Many believe that the US sending four F-15E Eagles to Cope India 2023 is a move to persuade India that this Boeing twin-engine fighter plane is the best option on the market.
The US government has given Boeing permission to sell F-15 aircraft to India. A source claimed that in addition to the F-15Es, better F-15EXs are also available. After purchasing 36 Rafales from France, India is searching for additional Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) to bridge the current gap between the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and the significantly heavier Su-30 MKI.
Multiple Aircraft, Less Choice
“At the Kalaikunda Air Force Station, four F-15Es from the Pacific Air Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) have taken part in joint exercises alongside Rafales, Tejas, Jaguars, and Su-30 MKIs of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The purpose is for IAF pilots to determine whether the aircraft is compatible with an MMRCA. “Despite having strategic transport aircraft like the C-130J and C-17 as well as helicopters like the Apache and Chinook, the IAF has never deployed fighter jets produced in the US. The fundamentals are the same even though the F-15Es are less capable and advanced than the F-15EXs, the insider continued.
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According to a former IAF official, India is worried about China’s military buildup along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the time that Cope India 2023 is being hosted. Although the US and Boeing assert that the F-15EX Eagle-II can fend off any danger from China, he said, there will need to be a number of testing. Any MMRCA that the IAF purchases must be able to operate in harsh weather, including the sub-zero temperatures of the Himalayas and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius in the Western Sector.
According to Boeing, the Eagle-II is significantly bigger than the Rafale and can carry nearly as much weight on takeoff as the Su-30MKI. Up to 22 missiles, including hypersonic ones, can be carried by the aircraft. It can also defeat any danger posed by hypersonic missiles made in China. A longer range is also provided by its fuel tanks. The USAF only recently began using the F-15EX. According to the US, several nations want the aircraft.
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Exercises are fine, but Indian officials are hesitant to commit, so they will carefully consider all their options, including the homegrown twin-engine Tejas that are currently under development. Officials at AFS Kalaikunda stated on Monday that all the participating aircraft have substantial flying experience. An official stated that “multiple missions were flown to improve Within Visual Range and Beyond Visual Range combat deployment philosophy in large force package.” Although China was not specifically mentioned, a US official stated that both India and the US are committed to upholding regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
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