[url="http://www.defpro.org/daily/details/508/"] Eurofighter Typhoon Heads to India for MMRCA Evaluation [/url] 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 Indiaââ¬â¢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 Indiaââ¬â¢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 Eurofighterââ¬â¢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 Indiaââ¬â¢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.
....
[size="6"]Pilot killed in MiG-27 crash[/size]
NEW DELHI: In yet another crash in IAF, a MiG-27 fighter went down near Siliguri in West Bengal on Tuesday afternoon, killing the pilot, a squadron leader.
The MiG-27 is a `swing wing' aircraft and the over 100 of them in IAF combat fleet were hardly flown in 2005-2006 after it was found that their R-29 engines were causing a large number of accidents.
With the MiG-27 fleet undergoing an upgrade since then, IAF actually plans to operate these fighters well into the next decade, even though they are ageing, because they constitute an important element of its strike fleet.
The number of IAF fighter squadrons, of course, is itself down to just 32-33 from even the `authorised strength' of 39.5 squadrons. IAF will achieve its desired squadron strength of 42 only after 2020.
From 1971-72 to 2003-04, IAF's consolidated average rate stood at 1.09 accidents per 10,000 hours of flying, roughly translating into the loss of 23 aircraft and the death of 10-14 pilots every year.
The crash rate did come down dramatically to around 0.27 accidents per 10,000 hours of flying, with an over 50% reduction in crashes after 2003-04. But the number of crashes seem to be going up once again now.
The aging MiG variants, which constitute the bulk of India's combat fleet, have, of course, been the main culprits. The `highly-demanding' MiG-21s, in particular, have a horrifying track-record.
Of the 793 single-engined MiG-21s inducted into IAF since 1963, well over 330 have been lost in accidents. The problem has been compounded by shoddy maintenance, poor quality control of spares and inadequate training to rookie pilots.
Is our Air Force in any competitive state to challenges the likes of China?
[size="6"]Eurocopter Bidding Anew For India Contracts[/size]
NEW DELHI - Eurocopter said Feb. 16 that it was bidding for Indian military contracts worth up to $8 billion, including a deal scrapped in 2007 after it was awarded to the European helicopter maker.
"We have bid for contracts from the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and others worth between $7 [billion] and $8 billion," the company's marketing vice president, Rainer Farid, said at Defexpo 2010 in New Delhi.
He also said that Eurocopter, the helicopter unit of European aerospace giant EADS, had resubmitted a bid for a $600 million deal to sell India 197 army helicopters.
The deal was scrapped in December 2007, after it had been awarded to Eurocopter, amid allegations in the Indian media of wrongdoing by the firm.
The signing of the deal was meant to have been a highlight of a visit to India by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in January 2008.
The company had been contracted to sell 60 helicopters in a "fly-away" condition to the Indian Army, while the remaining 137 were to be assembled at state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. in India (HAL).
The new tender for the helicopters, for which the Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland and Russia's Kamov are also in race, is scheduled to be awarded later this year, Indian defence ministry officials said.
Eurocopter's Farid said the firm was also hoping to supply 30 helicopters to the Indian Coast Guard, for which tenders would be opened next year, and added it was also in the race to produce 200 helicopters jointly with HAL.
"We are also bidding for a contract to replace 40 aging helicopters of the Indian Navy, but the process is currently at an initial stage," Farid said.
India is among the world's top 10 military spenders, with an annual defense budget last year of 1.42 trillion rupees ($31.55 billion).
[size="6"]Sikorsky eyes $8-12 bn India defence deals[/size]
NEW DELHI: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, an arm of United Technologies, is eyeing defence deals worth $8-12 billion in India by 2018 and plans to manufacture its Black Hawk helicopters locally, a top official said on Wednesday.
"We are committed to approach the Indian market with the same viewpoint as we approach the U.S. market," the firm's global vice president Steve Estill told Reuters.
"We are going to bring the Black Hawk here and also manufacture it in India."
Estill said the firm would expand its facility in southern Hyderabad city to make the military choppers. The unit currently makes aerospace components under a joint venture with India's salt-to-steel conglomerate Tata group.
Apart from selling 16 helicopters worth $600-700 million to India, Sikorsky will also lease out 20 choppers to the coast guard, Estill said.
India has a defence budget of $29.39 billion for the year to March 31, a quarter more than the previous financial year. It has also earmarked $562 million to boost border security and police forces.
[size="6"]Eurofighter in India: A Time To Shine [/size]
MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) testing begins this month for Eurofighter Typhoon in India as speculation rises as to who may win the new fighter jet deal to supply the Indian Air Force with 126 aircraft.
The Hot and High trails which kicked off last year with Boeings F/A-18 are taking place in Bangalore, over Jaisalmer in the Rajasthan desert under hot weather conditions and in the Leh area of Ladakh ââ¬â Ladakh meaning "land of high passes" for high altitude testings. After having to wait patiently for our turn, finally February sees Eurofighter Typhoon in the hot seat, with the opportunity to put our highly advanced and robust capabilities to the test.
The trials will be heavily supported by the German Air Force, who will provide both the aircraft and appropriate air and ground crews. Two aircraft set off from Rostock/Laage on Monday destined for Bangalore. Eurofighter is excited to be participating in the trials and with a proven hot weather customer, Saudi Arabia, already in service, now is as good a time as any to shine under the Indian sun.
02-19-2010, 11:55 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-19-2010, 11:56 PM by Arun_S.)
Some idiot thinks buying these 126 aircrafts will make India/IAF Super Power. <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='  ' />
[url="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE61H07420100219?type=marketsNews"]India speeds up $11 bln fighter jets purchase[/url]
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)
Idiot indeed! IAF superpower based on foreign planes 
02-21-2010, 03:12 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-21-2010, 03:12 AM by Arun_S.)
[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article110458.ece"] Embraer[/url] [url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article110458.ece"] ELINT on schedule
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[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article110458.ece"]No rethink on Arjun tank: DRDO chief[/url]
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-Ãâ¬-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 tankââ¬â¢s role in the overall arsenal of the Army. ââ¬ÅIt is a normal process of identifying the role the tank will play in the plans,ââ¬Â he said.
ââ¬ÅLet 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.ââ¬Â
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 ââ¬Åeye-in-the-skyââ¬Â was proceeding apace. The modifications of the Embraer aircraft to fit the surveillance systems were ââ¬Åin fairly good shapeââ¬Â and the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) could be ready for tests in two years, he said.
[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article110458.ece#"]
[/url]
[size="6"]IAF plans war game with China in 2012[/size]
The Indian Air Force is planning to hold a joint war game with the Chinese Air Force in 2012, even as it prepares to showcase its capabilities to fight a war during "day, dusk and night" on February 28 in Rajasthan [ Images ].
The planning for the joint exercise with China's Peoples Liberation Army (air force) had already commenced and the exercise will be held keeping with its policy of joining an international war game biennially, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said on Monday.
"As far as China is concerned, around 2012 we hope we will also be able to do an exercise with China as the Army, which has already taken a lead in this. Planning has already commenced, but political acceptance, suitable dates etc take some time to come," Naik said to a question on a possible joint exercise with the PLA Air Force in the near future.
On the fire power demonstration at Pokhran ranges codenamed Vayu Shakti-2010, he said this would be the largest ever air force exercise aimed at showcasing the IAF's prowess and capabilities to the nation to which defence attaches from foreign nations have been invited.
To be witnessed by President Pratibha Patil [ Images ] and Defence Minister A K Antony, the exercise would have a total of 105 aircraft, including the potent Sukhoi fighter jets pounding simulated targets in the Rajasthan deserts to demonstrate its precision, speed and lethality, he added.
"When called upon, we will deliver combat power with precision and lethality... This is what we intend showcasing in Vayu Shakti-2010. An exercise of this magnitude in the day followed by dusk and followed by night is for the first time it is being staged. The last Vayu Shakti in 2004 was a day affair. So, there is a vast difference between the two," Naik said introducing the exercise concept.
"About 70-odd aircraft with another 30-odd standby aircraft will be delivering precision weapons and display our capability as of today. The weapon load being delivered include both precision as well as non-precision weapons. The targets at Pokhran will be simulating live targets as much as possible," he added.
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)".
"All these weapons cost money although these are part of our training. But, the country did not have money. Then, we started opting for international exercises. We went to Red
Flag exercise in the US.
"Last year, we decided to hold one major international exercise once in two, three years and to hold Vayu Shakti biennially," he said, noting that the domestic exercise cost about Rs one crore and the Red Flag a few crore due to the logistics involved in flying to the US for the exercise.
To another query, Naik said the IAF had already informed its neighbours, including Pakistan, about the exercise, as "we should not raise alarm unnecessarily, as it is a planned exercise."
[quote name='gangajal1' date='20 February 2010 - 02:48 AM' timestamp='1266613803' post='104383']
Idiot indeed! IAF superpower based on foreign planes
[/quote]
Dogfight days are over, its shock n awe show time. Missiles are currency of power!
[quote name='ankit-s' date='22 February 2010 - 08:27 PM' timestamp='1266850151' post='104459']
Dogfight days are over, its shock n awe show time. Missiles are currency of power!
[/quote]
Earlier American miscalculation that dogfights are passe' was horribly shattered to pieces in Vietnam. Not to forget, the whole Russian air fighting doctrine is based on dogfights and maneuverability even to this day. In the theatre of Subcontinental warfare dog fights will stil be a reality for many years to come.
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)".
<img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='  ' /> I wonder why he said "Paisa Illey", was he quoting Antony ad verbatim from one of their private meetings... <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' ' />
[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article111314.ece"]IAF to hold first ever day-night fire power demo[/url]
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 ââ¬ËVayu Shakti ââ¬â 2010ââ¬â¢, 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.
ââ¬ÅDo 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,ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ 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 IAFââ¬â¢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 Armyââ¬â¢s Special Forces and Navyââ¬â¢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.
[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article111314.ece"]IAF to hold first ever day-night fire power demo[/url]
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 ââ¬ËVayu Shakti ââ¬â 2010ââ¬â¢, 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.
ââ¬ÅDo 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,ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ 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 IAFââ¬â¢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 Armyââ¬â¢s Special Forces and Navyââ¬â¢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.
02-22-2010, 10:07 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-22-2010, 10:07 PM by Arun_S.)
[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Accidents-a-matter-of-concern-IAF-chief/Article1-511704.aspx"]Accidents a matter of concern: IAF chief[/url]
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.
[quote name='Lalitaditya' date='22 February 2010 - 09:43 PM' timestamp='1266854734' post='104463']
Earlier American miscalculation that dogfights are passe' was horribly shattered to pieces in Vietnam. Not to forget, the whole Russian air fighting doctrine is based on dogfights and maneuverability even to this day. In the theatre of Subcontinental warfare dog fights will stil be a reality for many years to come.
[/quote]
While Vietnam is the past, Americans have graduated to new war doctrine to maintain thier Pax Americana. BTW what is the likelihood of war between US-Nato vs Russia? Whereas in the subcontinent, India, as a stronger of the two nation, should dictate the terms as to how they wanna fight the future war with all these missiles in our arsenal - but again, 38 years without me seeing any dogfight between the two.
[size="6"]India, France to finalise upgrade of Mirage jets in Rs 10,000 cr project[/size]
NEW DELHI: India and France are now finally close to inking the around Rs 10,000 crore project to upgrade the Mirage-2000 fighter jets in the IAF combat fleet after protracted negotiations.
The first four to six IAF Mirages will be upgraded in France, while the rest 50 will equipped with new avionics, weapon and sensor suites to enhance their combat edge by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in India under transfer of technology in the project.
"It (the project finalisation) should happen shortly,'' IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik told TOI on Monday. This will be the second such big programme with the upgrade of 63 MiG-29s already underway under a $964 million contract inked with Russia in March 2008.
It will also be the second big defence deal to be inked with France after the ongoing Rs 18,798 crore project to construct six Scorpene submarines at Mazagon Docks, which incidentally is running two years behind schedule amid huge cost escalation.
"The scope of Mirage upgrade will be much larger than the MiG-29 one...it will be more high-end. It will cost half of the fighter's worth. After the upgrade, the Mirages will serve us for another 15-20 years,'' said another officer.
The multi-role fighters will be `souped-up' with new avionics, radars, mission computers, glass cockpits, helmet-mounted displays, electronic warfare suites, jam-proof communication with data links, weapon delivery and precision-targeting systems, including the all-weather, fire-and-forget MICA (interception and aerial combat missiles) systems.
"A French team will be coming again in early-March to finalise the details. The CNC (contract negotiation committee) should conclude in another two months. The Cabinet Committee on Security's approval will then be sought,'' he added.
The inking of the deal could be well be timed with French President Nicolas Sarkozy's proposed visit to India later in the year. The project has been hanging fire for the last few years because the package offered by French companies Dassault Aviation (aircraft manufacturer), Thales (weapons systems integrator) and MBDA (missile supplier) was around 30% higher than what India was ready to pay.
Having first inducted 40 Mirages in the mid-1980s, India had procured over 20 more in later years. With the Mirages successfully conducting `targeted bombings' during the 1999 Kargil conflict, IAF had some years ago even pitched for the advanced Mirage-2000-Vs for its gigantic $10.4-billion project for 126 new medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA).
But even as France shut down its Mirage assembly line, the defence ministry also told IAF to go in for `a global tender' for the MMRCA project. Now, the French Rafale is competing with American F/A-18 `Super Hornet' (Boeing) and F-16 `Falcon' (Lockheed Martin), Russian MiG-35 (United Aircraft Corporation), Swedish Gripen (Saab) and Eurofighter Typhoon (consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies) in the hotly-contested MMRCA race.
Faced with a depleting number of fighter squadrons (each has 16 to 18 jets), down to just 32 from a `sanctioned strength' of 39.5, IAF is going for a mix of upgrades and new inductions like Sukhoi-30MKIs to maintain its combat readiness.
02-23-2010, 07:44 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-23-2010, 07:46 PM by Bharat_2009.)
[quote name='gangajal1' date='20 February 2010 - 02:48 AM' timestamp='1266613803' post='104383']
Idiot indeed! IAF superpower based on foreign planes
[/quote]
PLAAF is on the same boat too !!
500 x Mig 21s
300 x J series mig 21 copy
100 x su 30 MKK
76 x su 27s
500 x Mig 19 bombers LOL !!
If you are a Pakistani, you don't even deserve a reply !!
02-24-2010, 12:20 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-24-2010, 12:21 AM by gangajal1.)
[quote name='Bharat_2009' date='23 February 2010 - 07:52 PM' timestamp='1266934481' post='104492']
PLAAF is on the same boat too !!
500 x Mig 21s
300 x J series mig 21 copy
100 x su 30 MKK
76 x su 27s
500 x Mig 19 bombers LOL !!
If you are a Pakistani, you don't even deserve a reply !!
[/quote]
No, I am not a Pakistani. I am laughing at the pretensions of that silly reporter who
claimed superpower status for IAF when it flies foreign airplanes. I don't particularly
care about PLAAF but certainly China is not a superpower. US will remain the only superpower for some more decades precisely because of its superb education machine which makes sure that US has a technological edge over other countries in vital matters.
Indian political leaders should realize that setting up first class research universities is absolutel essential for future superpower status.
02-24-2010, 02:11 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-24-2010, 02:26 AM by Arun_S.)
[quote name='Bharat_2009' date='23 February 2010 - 07:52 PM' timestamp='1266934481' post='104492']
PLAAF is on the same boat too !!
500 x Mig 21s
300 x J series mig 21 copy
100 x su 30 MKK
76 x su 27s
500 x Mig 19 bombers LOL !!
If you are a Pakistani, you don't even deserve a reply !!
[/quote]
Bharat_2009: Pls clarify, if you subscribe to that notion that buying these 126 aircrafts will make India/IAF Super Power.
[quote name='Arun_S' date='20 February 2010 - 12:03 AM' timestamp='1266603951' post='104377']
[url="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE61H07420100219?type=marketsNews"]India speeds up $11 bln fighter jets purchase[/url] : (Reuters. By [url="http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=bappa.majumdar&"]Bappa Majumdar[/url], edited by [url="http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=paul.de.bendern&"]Paul de Bendern[/url] and Ron Popeski)
... . .. 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.
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