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FA-18 Super Hornets Elbowing MiG Out Of India Carrier Jet Race?

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Boeing has announced plans to test its F/A-18 Super Hornet jet on a carrier ski-jump to make a pitch for India’s carrier-based aircraft procurement program even as Russia’s MiG is expecting an order to supply the MiG-29K jets for the same.

India’s Russian origin aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya and India's first Indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-1) use the ski-jump system while US carriers use the catapult-launch system. India has also been planning to build 65,000-tonne IAC-2, INS Vishal. Last year, BAE Systems offered to build a customized HMS Queen Elizabeth-type aircraft carrier for India, with an adaptable design for ski-jump and catapult launch.

The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet will need to be tested and certified for ski-jump operation before it can make a pitch for the Indian procurement.


“Testing plans are underway,” Thom Breckenridge, a Boeing vice president for international sales, said at the Defexpo2020 Indian arms show. “We will rigorously check our aircraft on the ski jump.”

"Russia is waiting for a request from the Indian Defense Ministry for the delivery of deck-based MiG-29K fighters for the Vikrant,” a Russian aviation industry told Tass today in response to Indian media reports that the wait for the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant has been extended due to issues with the delivery of aviation equipment from Russia.

The Indian side has not yet issued a tender for the supply of deck-based aircraft, although the Indian side made the relevant inquiry back in 2017. On Russia’s behalf, the state arms seller Rosoboronexport will take part in the tender, the source told Tass.

According to India’s plans, the light aircraft carrier Vikrant is due to be delivered to the Indian Navy in March 2021. The warship is expected to carry up to 14 MiG-29K fighters and several helicopters.

India’s current fleet of 45 MiG-29K aircraft, procured for $2.2 billion, currently operate from Navy’s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, and plans to buy 57 more. The flight deck of INS Vikrant will reportedly have the capacity to hold 19 aircraft and the hangar inside will have room for 17 fighters.

New Delhi issued a request for information (RFI) for a “day-and-night-capable, all-weather, multi-role, deck-based combat aircraft which can be used for air-defense, air-to-surface operations, buddy refuelling, reconnaissance, etc. from (the Navy's) aircraft carriers.” The country has, however, not yet issued even a call to bid in a tender for the supply of deck-based aircraft.

In future, these aicrafft will fly from the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant once it enters service.

https://www.defencenews.in/article/...wing-MiG-Out-Of-India-Carrier-Jet-Race-809294
 
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Since neither the F/A-18E/F nor the Rafale fits the elevators of the Vikrant, Russia has the MiG-29 order in their bag.
 
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Since neither the F/A-18E/F nor the Rafale fits the elevators of the Vikrant, Russia has the MiG-29 order in their bag.

Where did you get this info from? Boeing is actively trying to get this order, already found it's Indian partners for it. Boeing is also trying to validate the design for ski jump platform. They wouldnt waste all this time if it couldnt operate on Vikrant. IN isnt so happy with MIG29Ks.
 
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Where did you get this enough from? Boeing is actively trying to get this order, already found it's Indian partners for it. Boeing is also trying to validate the design for ski jump platform. They wouldnt waste all this time if it couldnt operate on Vikrant. IN isnt so happy with MIG29Ks.

He made it up...:lol:

"We've done a lot of simulation work with the Indian Navy to better understand their requirements and we fill comfortable that the Super Hornet can operate from all their carriers, both the ones fielded today and the ones in the future... We think we can move around the deck, be very mission capable with a relevant weapons load-out and fuel load-out to give the Navy what they need... The Super Hornet as built today can operate from Indian carriers.
Dan Gillian, VP of the Super Hornet program.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...compatible-with-indian-navy-ski-jump-carriers
 
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why not? if countries such as Singapore can purchase F-35Bs, then India should be able to aswell

Not the case. Only way F35 was ever entertained was if India bought F16IN back in MMCRA. And that's a possible sale down the line. Now with S400 purchase I doubt F35 will ever be brought to the table.

Besides, these programs include local production, which there's no way that's happening for F35.
 
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Actually I have different opinion becoz I those mmrca 1.0 they tired f16 and f18 and not satisfied with the result even addition of new gen tech on these platforms only increase its weapon capability not aerodynamic performance, since to screw LM deal Boeing introduced f15ex even it consists of export controlled tech so clearing sales to India will be a question mark, and bat f18 replacing mig29k never going to happen if they make thord ac with Capulet lunch system then only it come to picture until now mig29k going to be main stay, for their upcoming iac 1 they may order additional mig29 not f18 becoz it was designed and build to accommodate mig29 from their. Flight elevators the difference is visible, only question now remains how much more Rafael they going to next considering their mmrca 2.0 in final legs
 
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F-18 super hornet has very powerful engines with reduced weapons payload it can definitley take off from a ski jump carrier without a catapult i think.
 
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OK let me explains I'm details

F18 is western design where it launched by a catapult and made arrested recovery where mig29 k is western design it relay on ski jump to get thrust and effective take off,( I think everyone agree with me on this point)
Now if u take f18 config due to its a catapult launched bird it have strengthened nose wheel and landing system in other word's it's a nose heavy aircraft where mig29k uses ski jump so it don't need much strengthening as f18 ,

Now come to the cross operational part if u like to operate a f18 in ski jump config u have to reduce the nose weight by removing its catapult launch attachment machnisam, so it will change it's center of mass ( common high school physics) so a major reworking needed for its deployment in ski jump ac, now u thinking why won't u deploy a vanilla f18 on ski jump it have strong engine and it can take of, yep in a sort of practicality it can take off with a load but it efficiency compared to what mig29k bring on same configuration will be different, becoz in catapult the take off thrust mostly provided by external launching system so the same aircraft to launch from ski jump system needed additional afterburner power ( even in catapult they use afterburner but in ski jump u need more than that)
Final part what until now happened was bunch of probability studies and simulation so with out assured order modifying a 60 or 70 million aircraft and spending further more millions to make it work on ski jump and hope it will win a contest against a aircraft which was the base design when competitor used to design their carrier, so now tell me still u guys think f18 going to join Indian Navy?
 
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Boeing to conduct ski-jump trials for Super Hornet

A senior Boeing executive has revealed that the company is planning ski-jump testing for its F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Boeing’s Vice President Thom Breckenridge was speaking to reporters at DefExpo 2020 where he revealed that discussions are underway with the Indian Navy regarding the trials.

“Testing plans are underway. We will rigorously check our aircraft on ski jump,” said Thom Breckenridge, Vice-President, International Sales at Boeing Defence, Space and Security, at the DefExpo 2020, which is being held in Lucknow.

Confirmation that the Super Hornet could operate with a relevant weapons loads from short-takeoff but arrested recovery carriers came following a meeting in New Delhi put on by Boeing in 2017, after which Indian defence page Livefist interviewed Dan Gillian, VP of the Super Hornet programme.

Short take-off but arrested recovery (used by India in this case) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier, combining short take-off without catapults and arrested recovery using cables on deck for the aircraft to catch.


The Indian carrier Vikramaditya. Photo Credit: Anuj.direct [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
During the interview, Gillian stated:


“We’ve done a lot of simulation work with the Indian Navy to better understand their requirements and we fill comfortable that the Super Hornet can operate from all their carriers, both the ones fielded today and the ones in the future… We think we can move around the deck, be very mission capable with a relevant weapons load-out and fuel load-out to give the Navy what they need. The Super Hornet as built today can operate from Indian carriers.”
  1. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/boeing-to-conduct-ski-jump-trials-for-super-hornet/
  2. https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...-indian-aircraft-carriers/article30766836.ece
  3. https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...load-boeing/articleshow/65119474.cms?from=mdr
 
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Most likely Boeing is winning wither F-15 for AF or, SH for Navy. Otherwise they wouldn't be putting so much efforts.
 
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