AMCA : Together with Israel & France ?

[Chanakyaa]

Can we Develop AMCA Together with France & Israel . ?​

India’s Aeronautical Development Agency is evaluating Indian air force requirements for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The weight of the AMCA will not exceed 25 tons. The twin-engine configured aircraft will have a higher thrust being in the bigger weight category than the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

The Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) had announced earlier this year that the AMCA program would be launched in 2010. While unofficially work has started on the design, according to an official, the AMCA will be officially announced in 6-8 months. “There is nothing official about it… It is currently not a sanctioned project from the government. We are looking at the technical requirements submitted by the Indian air force,” the official told Aerospace DAILY.

The AMCA was earlier called the Medium Combat Aircraft. This [AMCA] is very different from the design of the MCA,” an official says.

The Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) that India is currently evaluating bids for is a 4.5-generation aircraft, an official says. “None of the contenders fall in the stealth configuration, which is the most important consideration for the AMCA.”

India hopes to develop stealth technologies indigenously. “We are looking at stealth features even for the LCA,” the official says. “We believe it can be developed here.”

Not having chosen an engine as yet, it is likely that the Kaveri Mk-2 engine presently being developed by Snecma and Gas Turbine Research Establishment will be used for the AMCA.

Kaveri was first conceived as an engine for the LCA developed by ADA. The LCA is currently powered by General Electric-404 engines with technical evaluations ongoing for a bid for 99 engines. The contenders are the F-414 and EJ-200.

My View :

#1. Isnt it Better To Go for a JV to Share Costs in a Really Expensive Project like a Fifth Gen Fighter.. if we REALLY want a REAL Fifth Gen Fighter.

#2. Israel Has Avionics , France Has Full Know-how of Fighter Jets, India has Great Experience learnt from MKI to LCA. The Trio Can Do wonders. MKI is just the Tip of the Iceberg.

#3. A JV will be having a Better Load Sharing and Responsibility Sharing.

#4. A Realistic Time Frame of Prototype by 2015 and Production by 2022-25. May be Possible as all the Three Nations have Yet to Field an Indegenious Gen 5th Fighter.

#5. It Will Boost a Sold Cooperation between our Best Defense Partners.

 

[MrIndianSikh]

a JV with Israel might not work because Israel is buying F-35's which fall into the same weight class but who knows IAI might just help out in the work but the Israelis might not use it of the AMCA but a JV with france could work out Dassault and Snecma could work with HAL GTRE and ADA to work on the aircraft

if i was head of the AMCA program i would seriously consider working with France or Israel because

Israel has arguably the worlds best avionics for fighters
France has all around knowledge on fighters and has good avionics as well

both countries have developed good AAM's (meteor and Python)

 

[Chanakyaa]

Israel is NOT Too Happy about the Level of Access it has got with Tech related to F-35.
Besides, The JV will be like F-35 Consortium. Say...

France is Level 1 Partner and Israle is Level 2 partner.... ??

 

[DacterSaab]

not to forget ELTA can help build a new AESA.

 

[Chanakyaa]

of course the guys who have built world class Radars.. actually the Best.. and BMD/SAM systems.. can do miracles .... if u wanna develop a Fighter to counter these Two ( Radars and SAMs )

 

[MrIndianSikh]

i think HAL and ADA should JV together with IAI Elta Rafael or France with Dassault Snecma Thales and MBDA

i would go with Israel for weapons and avionics france for engine and air frame India (if it can) should try to develop the much needed stealth features

 

[WHITESMOKE]

Well i too hope to listen something like this from Mod. Who know if these things are already under consideration..Even If not full JV then may be for some of the things

 

[sancho]

France has no need for a new fighter, because they will replace all fighters with Rafale and even by 2025, the early Rafales will hardly be around 20 years old, so up to MLU only. Also France is planing with Rafale + an 5. gen UCAV, so if they would look for an co-development project it would be a UCAV, but even that is already on the way with European partners. So we might get Dassaults consultancy, or as an privat co-development partner, but France will not share the development costs, or will order it.

Israel is completely dependent on the US, they are worlds number 1 in several fields of the defence, especially in avionics, or radar developments and can't use their own stuff, because they get a lot of financial and political support from the US. A fighter co-development with India seems to be out of question, since not even the AESA radar for Tejas can be co-developed now, because of US pressure.
Again, consultancy seems to be the most we can expect, unless we go for an stealt UCAV maybe, because that is something that the US might not provide them (just like F22).


No matter if French, Israelis, or Russians again, a 5th gen UCAV is the best option for a co-development and the only additional 5th gen aircraft that India needs besides FGFA!

 

[SpArK]

I like the idea. Besides Israel was never happy with F-35 , they wanted F-15 Silent eagle.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-forum/65542-usa-refused-israel-request-f-15-silent-eagle.html

But its better to get Japan and Israel on board.

 

[DacterSaab]

the french are the only 1s who dont have a 5th gen aircraft. the EADS EFT developers are also part pf JSF.
a stealth UCAV can not match a stealth aircraft because it's not only the machine that matters but also the man behind the machine

 

[Nirvana]

Yes , we Should Look For Partners On AMCA , Joint Venture Like FGFA - Sharing Of cost and Will Take Less Time

Israel Will be a Good Partner

 

[Omega007]

Good thinking by Xinix.But problem with france is that they preocupied with Rafale and a stealth UCAV because they think they don't need a 5 gen fighter.Israel can be a great help.India's expertise of composite and israel's radar can lead to a very deadly 5th gen mrca.Only problem may be the USA whose components are used in almost all israely systems.

 

[MrIndianSikh]

yeah Dassault can consult on the project and help out HAL with the engine but IAI and HAL should make a JV into the aircraft and produce it jointly

 

[angeldemon_007]

I agree with Sancho....France has already invested alot in Rafale and they have said that they will operate 4.5th gen fighter till they jump to UCAV....
However if we will pay most of the cost and french might agree to be part of the project as they can get a 5th gen fighter and in return they can share there tech and future upgrade program for Rafale. Israel can easily become our partner but i think we should also consider Brazil or South Africa as our partner because we need someone to pour some money apart from us....

 

[Nirvana]

We can Get some Expertise from France