Sure they are improving, but without the right doctrine I don’t see how it could help? The nature of aerial warfare has changed. Instead of simple aircraft on aircraft combat which involve merge after BVR fire it is now system on system, where stuff like data linking, electronic warfare, sensors, and missile performance matter a lot more than pilot skill in BFMs.
That's exactly right. India desperately needs someone to show them how modern air combat works like the way the PLAAF showed the PAF. But where can they get this teacher from? The only countries (other than Pakistan
) that we know for sure have this capability are China and the US and neither are going to show India the ropes.
Meanwhile the IAF has way too many enemies to deal with: Modi, the BJP, Godi media, and probably the other military branches. The IAF is currently helpless, but these parties are going to try to push them into war against Pakistan regardless. The worst part is that the political pressures mean that the IAF can't simply come out and tell them all, "We
can't fight. We can't even see the Pakistani planes before we get shot down."
Missile Race Heats Up: Russia Offers Hypersonic BVRAAM R-37M to India as PL-15 Haunts Subcontinental Skies
It'd be a trap for India if they were to buy R-37M. It's a pretty good missle, but the problem for India isn't a lack of BVR missiles; it's that they don't have the doctrine to employ it properly, and they lack the support units and systems to do much with it.
