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F-16IN to make a comeback in MMRCA-II

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The F-16IN Super Viper Could Get Another Shot with the Indian Air Force


According to The Indian Express, the United States has extended an offer to India to jointly produce a line of fighter jets to both enhance military ties as well as provide for India’s frontline fighter fleet shortage. This comes right after the Indian government announced that the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) deal, originally signed with France’s Dassault Aviation, was, for all intents and purposes, over.

Bumps, missteps and poor communication contributed to the downfall of the contract which would have seen a set of Rafales built in France to Indian specifications, while the remaining number of jets to be procured in the deal would be built under license in India.

So that means India will soon be back on the market, looking for another multi-role fighter to fulfill its needs for another fifteen to twenty years while it works on developing its own indigenous stealth fighter program and makes the best of the mess that is the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, the joint Russian-Indian derivative of the PAK FA/T-50 stealth fighter prototype.

Among the many offers tendered to India during the MMRCA competition was one from Lockheed Martin, featuring a heavily-updated version of one of the most successful fighter aircraft in history- the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Designated the F-16IN Super Viper, Lockheed Martin went as far as to call it “the most advanced F-16 ever”.

The integration of fifth-generation technology into the fourth-generation platform is pretty much what makes an already-potent fighter an even more potent air-to-air and air-to-ground killer. Using the Block 60 configuration as the base to work off of, Lockheed Martin added a number of upgrades to beef up the Fighting Falcon into the Super Viper.

The most powerful upgrade comes in the form of the AN/APG-80 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar system, which is already in service with the United Arab Emirates’ Block 60 Desert Falcons. The AN/APG-80 gives the pilot incredible situational awareness and the ability to target and track in any weather/atmospheric condition with stunning precision. An infrared search and track (IRST) system, the ability to integrate the Indian Air Force’s Operational Data Link (which allows for interoperability with other Indian fighter/attack/AWACS/support units), an onboard electronic warfare suite from Raytheon, and an upgraded modular mission computer add to the F-16IN’s sizable resume.

The cockpit has been redeveloped to an extent, with three color high-definition MFDs (main flight displays) feeding the pilot everything he needs to know, as well as the ability to integrate the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). An updated General Electric F110-132A functions as the sole powerplant, able to output over 32,000 pounds of thrust, and the Super Viper also carries conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) with a built-in fuel probe, designed to mate with the basket/drogue refueling system used by Indian aerial tankers, instead of the boom/receptacle system commonly used by American F-16s.

In terms of producing the fighters themselves, it wouldn’t be the first time the F-16 was built outside the United States. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) was responsible for building over 300 Vipers under license for but the Turkish Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force from the late 1980s onward. Additionally, Korean Aerospace Industries also built a production line for the KF-16, outputting 140 Block 52 Vipers within ten years.

Hypothetically, an Indian F-16 line would be the sixth such line in the F-16’s history. The F-16IN was originally eliminated from MMRCA contention in 2011, apparently due to a slower turning rate and diminished agility with conformal fuel tanks loaded. However, given the Fighting Falcon’s track record and combat history, as well as the kickass price tag ($50 million USD/unit) that comes with such a deal (when contrasting it with other comparable fighters sold en masse within the same program parameters), it wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Indian Air Force to give Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Super Viper another long hard look.


The F-16IN Super Viper Could Get Another Shot with the Indian Air Force | idrw.org
 
a very novice like question (especially in this thread), but are we really sure there is some such thing as MMRCA 2 or similar going on?
By what i can understand from comments and tweets, it looks like there is a case where government wants to procure shortfall of 90 aircrafts (assuming 36 deal is done and dusted for Rafale) by getting someone to partner an Indian private player. Now if thats the case why do we want to go through another protracted set of qualification procedures, especially when IAF has only 2 qualified platforms. & it also raises 2 questions:
a. Has the original set of requirements been diluted to get in Grippen, F-16 etc?
b. If A is true, there must be a shift in how these new (meaning MMRCA 2 planes) are proposed for their roles. Does anyone know what this change of tactical requirement is now?
@Abingdonboy @GURU DUTT @MilSpec @sancho @Capt.Popeye @nair
 
a very novice like question (especially in this thread), but are we really sure there is some such thing as MMRCA 2 or similar going on?
By what i can understand from comments and tweets, it looks like there is a case where government wants to procure shortfall of 90 aircrafts (assuming 36 deal is done and dusted for Rafale) by getting someone to partner an Indian private player. Now if thats the case why do we want to go through another protracted set of qualification procedures, especially when IAF has only 2 qualified platforms. & it also raises 2 questions:
a. Has the original set of requirements been diluted to get in Grippen, F-16 etc?
b. If A is true, there must be a shift in how these new (meaning MMRCA 2 planes) are proposed for their roles. Does anyone know what this change of tactical requirement is now?
@Abingdonboy @GURU DUTT @MilSpec @sancho @Capt.Popeye @nair
there is no such thing as MRCA2,3,4,5,6, XYZ period

rafale is coming and that too 4 squads of them and thats it

LCA 1p will replace mig 21s and 27sand later will come the LCA MK2

and the rest will be FGFA and PAK-FA and AMCA

The F-16IN Super Viper Could Get Another Shot with the Indian Air Force


According to The Indian Express, the United States has extended an offer to India to jointly produce a line of fighter jets to both enhance military ties as well as provide for India’s frontline fighter fleet shortage. This comes right after the Indian government announced that the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) deal, originally signed with France’s Dassault Aviation, was, for all intents and purposes, over.

Bumps, missteps and poor communication contributed to the downfall of the contract which would have seen a set of Rafales built in France to Indian specifications, while the remaining number of jets to be procured in the deal would be built under license in India.

So that means India will soon be back on the market, looking for another multi-role fighter to fulfill its needs for another fifteen to twenty years while it works on developing its own indigenous stealth fighter program and makes the best of the mess that is the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, the joint Russian-Indian derivative of the PAK FA/T-50 stealth fighter prototype.

Among the many offers tendered to India during the MMRCA competition was one from Lockheed Martin, featuring a heavily-updated version of one of the most successful fighter aircraft in history- the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Designated the F-16IN Super Viper, Lockheed Martin went as far as to call it “the most advanced F-16 ever”.

The integration of fifth-generation technology into the fourth-generation platform is pretty much what makes an already-potent fighter an even more potent air-to-air and air-to-ground killer. Using the Block 60 configuration as the base to work off of, Lockheed Martin added a number of upgrades to beef up the Fighting Falcon into the Super Viper.

The most powerful upgrade comes in the form of the AN/APG-80 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar system, which is already in service with the United Arab Emirates’ Block 60 Desert Falcons. The AN/APG-80 gives the pilot incredible situational awareness and the ability to target and track in any weather/atmospheric condition with stunning precision. An infrared search and track (IRST) system, the ability to integrate the Indian Air Force’s Operational Data Link (which allows for interoperability with other Indian fighter/attack/AWACS/support units), an onboard electronic warfare suite from Raytheon, and an upgraded modular mission computer add to the F-16IN’s sizable resume.

The cockpit has been redeveloped to an extent, with three color high-definition MFDs (main flight displays) feeding the pilot everything he needs to know, as well as the ability to integrate the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). An updated General Electric F110-132A functions as the sole powerplant, able to output over 32,000 pounds of thrust, and the Super Viper also carries conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) with a built-in fuel probe, designed to mate with the basket/drogue refueling system used by Indian aerial tankers, instead of the boom/receptacle system commonly used by American F-16s.

In terms of producing the fighters themselves, it wouldn’t be the first time the F-16 was built outside the United States. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) was responsible for building over 300 Vipers under license for but the Turkish Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force from the late 1980s onward. Additionally, Korean Aerospace Industries also built a production line for the KF-16, outputting 140 Block 52 Vipers within ten years.

Hypothetically, an Indian F-16 line would be the sixth such line in the F-16’s history. The F-16IN was originally eliminated from MMRCA contention in 2011, apparently due to a slower turning rate and diminished agility with conformal fuel tanks loaded. However, given the Fighting Falcon’s track record and combat history, as well as the kickass price tag ($50 million USD/unit) that comes with such a deal (when contrasting it with other comparable fighters sold en masse within the same program parameters), it wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Indian Air Force to give Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Super Viper another long hard look.


The F-16IN Super Viper Could Get Another Shot with the Indian Air Force | idrw.org
its all the confusion spread by dassult period
 
And I bet you are a sore looser and always will be :D:D:D:D:D:pleasantry:
And I bet you are a sore looser and always will be :D:D:D:D:D:pleasantry:
when president ZIA-ul-HAq said ” Mr. Rajeev you want to attack Pakistan, do it. But keep in mind after this war World will forget Hilaku Khan and Changees Khan and will remember only Zia-ul-Haq and Rajeev Gandhi. Because this will not be a conventional war but nuclear war. Possibly whole Pakistan might be destroyed in this war but Muslims will still be there, however after destruction of India, Hinduism will be vanished.”:yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::guns::guns::guns::guns::pakistan::china:
 
Only if India gets AESA technology :P
 
It seems that none of India's fighter jets procurement programmes,indigenous or otherwise,is going anywhere。
 
Only if India gets AESA technology :P
we already have AESA technology its the engine tech (single crystal blade & extreme heat resistencet metlurggy )and adanced and miniturised EW suits and jammer tech that we want and as of now frenchies and USA & israelies have them but israelies cant sell them to us till USA givers the nod
 
Hi,

Indians should not reject such potent aircraft, plus they can force US from selling us blk 52 parts

IAF follow every thing, which PAF have evaluated to advance level.
There trust on PAF evaluation results makes us proud.
 
Why should we mind getting american fighter if we are buying helos , transport aircraft, posieden. In future we may buy v22 awac . Then whats wrong with fighter. Only fault i see with the teens are that they are not as capable as ef and rafale. But they also cost much less than two. Also we can get it at much quicker pace than ef or rafale.
Also f16in has nothing to do with tejas mk1 or 2.both are in different league( 98kn vs 143kn).
Too much frustated with rafale. Buy 36 for strategic usage.
Buy anything but buy:mad::mad:
 
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