Dassault deal far away, IAF begins fleet upgrade

[IND151]

Faced with the reality that the deal to buy 126 new fighters from France’s Dassault Aviation will not be inked for the next few months and could possibly be delayed till the next government is in saddle in May next year, the Indian Air Force has begun upgrading a major chunk of its fleet of fighters.

The IAF faces a crisis as the key IAS official handling the Dassault Aviation purchase in the Ministry of Defence died of an heart attack a couple of weeks ago. The process is complex and the new appointee may take a few months to understand the matter that relates to purchase of 125 twin-engine Rafale planes at the cost of $15 billion (approx Rs 90,000 crore at today’s valuation). Moreover, the ongoing issue of localisation of production is yet to be sorted out.

As of now, the IAF is upgrading some 210 fighter jets in its fleet to meet the challenges and equip the planes with the gadgetry of today’s war fighting scenario. The upgrades will be on the Mirage-2000, MiG-29 and Jaguar, all purchased in the 1980s from France, Russia and the UK, respectively.

The next phase will be to upgrade the older lot of Sukhoi-30 MKI planes to equip them with latest radars like the ‘X-band’ allowing a simultaneous track on 30 aerial targets and engage at least six of them. Also the radar signature will be reduced and it will have a new longer range missiles.

The upgrade was anyway needed to bring the planes in tune with latest technology, but the slow place on deciding on the purchase of 126 Rafale has added a tinge of urgency. The IAF Chief had said on October 4: “Negotiations are still on. I cannot place a timeline on when the deal will be signed…The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Dassault are in talks and hope they come with an agreement”.

Besides this, starting next year, three different versions of the MiG 21 planes are to be phased out. Also the MiG 27, another Soviet-era plane used by the IAF, will be phased out. These two planes form the lowest layer of IAF fighter jets in terms of technology. The MiG 29, the Mirage-2000 and the Jaguar are the second layer while Sukhoi-30 MKI is the frontline top-layer.

The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons (some 16 to 18 planes in each) but it has just 33. The 34th, a Sukhoi-30-MKI squadron, is being raised at Sirsa in Haryana.

The upgrades will make the IAF carry on with the older planes for at least 15 more years. The MiG 29 fleet of 62 twin-engined planes inducted in the mid 1980s is being upgraded at a cost of $964 million. The upgrade will convert these planes into multi-role fighters, a new avionics suite, latest radars. Similarly the fleet of 51 Mirage-2000 planes is being upgraded under a $2.4 billion contract by Dassault Aviation, its manufacturer. This will also have a new radar, a night vision compatible digital cockpit, helmet-mounted sights and new missiles.

Fitness exercise

* The upgrades will be on the Mirage-2000, MiG-29 and Jaguar, all purchased in the 1980s from France, Russia and the UK, respectively.

* The next phase will be to upgrade the older lot of Sukhoi-30 MKI planes to equip them with latest radars like the ‘X-band’ allowing a simultaneous track on 30 aerial targets

* The Jaguars, around 100 with the IAF, called the ‘deep penetration strike aircraft’, will get a new engine and weapons delivery system

http://idrw.org/?p=28269

 

[HariPrasad]

I fore see only one solution. Mig 35 which are cheaper than even M2K update and very potent as well.

 

[[Bregs]]

Along with these on going upgrades, few more aircraft must be added too preferably from Russia or some Mirages lying with oman and upgraded

 

[faithfulguy]

India should just buy the planes off the shelf. Forget about TOT and India would get the planes really fast for its own defensive needs.

 

[IND151]

I fore see only one solution. Mig 35 which are cheaper than even M2K update and very potent as well.

There are two reasons why Mig 35 was not selected.

1) Russian platforms need more maintenance, though they are relatively cheap. I remember one article on broadsword which quoted some officials making observation that Mig 35 is bigger Mig 29 requiring more maintenance.

2) Avoiding over dependence on Russian platforms.

 

[sancho]

I remember one article on broadsword which quoted some officials making observation that Mig 35 is bigger Mig 29 requiring more maintenance.

Only the wings were supposed to be bigger, since it was offered to India with more fuel and hardpoints, but not a single prototype of that version was build so far and IF the Russian Air Force goes for it, they might just take the current airframe similar to the Mig 29K, without these improvements.

Wrt the opening article, the titel is just nuts, since the upgrades have nothing to do with the Rafale and were planned since years anyway.

 

[acetophenol]

Fleet upgrade has nothing to do with Rafale delay. Period.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

So the existing indian fleet is not good enough!!!!!

LOL the reality strikes.

 

[gslv mk3]

So the existing indian fleet is not good enough!!!!!

LOL the reality strikes.

existing IAF fleet can easily counter (thats still an understatement but well...) those 3.5 rd gen aircraft with all aluminium airframe and 70 km range italian radar & without all axis FBW....

But with Chinese deal for Su 35 & J 20 threat,IAF needs the Rafales,more MKIs & the PAKFA-FGFA.

 

[ptltejas]

Well Lets see the Inventories of India (As per Wiki)


Mig-21 -- 264
Mig-27 -- 90
Jaguar -- 159 (10 on purchase)
=====
513

Mig-29 -- 63
Miraj 2000-- 51
Su-30 -- 180
=====
294


We extremely required to change the fleet of Mig-21, mig-27 and also Jaguars. (Totally No.513), As the Jags are consider as good and not as much as required to phased out the mig-21 and mig-27. as the jags are of design of 1973 era. however right now its not fall in category of no relevance. and then also Total mig-21 and mig-27 (total-354) required to be phased out.

It is also required to see "enemy" strength. I dare to say that looking to the pakistan they have JF-17/FC-1, F-16, miraj etc in good quality. china has right now Su-27, Su-30, J-11 (based on su-27), J-10 are falls in good category.

Its no so that considering the quality of the pak and china"s mig-21 class fighters we do not need to worry. We need to see that Air Area is most important. In Iraq and Afgan US first destroy everything only with the Fighters. Why to loss the planes in war and also to keep life of pilot in danger?

Fighter planes have Two considerable Things

One Design: includes Combat radius, service ceiling, Speed, Engines Thrust, Cockpit, Flares(to misdirect missiles), Thrust Vector Nozel and other 4 to 5 Generation techs helps to fly plane easily and with computer etc.

Second Avionics : Radar(AESA), Electronic Suits (for tracking and others), Raddar Warning, Laser warning, Advance Cockpit, IRST, etc.

The word used as C4ISTAR = represents C4 (command, control, communications, computers) and ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance).

we need the fighters with keeping in mind pak's JF-17, Mirajs, F-16 and China's J-10, Su-27 and based Su-30,J-11(J-16), FC-1(jf-17).

 

[GURU DUTT]

rafale will come or not is diecy now yes we could hear that india going for more MKIs and MIG35 just might make a wild card entry but i prey IAF goes with f18

 

[Umair Nawaz]

existing IAF fleet can easily counter (thats still an understatement but well...) those 3.5 rd gen aircraft with all aluminium airframe and 70 km range italian radar & without all axis FBW....

But with Chinese deal for Su 35 & J 20 threat,IAF needs the Rafales,more MKIs & the PAKFA-FGFA.

those r better then yr a/c atleast, this thread even shows that. Plus i dont think yr an IAF spokesman.

 

[Killswitch]

The IAF originally wanted 200 mirage 2000's. They were smart. This mess was caused by the government ignoring the IAF.

 

[GURU DUTT]

its high time IAF and MOD go ahead and import latest avionicks and wepons from israel and give much needed funds to LCA program and orders 200+ LCAs

in the mean time increase the order for MKI + order some 80 MIG35 and equal nos of F18 along with a squad or two of there growler variant

its high time IAF and MOD go ahead and import latest avionicks and wepons from israel and give much needed funds to LCA program and orders 200+ LCAs

in the mean time increase the order for MKI + order some 80 MIG35 and equal nos of F18 along with a squad or two of there growler variant

 

[Dillinger]

its high time IAF and MOD go ahead and import latest avionicks and wepons from israel and give much needed funds to LCA program and orders 200+ LCAs

in the mean time increase the order for MKI + order some 80 MIG35 and equal nos of F18 along with a squad or two of there growler variant

its high time IAF and MOD go ahead and import latest avionicks and wepons from israel and give much needed funds to LCA program and orders 200+ LCAs

in the mean time increase the order for MKI + order some 80 MIG35 and equal nos of F18 along with a squad or two of there growler variant

Order 200 LCA before the LCA even achieves IOC and goes through TACDE? That would be an odd thing to say the least.

The MIG-35 would bring no NEW capability to the table and barring the AESA radar is as capable as the UPG, in fact due to the virgilius the UPG is actually more survivable.

More MKIs are already being procured and fleet upgrade is in order.

No one is ordering the super-bugs, the IAF is trying to consolidate its fleet with an eye on MRO and operational fluidity not open a menagerie.

For the lackwit who thinks that fleet upgradation means that the platforms in question are not capable- block upgrades are the norm in every air-force, in fact in very fighting force on the planet. Inane and knackered comments sans any knowledge whatsoever seems to be the only contribution such people are capable of.

On topic- Someday we will have cogent reporting on defense matters...SOMEDAY!