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Q35 (IAS/2024) Science & Technology › Space & Defence Technology › Military aircraft systems Official Key

Consider the following aircraft : 1. Rafael 2. MiG-29 3. Tejas MK-1 How many of the above are considered fifth generation fighter aircraft ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is option D (None) because none of the three aircraft listed are fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

The Tejas Mk-1A variant is described as "an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft"[1], clearly indicating it is not a fifth-generation aircraft. The Rafale, developed by France, is also a 4+ generation multi-role fighter aircraft with advanced capabilities but lacks the defining characteristics of fifth-generation fighters such as stealth technology and supercruise capability. The MiG-29 is even older, classified as a fourth-generation fighter aircraft from the Soviet era.

The IAF had earlier pulled out of the collaborative venture with Sukhoi to develop the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) after 11 years, with India withdrawing in 2018 after investing about $295 million, citing concerns including limited stealth features and[2] engines unable[3] to achieve supercruise. This demonstrates that India does not currently possess fifth-generation fighter aircraft, as the FGFA program was abandoned and none of the aircraft mentioned in the question meet fifth-generation standards.

Sources
  1. [1] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/make-in-india-mega-deal-83-tejas-fighters-cleared-for-air-force-7145472/
  2. [2] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rafale-a-game-changer-now-iaf-challenge-is-to-boost-jet-strength-6529980/
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following aircraft : 1. Rafael 2. MiG-29 3. Tejas MK-1 How many of the above are considered fifth generation fighter air…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 3.3/10
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This is a classic 'News-to-Concept' bridge. While standard books mention these aircraft, they rarely explicitly list 'generations' in a table. The question tests your awareness of the 'Stealth/5th Gen' hype cycle dominating defence news (F-35 vs S-400 vs Rafale).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft classified as a fifth-generation fighter aircraft?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Security > p. 792
Strength: 4/5
“A fragmentation bomb would have flattened the structures that would have been easier to present as evidence, it said. The Balakot airstrike pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of an armed conflict. Pakistan Air Force attempted retaliatory strikes on February 27, 2019. The IAF scrambled its fighter jets in response, leading to a dogfight between the Indian and Pakistani jets in the skies over Jammu and Kashmir. An IAF MiG-21 Bison fighter jet shot down a Pakistani F-16 during the dogfight. But the MiG too was shot down and its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured by Pakistani forces.”
Why relevant

Mentions specific fighter types (MiG-21 Bison and Pakistani F-16) involved in a modern dogfight, implying that different fighter models/variants coexist and are identified by model names.

How to extend

A student could use this pattern (fighter models are named and grouped by capability/era) plus external knowledge of Rafale's model and contemporary fighter generations to judge whether Rafale fits 'fifth-generation' characteristics.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Security > p. 791
Strength: 3/5
“The attack, said to be the deadliest against Indian forces in Kashmir in decades, killed 40 CRPF personnel besides the attacker. The Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack. In the early hours of February 26, Mirage fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) took off from various air bases in India and crossed the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, and targeted the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot in the Khyber Pakhtunwa province with missiles. India termed the airstrike an 'intelligence-led, non-military, pre-emptive' operation. According to IAF briefings to the government, 80 per cent of the bombs had been successful in hitting the targets and had inflicted the requisite damage”
Why relevant

Refers to 'Mirage fighter jets' used by the IAF, giving another example of a named fighter family and indicating military practice of distinguishing aircraft types in operations.

How to extend

Using the example of Mirage as a known earlier-generation fighter, a student can compare known characteristics of Mirage vs. Rafale (from outside basic facts) to infer generation classification.

FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Secondary Activities > Access to Market > p. 38
Strength: 3/5
“provide large markets. Some industries, such as aircraft manufacturing, have a global market. The arms industry also has global markets.”
Why relevant

States the arms industry has a global market, implying procurement decisions rely on classifications and capability comparisons among fighter types.

How to extend

A student can combine this with knowledge that procurement documents and market listings typically label fighters by generation to check Rafale's commonly listed classification externally.

FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Transport and Communication > Fig. 7.15: An Aeroplane at Salsburg Airport > p. 66
Strength: 2/5
“The manufacturing of aircrafts and their operations require elaborate infrastructure like hangars, landing, fuelling, and maintenance facilities for the aircrafts. The construction of airports is also very expensive and has developed more in highly industrialised countries where there is a large volume of traffic. At present no place in the world is more than 35 hours away. This startling fact has been made possible due to people who build and fly airplanes. Travel by air can now be measured by hours and minutes instead of years and months. Frequent air services are available to many parts of the world. Although, U.K. pioneered the use of commercial jet transport, U.S.A. developed largely post-War international civil aviation.”
Why relevant

Notes that aircraft manufacturing and operations require elaborate infrastructure, suggesting more advanced fighters demand greater supporting systems.

How to extend

A student could match known infrastructural/support requirements of fifth-generation fighters (external basic fact) against what Rafale requires to assess if Rafale aligns with fifth-generation complexity.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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