With China having recently unveiled two new sixth-generation fighter jets, India's neighbor Pakistan has put the “cat-among-the-pigeons” by announcing plans to acquire 40 of Beijing’s J-35 stealth warplanes. This marks the first time China has agreed to export fifth-generation jets to a foreign ally. It could mean induction (seamless integration into an existing air force) by around 2029, which will change the entire air dominance dynamics in the sub-continent.

India’s fifth-generation, multirole Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) received prototype approval from the country's Cabinet Committee on Security in March 2024 with an 11-year timeframe. Realistically – it may take more time. Sparing a heated debate in New Delhi: what are India’s immediate plans and options vis-a-vis two of its neighbours?

Next week, Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 ‘Felon’ stealth fighter will make a debut at India’s largest defence show, Aero India 2025, in Bangalore. This comes just months after the Su-57's international debut at the airshow in Zhuhai, China. Indian media has already begun speculating about “a shift in India’s defense strategy.” But the interest goes well beyond media rumours. The Americans had brought their F-35A for the first time to Aero India 2023.

Starting with the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor, fifth-generation fighters were designed from the start to operate in a network-centric combat environment, and to feature extremely low, all-aspect, multi-spectral signatures employing advanced materials and shaping techniques. The active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars with high-bandwidth lower the probability of intercept, Infrared search and track (IRST), and other sensors are fused for Situational Awareness (SA) and to constantly track all targets of interest around the aircraft’s 360 degree bubble. In addition to its high resistance to electronic warfare, they can also function as a “mini-AWACS” (Airborne early warning and control system).

Fifth generation fighters boast integrated electronic warfare and communications systems, navigation, and identification, centralized ‘vehicle health monitoring’, fibre-optic data-transmission, and stealth modes. Manoeuvrability is enhanced by thrust-vectoring. Super-cruise is inbuilt.

Signature-reduction techniques include special shaping approaches, thermoplastic materials, extensive structural use of advanced composites, conformal sensors and weapons, heat-resistant coatings, low-observable wire meshes to cover intake and cooling vents, heat ablating tiles on the exhaust troughs and coating internal and external metal areas with radar-absorbent materials and paints.

These aircraft are not a joke, especially when it comes to cost.

The US has two fifth-generation fighters built around 190 Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor aircraft, which began inducting in 2005. Three variants of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs are in service since 2015 with over 1,000 of them built. The aircraft is already being operated by eleven countries and nine more have ordered. The US itself has announced plans to buy nearly 2450 of the aircraft.

As of July 2024, the average flyaway cost of an F-35A is reportedly $82.5 million. The production rate currently is around 135 F-35 variants a year.

China’s J-20 was unveiled in 2011, and over 300 have been built to date. China’s second fifth-generation J-35A fighter (the F-35 look-alike) was showcased when it flew during the Zhuhai airshow in........

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