onionkiller
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2013
- Messages
- 475
- Reaction score
- 0
Differences crop up with Russia
over Pak-Fa fighter jet deal
Published October 7, 2013 | By
admin
SOURCE: Tribune News Service
Difference of opinion has cropped up
between long-term partners India
and Russia over the prestigious
project to jointly develop and
produce the next generation fighter
planes.The two countries had agreed
in 2010 to develop the fifth
generation fighter aircraft (FGFA),
which at $ 30 billion USD would be
the biggest defence deal ever in the
world.
The preliminary design contract
(PDC) phase costing $ 295 million
was completed on June 19. However,
New Delhi and Moscow will take at
least an year more to take the next
step that is signing of the final
design Research and Development
(R&D) contract worth $ 11 billion.
The draft contracts for the proposed
R&D were exchanged in mid-2012.
Indias share is $ 5.5 billion.
Since then, developments have lost
pace. Sources said India wants
access to technical data and be a
contributor in the R&D as that will
enable its teams to get experience.
Also, India is seeking a ban on the
sale of the plane to other countries.
Indian planners accept in private is
that Russia, or any other country,
would never part with engine design
specifications and metallurgy. India
is looking to be more than a
monetary contributor in the deal,
said the source.
The IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal NAK
Browne, confirmed yesterday that
brakes had been put on the FGFA
project, at least for now. We are
still working on the R&D contract. It
will take one more year. Technical
discussions are on. Till we get
technical details, which we need to
know, we cannot even get to the
issue of discussing financial terms
and conditions, the IAF Chief said.
The first hint of delay was when
Russian President Vladimir Putin
visited Delhi in December last year
but the R&D contract was not
signed.The first induction was
planned for 2022, but the
assessment within the MoD is that it
will be delayed. Four prototypes of
the code-named PAK-FA are already
flying in Russia.
The plane has stealth features
enabling it to be somewhat masked
from enemy radars. It will have
advanced features such as super-
cruise, ultra-manoeuvrability, highly
integrated avionics suite, enhanced
situational awareness, internal
carriage of weapons (that is under-
carriage weapons will not be visible)
and network centric warfare
capabilities.
Only when the R&D contract is
signed, the FGFA prototypes will be
available in India. The first is slated
in 2014. It will be flight-tested by
Indian pilots and monitored by
Indian engineers. Two more
prototypes will follow in 2017 and
2019. The last will be the final
version on which the FGFA will be
based.
What India wants
Access to technical data and be a
contributor in the research &
development
This will enable its teams to get
vital experience.
Ban on the sale of the plane to
other countries.
The two countries had agreed in
2010 to develop the fifth
generation fighter aircraft (FGFA)
At $30 billion, it was the biggest
defence deal ever in the world
source. idrw.org
over Pak-Fa fighter jet deal
Published October 7, 2013 | By
admin
SOURCE: Tribune News Service
Difference of opinion has cropped up
between long-term partners India
and Russia over the prestigious
project to jointly develop and
produce the next generation fighter
planes.The two countries had agreed
in 2010 to develop the fifth
generation fighter aircraft (FGFA),
which at $ 30 billion USD would be
the biggest defence deal ever in the
world.
The preliminary design contract
(PDC) phase costing $ 295 million
was completed on June 19. However,
New Delhi and Moscow will take at
least an year more to take the next
step that is signing of the final
design Research and Development
(R&D) contract worth $ 11 billion.
The draft contracts for the proposed
R&D were exchanged in mid-2012.
Indias share is $ 5.5 billion.
Since then, developments have lost
pace. Sources said India wants
access to technical data and be a
contributor in the R&D as that will
enable its teams to get experience.
Also, India is seeking a ban on the
sale of the plane to other countries.
Indian planners accept in private is
that Russia, or any other country,
would never part with engine design
specifications and metallurgy. India
is looking to be more than a
monetary contributor in the deal,
said the source.
The IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal NAK
Browne, confirmed yesterday that
brakes had been put on the FGFA
project, at least for now. We are
still working on the R&D contract. It
will take one more year. Technical
discussions are on. Till we get
technical details, which we need to
know, we cannot even get to the
issue of discussing financial terms
and conditions, the IAF Chief said.
The first hint of delay was when
Russian President Vladimir Putin
visited Delhi in December last year
but the R&D contract was not
signed.The first induction was
planned for 2022, but the
assessment within the MoD is that it
will be delayed. Four prototypes of
the code-named PAK-FA are already
flying in Russia.
The plane has stealth features
enabling it to be somewhat masked
from enemy radars. It will have
advanced features such as super-
cruise, ultra-manoeuvrability, highly
integrated avionics suite, enhanced
situational awareness, internal
carriage of weapons (that is under-
carriage weapons will not be visible)
and network centric warfare
capabilities.
Only when the R&D contract is
signed, the FGFA prototypes will be
available in India. The first is slated
in 2014. It will be flight-tested by
Indian pilots and monitored by
Indian engineers. Two more
prototypes will follow in 2017 and
2019. The last will be the final
version on which the FGFA will be
based.
What India wants
Access to technical data and be a
contributor in the research &
development
This will enable its teams to get
vital experience.
Ban on the sale of the plane to
other countries.
The two countries had agreed in
2010 to develop the fifth
generation fighter aircraft (FGFA)
At $30 billion, it was the biggest
defence deal ever in the world
source. idrw.org