India's Unmanned Bombers/Fighters: A Reality? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 41

More from Ctrl + Alt + Defence

1. 

   13 Jun 2026 · 43 min

   Is France's FCAS The IAF's Future? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 44

   A fiercely debated episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som tackle one of India's biggest defence dilemmas - should India join France's futuristic FCAS fighter programme, or double down on an indigenous solution? Episode 44 of the podcast Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrVFtWQWAA Should India join the French-led FCAS sixth-generation fighter programme? AMCA vs FCAS: Can India afford two parallel fighter projects? Lessons from the FGFA/Su-57 partnership with Russia China's sixth-generation aircraft and the growing airpower gap Can India realistically develop…

2. 

   30 May 2026 · 48 min

   Can HAL Deliver? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 43

   A high-intensity episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som unpack the crisis, delays and big questions surrounding HAL, Tejas and India's future airpower ambitions - just as HAL gets a new chief at a critical moment. Episode 43 of the podcast Watch now: https://youtu.be/L6bK3cscsF8 Tejas Mk1A delays: What's really holding back deliveries? New HAL Chairman Ravi K takes charge amid mounting pressure Dhruv helicopter setbacks and HAL's credibility challenge Tejas Mk2, AMCA & India's struggle to keep pace with China AI warfare, drone swarms & the future of unmanned combat Can HAL…

3. 

   23 May 2026 · 51 min

   The Big Boom | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 42

   A power-packed episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som break down India's rapid missile advancements, hypersonic ambitions, MIRV capability, and the future of strategic deterrence. Episode 42 of the podcast Watch now: https://youtu.be/Cw9eowMnT7k India's "Big Boom" moment - major missile tests explained Agni-5 MIRV test signals a major leap in India's nuclear deterrence Scramjet breakthrough pushes India closer to hypersonic weapons Can hypersonic weapons make missile defence obsolete? BrahMos evolution, naval firepower & India's future war doctrine Why modern warfare is…

4. 

   4 Apr 2026 · 36 min

   Who Is Winning The War? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 40

   A gripping episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor cut through the fog of war with hard data and on-ground insight. *Episode 40 of our podcast * Watch now: https://youtu.be/yQ_1guQ6lk8 5 weeks into the conflict — numbers tell a very different story U.S. claims vs battlefield data — what's really happening? Iran's missile & drone attacks continue despite heavy strikes Interceptor missiles running low — less than 12 days of buffer in worst-case scenarios War of attrition: both sides burning through critical resources Gulf nations taking the biggest hit —…

5. 

   21 Mar 2026 · 47 min

   Vishnu Som's Operation Sindoor Book Is Here! | CTRL ALT Defence Ep 39

   Vishnu Som's The Sky Warriors: Operation Sindoor Unveiled delivers a riveting, bone-chilling chronicle of the 88-hour air war that permanently altered South Asia's military balance in May 2025. With a career spanning the Kargil heights in 1999 to the Rafale era, Vishnu combines sharp tactical analysis with gripping combat storytelling. Centered on Operation Sindoor—the IAF's crushing "heavy hammer" response to the Pahalgam terror attacks—the book elevates the conflict far beyond a simple border clash, presenting it instead as a masterclass in multi-domain warfare. Vishnu's crisp…

6. 

   14 Mar 2026 · 48 min

   Shahed Drones: Winning Iran The War? | CTRL ALT Defence Ep 38

   A fascinating new episode of #CtrlAltDefence as Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som decode the battlefield impact of Iran's Shahed drone. Episode 38 of our podcast https://youtu.be/e3uZUTfrVMU Iran's Shahed drone often called the "AK-47 of the skies" Estimated cost: $20,000-$25,000 per drone Intercepting it can cost up to $1 million in missiles Cheap UAVs challenging advanced air defence systems Drone swarms could overwhelm missile defences Electronic warfare & jamming key to stopping drones Ukraine emerging as leader in counter-drone tactics What lessons does India need to learn? Modern warfare is…

7. 

   10 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 16 minNew

   Game Over For Zorawar Tank? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 60

   What does it take to build an Indian light tank for the world's highest battlefields, and why is the Zorawar's induction facing challenges? On Episode 60 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Lieutenant General Karanbir Singh Brar (Retd.) about the origins of India's Zorawar light tank, the operational lessons from the 2020 India-China standoff in Ladakh, and the challenges of developing and inducting indigenous armoured platforms. Episode 60 Watch now: https://youtu.be/4ci6SYVAyKk How the 2020 Ladakh standoff triggered the push for a light tank Why the Zorawar was designed…

8. 

   3 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 18 min

   IAF Foxbats Over Pakistan: The True Story Revealed | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 59

   For nearly 25 years, the Indian Air Force operated one of the world's fastest and most secretive reconnaissance aircraft in near-total secrecy. The MiG-25 Foxbat could climb beyond 65,000 feet, cruise at more than twice the speed of sound and cross sensitive airspace before an adversary could fully react. But what was it actually like to fly this extraordinary machine? On Episode 59 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Air Marshal Sumit Mukerji and Wing Commander Pradeep Jaswant Thakur, two former MiG-25 pilots who reveal what it was like to fly the Foxbat and carry out…

9. 

   26 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

   Uri Surgical Strikes: The Truth Nobody Knows | 10th Anniversary | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 58

   What really happened behind India's 2016 surgical strikes across the Line of Control? How was the operation planned, what happened inside the crucial meetings before the mission, and what did it take to bring every soldier back safely? On Episode 58 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Lieutenant General Satish Dua (retd.), the former Chinar Corps Commander who was at the centre of the planning and execution of the 2016 surgical strikes, in a rare first-hand account of one of India's most significant special forces operations. Ten years after the Uri terror attack and the…

10. 

    19 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

    Greatest IAF Pilot's Last Interview | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 57

    What does it take to face four enemy fighters alone, survive a close-range dogfight and return to base with a damaged aircraft and almost no ammunition? On Episode 57 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som speak to Flt Lt Alfred Tyrone Cooke, Vir Chakra, one of the most remarkable fighter pilots of the 1965 India-Pakistan War, in what became his final interview. Flt Lt Alfred Cooke passed away on September 18, 2026, just three days after recording this conversation. Episode 57 Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfZ6UBjj2Hw The September 7, 1965 mission that made Alfred Cooke a…

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