Quote:Eurofighter Consortium eyes $10.4 billion contract for future Indian fighter aircraft



11:04 GMT, February 15, 2010 defpro.com | Coinciding with the starting signal for India’s largest defence exhibition, DEFEXPO 2010 (15-18 February 2010), a German Air Force Eurofighter fighter aircraft will be heading to India today. However, this aircraft will not be making acrobatic manoeuvres for the visitors of the show but, rather, will be thoroughly examined by the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) MMRCA programme. The Eurofighter will join India’s ongoing programme, which has been initiated in August 2007 and is currently in the process of testing all participating contenders, to undergo trials until March in Bengaluru as well as in Jaisalmer and Leh. The two latter stations will demonstrate the Eurofighter’s desert and high altitude performance.



As 8ak.in recently reported, the prospects for a success of Eurofighter in India still are difficult to judge, as the European consortium is receiving mixed signals from Indian officials. While there is general consent that the performance of the aircraft is up to the expectations, the pricing reportedly is an issue. Reuters news agency quoted India’s Ambassador, Arif Shahid Khan, saying Eurofighter Typhoon is leading the race to win the new fighter deal with the Indian Air Force. The Ambassador stressed the top position held by Eurofighter Typhoon during a meeting in late January with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Rome.

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Quote:By [url="http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=bappa.majumdar&"]Bappa Majumdar[/url]



NEW DELHI, Feb 19 (Reuters) - India will narrow down the number of bidders by mid-2010 for its $11 billion fighter jet tender, a minister said, in a closely watched deal where diplomacy and strategic interests will play a big role.



Lockheed Martin's F-16 is competing with Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, France's Dassault Rafale, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Saab ([url="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SAABb.ST"]SAABb.ST[/url]) JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, produced by a consortium of European companies.



The acquisition of 126 air and ground attack fighters will elevate India's air force to a super-power status, with deployments planned near the western and northeast borders to tackle any threats from Pakistan or China, officials say.



India fears China could be trying to strategically encircle it as they jostle for resources and global influence, while Pakistan has the U.S. F-16 fighters in its fleet, forcing New Delhi to buy planes that can shoot at targets 30 miles away.



"The trials should conclude by the middle of this year," Pallam Raju, India's junior defence minister, told Reuters on the sidelines of an arms fair in New Delhi this week.



"Once the trials are concluded, then we will be looking into the financial bids. We are speeding up things."



While Lockheed's F-16 has completed trials which began last August, the other five, including the MiG-35 from Russia, India's traditional supplier of weapons, and Sweden's Gripen, are in the midst of field trials. The phased trials will end by April.



Interest into the lucrative deal picked up worldwide after India's ambassador to Italy told reporters in Rome last month that the Eurofighter Typhoon, conceived and built by Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain, was leading in the race.



This week, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony took some flying lessons at the New Delhi fair in a cockpit simulator of the Eurofighter, which defence officials privately acknowledge is a frontrunner to win the contract.



New Delhi is also keen to diversify its weapons acquisition from European countries, said Brahma Chellaney, a professor on strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research.



"By engaging in this campaign, India would ensure virtually a partnership, a strategic partnership on the political level with the rest of Europe," Matthias Schmidlin, campaign director of the Typhoon, told Reuters.



DEEPENING U.S. TIES



Security experts say New Delhi's growing ties with Washington, seen as a counterweight against China, might tilt the scale towards the two U.S. companies in the fray.



India and the United States signed a landmark civilian nuclear deal in 2008 and another pact in July last year, facilitating the entry of U.S. companies like Lockheed and Boeing into India's lucrative defence market.



"Over the last few years, the U.S.- India relationship in the defence sector has strengthened significantly and we are very optimistic regarding the future of this relation," said Vivek Lall, head (India) of Boeing defence.



Indian Air Force officials were also seen getting into cockpit simulators of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed's F-16 -- two stalls located near each other at the arms fair.



"But we are not together on this one (trials). It is a keenly fought contest," a Lockheed official said, underlining the fierce contest by defence companies lined up at India's door for a share of the $100 billion defence market pie.



Some experts say the U.S. government's refusal to transfer full technology to India could turn out to be a roadblock when it comes to choosing the fighter India wants.



Russia's MiG-35, and France's Rafale are also keenly watched by experts, and are equally strong contenders, officials say.



"The decison will be based on multiple matrices. First it must match user requirements and then it will go to the political arena," said Uday Bhaskar, director of the National Maritime Foundation, a New Delhi-based defence think tank. (Editing by [url="http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=paul.de.bendern&"]Paul de Bendern[/url] and Ron Popeski)

Quote:NEW DELHI, February 21, 2010 Special Correspondent



The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) dispelled apprehensions that there was a question mark over the capability of the indigenously manufactured Arjun tank.



Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat dismissed reports that the tank was undergoing yet another series of revaluations vis-À-vis the Russian T-90 main battle tanks.



Dr. Saraswat said that half of the 124 tanks ordered by the Army had already rolled out, and there was no rethink about their induction. The comparative evaluation referred to in media reports was nothing but a trial of the tank’s role in the overall arsenal of the Army. “It is a normal process of identifying the role the tank will play in the plans,” he said.



“Let me make it clear, that these are not evaluation trials of the Arjun tank, as those trials, including in summer and winter months, are over and more than 50 per cent of the tanks have now rolled out of the factory for induction.”



Dr. Saraswat also refuted criticism about the performance of made-in-India INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifles. He said there were no niggles in the INSAS rifle, a standard issue to the infantry and the paramilitary forces, and felt the complaints, if any, must be local in nature. The feedback from the Army indicated that the troops were satisfied with the rifle.



He said the integration of avionics and sensors on a Brazilian plane to produce an indigenous “eye-in-the-sky” was proceeding apace. The modifications of the Embraer aircraft to fit the surveillance systems were “in fairly good shape” and the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) could be ready for tests in two years, he said.

Quote:Asked why Vayu Shakti was being held after a gap of five years, Naik said the IAF used to hold the exercise annually, but later "we ended up in the phase of paisa illey (no money)".

Quote:NEW DELHI, February 22, 2010For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force will showcase its prowess and capability of precision strikes during day, dusk and night at the fire power demonstration (FPD) at the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan on February 28.



To be witnessed by the President Pratibha Patil, the demonstration codenamed ‘Vayu Shakti – 2010’, will be a collective display of skills and accuracy in weapons delivery by pilots at the end of their training year. It also aids commanders and planners to gain better insight into the potential and development capabilities of aerial weapons.



While the display that includes participation of 100 aircraft comes close on the heels of scheduled talks of Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan this week, the IAF Chief P.V. Naik said there is no link between the two event as the Air Force planned this demonstration much ahead of the talks.



“Do not link [or attribute] any motives. Our demonstration is intended to tell the people of our country, the capability of the IAF, its skills and strategic reach to protect the skies and national interest,’’ the Air Chief said in response to a question whether Vayu Shakti was intended for Pakistan. The IAF is fast-emerging as a strategic aerospace power, he added.



The FPD will demonstrate the day and night employability of air power by frontline fighter aircrafts of the IAF including the Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Mig-21 and Mig-29. The transport aircrafts include the AN-32, Embraer and Il-76 while Mi-17 IV and Mi-35 attack helicopters will constitute the rotary wing ingredients.



For the fist time AWACS will be used to monitor the mammoth exercise while an unmanned aerial vehicle will stream live video images of the target destruction. In addition to 70 aircraft participating, there will be 30 standby aircraft in air and an equal number on ground.



For the FPD, mock radar sites, tanks, marshalling yards, terrorist camps, runway, BMP infantry fighting vehicles, blast pens and convoys are among a few of the targets that pilots will seek to destroy. Para-drop and troop insertion of Garud, the IAF’s special forces to neutralise a terrorist camp will also be on display.



The exercise will also display jointness of the tri-services with the Army’s Special Forces and Navy’s Marine Commandos taking part. The Air Chief said the IAF is holding the APD after six years. The IAF is awaiting clearance from the government to extend an invitation to the Defence Attaches of various countries including Pakistan.

Quote:NEW DELHI, February 22, 2010For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force will showcase its prowess and capability of precision strikes during day, dusk and night at the fire power demonstration (FPD) at the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan on February 28.



To be witnessed by the President Pratibha Patil, the demonstration codenamed ‘Vayu Shakti – 2010’, will be a collective display of skills and accuracy in weapons delivery by pilots at the end of their training year. It also aids commanders and planners to gain better insight into the potential and development capabilities of aerial weapons.



While the display that includes participation of 100 aircraft comes close on the heels of scheduled talks of Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan this week, the IAF Chief P.V. Naik said there is no link between the two event as the Air Force planned this demonstration much ahead of the talks.



“Do not link [or attribute] any motives. Our demonstration is intended to tell the people of our country, the capability of the IAF, its skills and strategic reach to protect the skies and national interest,’’ the Air Chief said in response to a question whether Vayu Shakti was intended for Pakistan. The IAF is fast-emerging as a strategic aerospace power, he added.



The FPD will demonstrate the day and night employability of air power by frontline fighter aircrafts of the IAF including the Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, Mig-21 and Mig-29. The transport aircrafts include the AN-32, Embraer and Il-76 while Mi-17 IV and Mi-35 attack helicopters will constitute the rotary wing ingredients.



For the fist time AWACS will be used to monitor the mammoth exercise while an unmanned aerial vehicle will stream live video images of the target destruction. In addition to 70 aircraft participating, there will be 30 standby aircraft in air and an equal number on ground.



For the FPD, mock radar sites, tanks, marshalling yards, terrorist camps, runway, BMP infantry fighting vehicles, blast pens and convoys are among a few of the targets that pilots will seek to destroy. Para-drop and troop insertion of Garud, the IAF’s special forces to neutralise a terrorist camp will also be on display.



The exercise will also display jointness of the tri-services with the Army’s Special Forces and Navy’s Marine Commandos taking part. The Air Chief said the IAF is holding the APD after six years. The IAF is awaiting clearance from the government to extend an invitation to the Defence Attaches of various countries including Pakistan.

Quote:New Delhi, February 22, 2010Admitting that aircraft crashes were a matter of concern, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik said Monday they couldn't be entirely ruled out.



"Yes, crashes are a matter of concern. It pains us because it involves not only the loss of aircraft, but sometimes lives also," Naik told reporters in New Delhi.



"I can assure you that even though some of our aircraft are old, it is a matter of pride that they are fully serviceable," he said.



"In older aircraft, the mean time between failure tends to reduce. We carefully analyse every crash and take remedial action," Naik said.



The IAF suffered two crashes last week, the first on Feb 16 when a MiG-27 went down near Hashimara in West Bengal, killing the pilot. A MiG-21 crashed on Feb 19 at Bagdogra, also in West Bengal, but the pilot managed to eject to safety.



"In the first case, it appears to be a failure of the low pressure turbine blades. In the second, there was an engine surge and the thrust dropped, forcing the pilot to eject," Naik said, an indication of the openness with which the IAF is dealing with such issues.



"Accidents are bound to happen. What we must ensure is that operational efficiency is not degraded," he pointed out.



Speaking about the progress on the global tender the IAF has floated for 126 combat jets in a deal valued at $10 billion, Naik said two aircraft - the Lockheed Martin F-16 IN Super Viper and the Dassault Rafale - had completed all three rounds of trials.



The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Saab Gripen, the MiG-35 and the Eurofighter Typhoon have completed two rounds of trials each.



"The trials should finish by April-end and it will then take us a couple of months to draw up a shortlist," he said.



Still, the price negotiations could take about 18 months before the final order is placed.



Eighteen jets will be purchased in fly-away condition and the balance will be manufactured in India by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on a transfer of technology basis.