FGFA Program - 2017
FGFA Fighter was developed on the basis of the Russian PAK FA (promising aviation complex tactical, or T-50), consistent with the requirements of the Indian side of the technical requirements. At the request of India it provided, in particular, the design and development of two-seater version of the aircraft, the integration of advanced engine with increased thrust.
Almost four years after completing the primary work for fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project, Indian defense ministry may soon clear its research and development phase. A high-powered expert committee examining the feasibility and benefit of the project submitted its report on 07 July 2017 which ruled out any conflict between the DRDO's advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) project. The five-member expert committee was set up by former Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar in early 2017 after some concerns were raised by the ministry officials about the project.
"That the committee found no conflict between the FGFA and AMCA projects is a positive sign, though I cannot understand why this issue was not resolved years back as this project has been in the now-on-now-off mode for close to a decade. Be that as it may, it does pave the way for further movement but it cannot be a foregone conclusion that the R&D contract will be signed anytime soon," Amit Cowshish, former financial advisor to Indian defense ministry, said.
"Finding the money for the project ($3.05 billion) will also be challenging. It is not quite clear what kind of R&D will this money be spent on if the Pak-FA prototypes are already being flight tested by Russia, which has also claimed that a new uprated engine will be ready by December. The report suggests that the HAL will co-design avionics, including navigational systems, radars, and weapon aiming devices. I am not sure that it goes to the heart of design and development of the FGFA. This is not to say that the project is not worth pursuing. I have always maintained that there is a lot to be gained from cooperation with Russia in the area of R&D in defense," Cowshish added.
"I expect the project to get a defense ministry greenlight soon and here is the reason why. The first stage of acceptance testing of the T-50 by Russian Air Force was recently completed. Second stage flight testing is now underway; it's likely to be completed by 2018, paving the way for serial production of the aircraft for induction into service starting 2019. In other words, Sukhoi would be ready to start work on the FGFA around end-2018. A MoD decision on the project by year-end would make most sense," Vijainder K. Thakur, senior editor of Geopolitics and former IAF squadron leader, said 31 July 2017.
Indian Air Chief BS Dhanoa had said in October 2017 that the Varthaman committee — a high-powered panel appointed by India's defense ministry to examine different aspects of the multi-billion dollar FGFA project - had already submitted its recommendations and that the final go-ahead should come from the government.
India's state-owned defense aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said in November 2017 that it would not take long for the Indo-Russia joint venture to roll out the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) should the Indian government decide to go ahead with the project anytime soon. HAL has said that the existing state-of-the-art production facility in the Indian town of Nasik that is currently being used to assemble and manufacture Indian Air Force's frontline fighter aircraft Su-30MKI can be used to start manufacturing the FGFA so that the aircraft are delivered in a timely manner to the intended buyers. "Definitely, it (Nasik plant) can be used for the FGFA. It will need a little bit of augmentation. We will not need major investment," T Suvarna Raju, the chairman and managing director of HAL, told PTI.
Raju said he hoped India's Ministry of Defense would soon sanction the project while claiming that the first aircraft would be ready in three years from the date of approval as there would be much in common including structural similarities between the FGFA and the Sukhoi 30MKI jet.
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