SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG.
The current designs of India’s fifth-generation AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) fighter jet suggest the inclusion of an internal cannon. However, the necessity of having a gun on every jet and its relevance in dogfighting scenarios are being carefully examined.
According to sources familiar with the matter, told idrw that the impact of the internal cannon on the aircraft’s performance will be thoroughly studied before deciding on its inclusion in the final production variant. This cautious approach is due to the concerns raised by various stealth programs worldwide, which have opted to exclude cannons to avoid potential damage to the fuselage, which often affects the aircraft’s stealth characteristics unless the damage is repaired or repainted leading to downtime of the jet.
The utilization of internally-mounted guns on stealth fighter jets, such as the F-22 and F-35, has presented challenges. Pentagon reports have confirmed that cannons have become inaccurate over time and their use has led to troubling cracking issues. In light of these concerns, other countries have also made similar choices regarding their stealth aircraft. For instance, the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet does not feature an internal cannon, and the Turkish TAI TF-X Kaan follows suit.
Interestingly, India’s indigenous Tejas Mk2 program has been observed with a 30mm podded cannon in its weapons package. This indicates that the Indian Air Force (IAF) appears comfortable with not having an internal cannon, as the role of guns in air-to-air combat is diminishing rapidly since engaging a highly maneuverable target with a gun has become an incredibly challenging task in contemporary aerial warfare.
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