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No, the upgrade has been abolished, because of requests for lease agreements by foreign Air Forces.They will upgrade the Gripen C with the NG features, but fully conversion is impossible. The airframes are different.
Please note that they will do both things, upgrade the C models with NG features and produce 60 to 70 new E models.
The picture was taken over Paris on September 20, 2013.When and where was this pic taken? Details please!
No, the upgrade has been abolished, because of requests for lease agreements by foreign Air Forces.
They will upgrade the Gripen C with the NG features, but fully conversion is impossible. The airframes are different.
Please note that they will do both things, upgrade the C models with NG features and produce 60 to 70 new E models.
...Speaking at the company's Linköping production facility near Stockholm in mid-March, Lennart Sindahl, head of the Aeronautics division at Saab...
...With the final C/D block upgrade for the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) being the MS 20 standard (MS 21 will form the initial Gripen E configuration), future C/D upgrades will be designated MS 20+, and the like...
...Saab is under contract to rebuild 60 of the SwAF's 75 Gripen C airframes into Gripen Es (although this may increase to 70 under recent government proposals to strengthen national defence in light of the Ukrainian crisis). The air force's 25 twin-seat Gripen Ds will remain in service as operational trainer aircraft until all Gripen Es have been delivered in 2026.
Although the current contract is to convert Gripen C airframes into Gripen Es ...
Official news but not published
IQAF commanders have revealed that France offered to arm Iraq with Dassault Rafale and NH-90 helicopters during the anti-terrorism conference a while ago.
That's not correct, Sweden has no money for so many new once, that's why they only went for the upgrade. The total potential of their order was between 60 and 80 only, which includes the upgraded once.
That's more than enough to change the game, because reviewing things can be done with different priorities. We have seen that in the Brazilian competition, where the earlier government had the focus on political long term and industrial advantages, while the current government changed the priorities to an increased focus on costs too. That then naturally played against the Rafale, that was found to be the most capable / suitable fighter, based on technical standards, but had no chance to remain a viable choice, in a country with increasing economic and financial problems.
In India finiancial prioirities might not be the issue, but when the focus is changed on indigenous techs, based on blind patroism, the LCA will gain more importance than an MMRCA and that just like in Switzerland, even if it's below the required technical requirements of the MMRCA!
The other point is, that the EF consortium with it's powerful private industrial players and influencial European governments behind it, will have a complete new partner to push for. Antony was highly focused on a clean competion, without any political influence and he achived that. The MMRCA is maybe one of the very few competition, where even the vendors that lost out, had praised MoD and IAF for how the competition was done, even if they were unfortunate to be out.
IF BJP however review the competition and decides that more industrial and political points must have priorities, the EF will surely get a boost!
And as I said recently, even if you look at both fighters not only based on the competition results and offers, but include the delayed delivery, as well as the changes of both fighters with technical prospect in mind, things can change for the Rafale!
The original Rafale offer, of course included IRST (which than was still in production), HMS to fulfill the requirements, but also had the Damocles XF LDP on offer, which was meant to be available by 2016, not to mention that one of the crucial capabilities for the Rafale is the AASM.
When you look at the Rafale today and with a possible delivery by 2017/18, you will see that the IRST is not available anymore and fulfilling the requirements requires additional funds, funds that already are needed to integrate the HMS. The fact that the French went for a French specific F3R upgrade, rather than one that is orientend at increasing export customer demands, killed the Damocles XF and now give an alternative only by 2018. For India that means integrating the Litening is a must have, not only a would be nice to have, which again requires credible additional fundings. And to make it worse, they didn't tried to develop a more cost-effective AASM version, or focused on exports, but even allowed the UAE to integrate their own PGM, which basically kills AASM exports for Rafale as well. And when you see that even the French forces actually don't want additional AASMs (still didn't funded the AASM 1000, which might be one reason why it's lost in the Mirage upgrade against SPICE 2000), but also integrated the more cost-effective GBU 49 as the CAS weapon in mass, you have to see that the potential of the Rafale with AASM is clearly going down. If we don't order it now, we might not even get it at all anymore and we all know that IAF had issues with high costly, French bombs in limited numbers before, which doesn't play in favour for the AASM either. Here again, the Israelis might offer soon a far more capable and cost-effective alternative with the SPICE 250, but that obviously not only for the Rafale!
So a BJP that claims to aim on pushing indigenous developments (LCA), is pro foreign industry involvement on the Indian market (EF consortium + partnership in the consortium for India) and even a new technical review on the shortlisted fighters, would all work against the Rafale. Actually the real pro side currently seems to be the relations of BJP and Reliance, which might influcence the government for a higher workshare for them.
That's not correct, Sweden has no money for so many new once, that's why they only went for the upgrade. The total potential of their order was between 60 and 80 only, which includes the upgraded once.
ILA2014: Czechs showcase Gripen C at Berlin, as Saab promises future upgrades - IHS Jane's 360
I believe you're wrong my friend, but let's not discuss about them. I don't really care about their Gripen, as long as we get ours. LOL
I wouldn't say Sweden doesn't have money.
Any idea about Modi' MoD yet?
Hmmm
I see! In the case it is possible, please give me more details about it!
Then you clearly have no idea about their budget problems and the reduction of their forces. The simple fact that they have no money to operate the Gripens they already have produced, is the reason why the lease 2nd hand Gripen C/Ds or even Saab 2000 MPAs to every export customer that wants them. They offered India Gripen C/Ds as stop gaps too, just like Switzerland that should get some, or Brazil and I'm pretty sure their chances to win with a leasing deal in Malaysia too, are pretty good too, since Malaysia can't afford new fighters anymore too.
who are they going to fight?
ILA2014: Eurofighter and MBDA announce 'paradigm shift' in Typhoon capabilities - IHS Jane's 360
Now that can be a huge game changer for MMRCA! If true, IAF could get EFs with METEOR even before the first Rafale with the missile might be available (2018 onwards), but more importantly would be more capable in CAS as I assuemed some weeks ago, with Paveway IV and Brimstone integrated. Storm Shadow will also be available, but basically useless for deep strikes without the CFTs, which might come around 2020 with SPEAR, which both puts the EF then on a whole different level as a multi role fighter, even superior to Rafale at least in terms of weapon capabilities!
Asked to Dassault, they simply laughed.Official news but not published
IQAF commanders have revealed that France offered to arm Iraq with Dassault Rafale and NH-90 helicopters during the anti-terrorism conference a while ago.
Asked to Dassault, they simply laughed.
Sweden May Fund Gripen-E Even Without International Partner | Defense News | defensenews.comThat's not correct, Sweden has no money for so many new once, that's why they only went for the upgrade. The total potential of their order was between 60 and 80 only, which includes the upgraded once.
ILA2014: Czechs showcase Gripen C at Berlin, as Saab promises future upgrades - IHS Jane's 360
Exactly, that's why the F3+ that are currently in production and could be available by 2016 can't have them.just a little answer : METEOR will be available...as part of the F3R software upgrade
Exactly, but it's main counterpart at Rafale is not AASM but GBU 49! AASM has the mentioned advantages, but they only play a role in precision strikes and SEAD in early war scenarios. In basic CAS it isn't and important choice, since it's far too costly and it's capabilities play a lower role. That's even the reason why French forces forces have added GBU 49 and are searching for another low end CAS weapon.Paveway IV... is far from haveing the same capabilities as AASM