Guys the fun is about to begin:
‘Flight evaluation by Jan’ - Newindpress.com
‘Flight evaluation by Jan’
Friday August 15 2008 05:55 IST
Express News Service
BANGALORE:
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F H Major, on Thursday, said that the flight evaluation of the 126 medium multi-role combat (MMRC) aircraft, which the Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to acquire , would be conducted next year.
"The technical evaluation of the aircraft is going on and we are hopeful of progressing to the flight evaluation stage by January," Major told reporters, after receiving the first HAL-built Hawk Mk 132 aircraft. The IAF has received bids 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 __ for the 126 MMRC’s.
A request for the proposal was floated last year by the IAF and after the aircraft is put through field trials, the winner would be decided.
Refusing to comment on the front-runner to win the bid stating that all were formidable aircraft, he said that the off-set clause of the new Defence Procurement Policy was an ideal opportunity for aerospace companies to cash on.
On the IAFs Aerospace Space Command, he said that it was in the process of evolving and a space cell has already been set up at the Air Headquarters in New Delhi under an Air Vice Marshal.
"What we are looking for is to use space-enabled facilities, where we can have sensors and communication systems in the space so we can have our eyes and ears there," he said.
Excellent coordination
The Air Chief Marshal said that the IAF and the Indian Army maintained an excellent coordination in Jammu and Kashmir and termed the recent exchange of fire by Pakistani troops as a cause of concern. "Any kind of skirmish situation on the Line of Control or the International Border is a cause of concern," he said.
HAL’S FIRST HAWK HANDED OVER TO IAF
THE first Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-built Hawk Mk 132 was delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday.
The Hawk Mk 132 aircraft, an advanced trainer, is expected to improve the quality of training rookie pilots of the IAF, who till date had to undergo a direct transition from trainer aircraft like Kiran to frontline fighters like the MiG-21. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshall FH Major who received the first aircraft, said that the Hawk will help pilots shift from transonic to supersonic aircraft.
The Hawk aircraft which will be based at the Bidar Air Base, where 20 cadets of the IAF will undergo the Hawk training course, is expected to improve the training tremendously, he said.
To meet the requirements of the IAF, 66 Hawks have been acquired, of which 24 would be supplied by British aerospace major BAE Systems in flyaway condition and the remaining 42 would be built at HAL Aircraft division, Bangalore, under licence production.
HAL Chairman Ashok Baweja said that the remaining aircraft which are being built by HAL are in an advanced stage of completion and the Phase-II/III production is progressing as per the project plan.
"The 42 aircraft which is part of Phase-II will be delivered by 2011, followed by 57 of the phase- III will be delivered in the next 6 years. In total 100 aircraft will be delivered to the IAF," he said.
i was just trying to say that the swedes are more flexible in terms of tech transfer and they have made a fine offer but then i am not mature enough to comment on wat suits the iaf best ,lets leave it to the higher officials of the iaf
that the best balance between tech transfer,industrial cooperation and platform capability and modernity will be the key
