Dassault Rafale, tender | News & Discussions

[nitesh]

Interesting article about MRCA, good read

Can We Save the RAF? Or Does Unilateral Disarmament Have To Be So Expensive?

 

[nitesh]

Reinvestment offers submitted for IAF combat jet order- Airlines / Aviation-Transportation-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

Reinvestment offers submitted for IAF combat jet order
4 Aug, 2008, 1931 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: Three global aircraft majors on Monday submitted their industrial reinvestment offers as part of their bids for an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 combat jets, with one company - EADS - reiterating its invitation to India to partner the future development of its Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the six jets in contention.

US aerospace majors Boeing and Lockheed Martin also submitted their offset offers Monday. The deal is worth $10 billion and 50 percent of this has to be reinvested in India as part of the offset obligations of the manufacturer that gets the IAF nod.

EADS, Boeing and Lockheed Martin all said they were more than willing to discharge their offset obligations.
"Earlier this year we invited India to become a member of the successful Eurofighter family. Today I want to repeat this message," Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Military Air Systems, an integrated business unit of EADS Defence & Security, said in a statement.

"We are already establishing the groundwork that will lead us to success in this large undertaking through early engagement of Indian industry, both public and private," said Vivek Lall, Boeing Integrated Defence Systems vice president and India country head.

"Boeing's proposal firmly supports the Indian government's goal of a vibrant indigenous aerospace industry. It also foresees India playing a key role in enhancing Boeing's global competitiveness and growth through a series of strategic partnerships with Indian industries," a company statement said.

"The Boeing Company has been, and will continue to be, a true partner to India," said Chris Chadwick, president of Boeing Military Aircraft. "To that end, our IP (industrial participation) proposal draws upon the company's vast pool of human talent, technical expertise and aerospace and defence resources, to both support India's defence modernization drive and to help spur growth of a world-class Indian aerospace industry," Chadwick added.

Lockheed Martin said that as the world's "leading performer of successful offset programmes", it "has a long history of delivering on commitments. Lockheed Martin has established four F-16 production lines outside of the United States".

"Lockheed Martin is committed to working with our industrial partners and Indian defence industry to develop long-term, high-value projects that bring technology and sustainable business to India," said Orville Prins, Lockheed Martin's business development vice president.

"Partnering with Lockheed Martin provides India the opportunity to develop advanced defence technologies, manufacturing capabilities and defence systems. "Additionally, India will benefit by leveraging the strength of the F-16IN industrial team, which includes many of the world's largest and most innovative companies, all ready to work with Indian industry in developing world-class aerospace and defence technologies," Prins added.

"No other operational multi role strike fighter in the world today will compare to the F-16IN proposed by Lockheed Martin," said Prins. "The F-16IN will be a unique configuration of the F-16, designed to address every requirement specified in India's RFP. The F16 is already the most reliable, maintainable, affordable and safest multi role fighter in the world. The F-16IN will be even better," he added.

 

[ejaz007]

This is the lates update on MRCA. Only update has been posted rest available on the web site:

MMRCA: Updates and Developments

Aug 4/08: The RFP responses are in, and are being evaluated. India’s Economic Times reports that 3 of the bidders have just submitted their companion industrial offset proposals: Boeing (F/A-18E/F), EADS (Eurofighter), and Lockheed Martin (F-16IN).

Boeing said it would meet its obligations through a line up that includes 37 Indian partners in the public and private sectors. Lockheed Martin noted that it had already established 4 F-16 production lines outside the USA. EADS mentioned a “fully-fledged response,” but did not otherwise go into much detail; like Boeing, cooperation with its civilian arm (Airbus) is a near-certain component of their offer.

Industrial offset esponses from Dassault (Rafale), Gripen International (JAS-39NG), and Rosoboronexport (MiG-35) are reportedly still pending. They are also due in August.

May 28/08: EADS is quoted as inviting India to become the 5th country and the first outside Europe to become part of the Eurofighter consortium. The industrial example of Spain’s participation is used. The Hindu’s report adds that EADS is also prepared to involve India in its supersonic jet trainer development program (the stalled Mako project, which needs an external partner to move forward) as well as unmanned aerial and undersea vehicles.

India’s MMRCA Fighter Competition

 

[blain2]

A question for those who may know...what offsets can the Russians really offer? I am pretty certain that it can't be anything like what the American and Europeans can do.

 

[nitesh]

A question for those who may know...what offsets can the Russians really offer? I am pretty certain that it can't be anything like what the American and Europeans can do.

The Europeans and Americans are too pro active for MRCA but the saga going on behind the LCA consultancy doesn't sounds good for americans. The russian, french and swedes are quite about what they are up to. So need to wait and watch.

 

[ashfaque]

The Europeans and Americans are too pro active for MRCA but the saga going on behind the LCA consultancy doesn't sounds good for americans. The russian, french and swedes are quite about what they are up to. So need to wait and watch.

I hope you will keep watching for next few years. Indian politicians are most currupt and becoming dengerous for country too, they are not going to do anything which will not polarize their vote.

 

[nitesh]

I hope you will keep watching for next few years. Indian politicians are most currupt and becoming dengerous for country too, they are not going to do anything which will not polarize their vote.

Ok so it can be put in this way, there is a lot of money involved in the deal. Hope you are getting the point.

 

[IceCold]

I hope you will keep watching for next few years. Indian politicians are most currupt and becoming dengerous for country too, they are not going to do anything which will not polarize their vote.

Indian politicians maybe corrupt but not when it comes to national security. There are however delays as will be in any democratic and that too collation government as you have to take every one with you or else you can say goodbye to the support the thing that i hate most about democracy.

 

[nitesh]

Indian politicians maybe corrupt but not when it comes to national security. There are however delays as will be in any democratic and that too collation government as you have to take every one with you or else you can say goodbye to the support the thing that i hate most about democracy.

Sir your point is correct as more or less what ever government was in center broadly the policies were/are consistent not much of changes. But taking everyone together is a part of democracy nothing much can be done about it.

 

[nitesh]

» Field trial for multi-role aircraft by year-end - Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct later this year field trials for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) it intends purchasing. The scrutiny of the technical bids submitted by six vendors was on, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major said Thursday. “MMRCA technical evaluation is going on in full flow. The six vendors have submitted technical bids, each consisting of 8,000 to 9,000 pages. It is really a nightmare to scrutinize the bids,” Major told reporters at the United Services Institution (USI) here.

The deal is worth $10 billion and 50 percent of this has to be reinvested in India as part of the offset obligations of the manufacturer that gets the IAF nod.

Three global aircraft majors Monday submitted their industrial reinvestment offer as part of their bid for an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for the 126 combat jets, with one company - EADS - reiterating its invitation to India to partner the future development of its Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the six jets in contention.

US aerospace majors Boeing and Lockheed Martin also submitted their offset offers Monday.

The IAF had floated its request for proposal (RFP) last August and these are currently being evaluated, after which the aircraft will be put through field trials before the eventual winner is selected.

Apart from the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the Lockheed Martin F-16, three other aircraft - the Swedish Gripen, the French Rafale and the Russian MiG-35 - are also in the fray. The other three manufacturers are yet to submit their offset offers.

EADS, Boeing and Lockheed Martin all said they were more than willing to discharge their offset obligations.

EADS, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company, is a four-nation conglomerate of Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain.

Boeing said it would discharge its offsets obligations through “a formidable industrial line-up” that includes 16 leading aerospace and defence companies with combined revenues of over $454 billion, and its 37 Indian partners in the public and private sectors.

 

[ejaz007]

MRCA Deal: Technical Bids Received, Indian Air Force to Conduct Field Trials in Q3, Q4 of 2008
Dated 8/8/2008

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to conduct field trials of the medium range multi role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for which it has requested competing bids from international vendors later this year. IAF chief, air chief marshal, Fali H Major, said "MMRCA technical evaluation is going on in full flow."

Request for Proposals (RFPs) were sought from six major international vendors who have submitted technical bids for one of the largest military aviation deals in Asia. "It is really a nightmare to scrutinize the bids," ACM Fali Major informed reporters at the United Services Institution (USI). At least 50 per cent of the deal, estimated to be worth at least US$11 billion and more over its lifetime, will have to be reinvested in India by a manufacturer as part of the offset obligations that are inbuilt into the contract.

Few manufacturers submitted their offset proposals on Monday (4th) or Tuesday (5th) with one company - EADS - emphasizing and reiterating its invitation to India to partner the future development of its Eurofighter Typhoon. The Typhoon is one of the six jets in contention along with the Russian MiG-35, the Swedish Saab Gripen JAS-39, French Dassault Rafale and American contenders, Boeing and Lockheed Martin with their F-18 Super Hornet and F-16 Falcon fighters.

American aviation giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin also submitted their offset offers on Monday.

MRCA Deal: Technical Bids Received, Indian Air Force to Conduct Field Trials in Q3, Q4 of 2008 | India Defence

 

[nitesh]

Guys check this:

The Mil & Aero Blog: Fibre Channel going strong in storage applications

Fibre Channel databus products are having a resurgence, says Jack Staub, chief executive officer of Critical I/O in Irvine, Calif.

Staub told me this during a conversation we had on high-speed I/O trends for the Technology Focus feature in the upcoming September edition of Military & Aerospace Electronics.

Staub says the resurgence "so to speak" is in storage applications for aircraft and ground bases, where large amounts of data are being acquired. "It's resurgent because in the past Fibre Channel was typically used more in network type applications," he adds.

"Fibre Channel has been broadly adopted throughout the F-18 platform," he says. It is used to connect into the data network for the AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar, he adds.

On the F-22 platform Lockheed Martin officials have made Fibre Channel a standard product, he continues.

 

[Contrarian]

Fly-by-Light. We'v gone through this.

 

[nitesh]

Fly-by-Light. We'v gone through this.

Sir, just trying to point out the sales man ship going behind the super bug

 

[Contrarian]

Boeing 'authorized' to offer AESA radar with F/A-18 fighter

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) The US government has 'authorized' Boeing to offer a state-of-the-art radar with the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter that is vying for an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 multi-role combat aircraft, the company said Sunday.

However, whether or not the technology for the radar would also be transferred 'is an issue for the US government to decide', a Boeing official said.

He was clarifying remarks attributed earlier Sunday to Chris Chadwick, president of Precision Engagement and Mobility Systems of Boeing Integrated Defence Systems, that the technology for the AESA (Advanced Electronically Scanned Array) radar would also be transferred with that of the aircraft for licensed manufacture in India in case Boeing wins the IAF order.

The AESA radar enables the F-18 seamlessly shift into an AWACS (airborne warning and control system) mode while flying on a combat mission.

'I can confirm that we will be complying with all the requirements of the request for proposal (RFP) we have received from the Indian Air Force,' Chadwick told reporters earlier Sunday on the sidelines of the ongoing DEFEXPO-2008 international defence exposition here.

Transfer of technology and licensed manufacture in the country is mandated under India's Defence Procurement Procedure enunciated in 2006. This procedure is now being fine-tuned in relation to the offsets clause under which 30 percent of all defence deals worth over Rs.3 billion have to be re-invested in India.

In the case of the IAF order, however, the offsets obligation has been raised to 50 percent.

'We have readied a fully compliant proposal (on the IAF tender) and will submit this three days early (against the March 3 deadline),' Chadwick said.

'We are very well positioned to establish a long-term relationship with the Indian Air Force and the ministry of defence,' he added.

Should Boeing win the IAF order, the aircraft would be supplied in four phases.

'In phase 0, we will supply 18 aircraft in fully assembled condition. In Phase 1, we will supply the aircraft in semi-knocked down condition with 1,800 parts and 300 tools,' said Mike Rietz, F-18 programme manager for India.

'In phase 2, the aircraft will come in completely knocked down condition with 17,000 parts and 1,000-plus tools. In phase 3, the aircraft and its entire range of 30,000 parts will be indigenously manufactured in India,' he added.

'In this way, we will gradually raise the level of technology that HAL (Hindustan Aircraft Ltd which will build the aircraft in India) will have to absorb,' Rietz explained.

The delivery schedule means that 108 of the 126 aircraft will be assembled in India, roughly half of them with Boeing-supplied parts while the balance would be totally built in this country.

'The RFP lays down that the first aircraft is supplied within 36 months of the contract being signed and the 18th within 48 months. The 19th aircraft, the first to be assembled in India, will come within 54 months.

'Thereafter, there will be an incremental increase with the last aircraft to be delivered by 2020,' Rietz said.
Boeing 'authorized' to offer AESA radar with F/A-18 fighter - Yahoo! India News