Helicopter Variant MPDMS, 6th Gen Fighters Jets Coming, IAF's Rafale Obsession?, Blue Spear Anti-Ship Missile

DRDO’s Man Portable Defensive Missile System will have air to air and ship based variants

DRDO had first revealed the development of an MPDMS (Man Portable Defensive Missile System) last year and that short range air defence missile system will also have a Helicopter version used as an air to air weapon with 2 missiles on each module that will replace the Air to Air Mistral 2 from French company MBDA on Light Combat Helicopter and ALH Rudra WSI at a later stage.

DRDO also has plans to develop man portable air defense mounted on an automatic fire control with Fire Control Radar or Electro Optical system for Naval warships to neutralize aerial threats. Other than the man portable version it is also expected that the missile will also come with a Mounting system to be used on light vehicles that can be manually operated.

Man Portable Defensive Missile System weighing less than 20 kilograms, will come with fire and forget capability and the capability to engage aerial targets by day and night with an effective range of 6 kilometers, and height of engagement over 3.5 kilometers.

Indian Airforce Rafale obsession might cost India upwards of $25 Billion

Indian Air Force chief VR Chaudhari while taking to Indian media pushed for procurement of 114 jets and didn’t want to be contend just with procurement of an additional 36 Rafale like his predecessor was. Chaudhari was clear with his words and stressed that IAF is happy with Rafale procurement and also said Rafale is not the default front runner in the tender for 114 jets but also added that IAF is not looking to add another fighter type in the fleet in a way IAF Chief inevitable has committed to the procurement of more Rafale fighter jets.

India had placed an order with France in Government to government deal for procurement of 36 Rafale F3R standards with India specific enhancements for 8.8 billion dollars. Indian specific enhancements roughly were around 13000 crores that won’t be recurring in future Rafale procurements since it was a     one-time cost but the French company Dassault itself is now moving to develop F4 standard development from 2024 onwards that will see a considerable improvement in capabilities and equipment that will see a further rise in the cost of the jets in near future by 10 to 15%.

Indian made F4 standard Rafale might cost 15 to 25% more than ones that are made in the Dassault facility in France.

US Fast Tracks Its 6^th Generation Fighter Jet Program As It Looks To Outpace European Tempest & FCAS and Retire F-22 Raptors

While the US has already flown a prototype of the NGAD, the UK is working on its sixth-generation aircraft Tempest, which once ready, will join the Royal Air Force, Swedish Air Force, and Italian Air Force.

France, Germany, and Spain are also working on a similar program, called Future Combat Air System (FCAS) that will eventually replace Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, and Rafale.

In the US, the F-35 Lightning II will continue to serve alongside the new aircraft well into the 2050s and beyond while the F-22 Raptor would be retired.

The 6th generation combat aircraft will have the following features and capabilities, it will be capable of performing manned, remote controlled, or onboard artificial intelligence-controlled missions, enhanced human system interface, with a virtual cockpit which allows pilot 360-degree vision with AI enhanced battlefield awareness.

It would have directed energy weapons such as a laser, ability to control drone swarms and other unmanned aerial assets.

Estonia Selects Blue Spear Anti-Ship Missile For Coastal Batteries

The Blue Spear missile system is an advanced precision weapon which can operate at all weather conditions, day and night and enables strike capabilities beyond the line of sight, against mobile and stationary targets at sea. The missiles maximum range is 290 kilometers.

The Blue Spear system enables launching from several land-based platforms with flight at high sub sonic speed. The warhead employs an active radar homing seeker, accurate navigation capabilities and a robust system which is immune to GPS disruptions and maximal accuracy target acquisition. The systems are equipped with a variety of deception means to achieve its mission and cope with the different battle field challenges.