners, for the Air Force and Navy. The initial cost is expected to be over Rs 15,000 crore and delivery by 2035. So What Is The AMCA? India's first fifth-gen fighter will be a single-seat twin-engine jet with advanced stealth coatings and internal weapons bays like those on US and Russian planes - the F-22, F-35, and Su-57. It is expected to have an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet and carry 1,500kg in weapons in internal bays, with 5,500kg more externally. The AMCA will likely carry a further 6,500kg in fuel. Reports indicate there will be two versions; the second will, India hopes, also have an indigenously developed engine, possibly more powerful than the US-made GE F414 in the first. India's 5th-gen fighter jet project is expected to cost Rs 15,000 crore. Photo: Overall, this will be a supermanoeuvrable and stealthy multirole fighter jet. What does that mean? Well, supermanoeuvrable is the capacity of fighter jets to execute tactical movements. These refer to changes in direction and angle-of-attack not possible with traditional aerodynamic techniques, i.e., ailerons, elevators, flaps, air brakes, rudders, etc. Stealth is perhaps self-explanatory. It is basically the ability of the plane (or ship, submarine, or missile) relatively undetectable to radar or sonar or other detection methods. And 'multirole' refers to the aircraft's ability to execute a variety of tactical mission parameters, including air superiority and ground strikes, and SEAD, or suppression of air defences. But What Is A 5th-Gen Fighter? There is no one definition, except to say it incorporates major tech developed in the first part of the 21st century and are, without exception, the most advanced fighter jets in operation. Key, though, is the use of superior battlefield software that gives the pilot detailed information about the battle space and enemy combatants, as well as anything to might give them an edge. Specifically, they have innovative avionics that can network with 'friendlies' for enhanced situational awareness and C3, or 'control, command, and communications' capabilities. Other examples of such technologies include low-probability-of-intercept radar, which can simultaneously mask the aircraft's position while tracking or locking on to enemy targets. And there's more. A fifth-gen fighter's need to be supermanoeuvrable also means it has specially designed airframes, which are superlight and superstrong since they need to withstand tremendous G-force during battle movements and also remain intact during sustained supersonic flight. India's AMCA ticks all of these boxes. Reports say it will also have an 'electronic pilot' powered by AI for real-time decision-making, and an Integrated Vehicle Health Management system for 'predictive maintenance'. So What Are Other 5th-Gen Fighters? The US' F-22 and F-35, Russia's Su-57, and China's J-20. Of these, the F-22, codenamed 'Raptor', was once seen as the 'ultimate killing machine'. Conceived as the Cold War was winding down, it combines sustainable high speed, supermanoeuvrability and low-observable stealth, and is a fearsome rival to face. Interestingly, the F-22 programme was almost cancelled. The US has two 5th-gen stealth fighters - this is the F-22 'Raptor' (File). The Barack Obama administration was reportedly on the verge of scrapping the initiative in 2008 since it was assumed that high-end, state-on-state conflicts were a thing of the past. But with Russia developing advanced weaponry, including the S-400 missile defence system, and China modernising its forces too, the F-22 was dusted off and brought back to life. Russia is pitching its Sukhoi Su-57 5th-gen stealth fighter jet to India (File) And now the US also has the F-35, which is the most advanced fighter jet today. It is also the most expensive; a recent report by the US government said it would take at least $1.7 trillion to purchase, operate and sustain the aircraft in its 66-year life cycle. Perhaps because of that the US has offered the F-35 to India; in February, Donald Trump told reporters, "We're paving the way to ultimately provide India with F-35 stealth fighters..." The Su-57 and J-20 are considered Russia and China's answers to these two jets. Like the F-35, the Su-57 has also been offered to India. The number of operational J-20 fighter jets with the Chinese Air Force is unclear (File) There are whispers China has already developed a sixth-generation aircraft; in April NDTV reported Beijing seems to be testing two possible stealth fighters - the tailless, three-engine J-36 seen over Chengdu in December last year, and the J-50 with V-shaped wings and twin engines. Aviation combat analysts believe China fast-tracking its sixth-gen fighter is in response to the US awarding Boeing a contract to build the F-47, its next-gen air superiority fighter. Behind India's AMCA Bet The AMCA greenlight underlines India's push to modernise its military, including weapons and equipment upgrades, after recent military tension with nuclear-armed Pakistan and China. As part of those upgrades India, in April signed a Rs 63,000 crore deal to buy 26 Rafale-M fighter jets - i.e., the marine variants - from France's Dassault Aviation. To be delivered by 2031, these will replace aging Russian MiG29Ks. The Air Force already operates 36 Rafale-C fighters. In addition, over the past decade, India has also launched an indigenously developed and built aircraft carrier, as well as warships and submarines, and tested long-range hypersonic missiles. But Rajnath Singh has also promised at least $100 billion in fresh domestic military hardware contracts by 2033 to spur made-in India arms production, and bolster revenue from exports. NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat. Share
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
India's 5th-generation stealth fighter jet gets clearance
New Delhi: In a major push towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the Execution Model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme on Tuesday. The AMCA clearance marks a critical step towards realising India's goal of joining an elite club of nations in designing and producing its own fleet of next-generation combat aircraft. The project will be helmed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the Defence Ministry in a press release. 'In a significant push towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is set to execute the programme through Industry partnership,' said the Ministry in a statement. The ADA is a dedicated arm of the DRDO that was established to oversee the development of India's Light Combat Aircraft programme. It will lead the project in partnership with private industry partners. An Expression of Interest (EoI) for the AMCA Development Phase will be issued soon. 'Both private and public sector entities would do bidding for the project, either independently or as a joint venture or as consortia. The entity/bidder should be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country,' said the MoD statement. The AMCA, widely seen as India's answer to fifth-generation air power, will give a major boost to achieving 'atmanirbharata' in the defence sector and will become a hallmark of India's growing defence capabilities. Being the fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter equipped with cutting-edge technology, it will be suited for all-weather operation. Designed with low radar cross-section and supercruise capability, the AMCA is seen as the successor to the frontline Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets. Some reports suggest that its mass production is likely to commence by 2035.
