IAF Announces Requirement For 9 COMJAM/SIGINT Aircraft

[anup]

The Indian Air Force has floated a brand new requirement to support the acquisition of nine aircraft for survey, target towing, COMJAM and Airborne SIGINT.

According to the request for information sent out to global vendors, "Seven aircraft should be suitably integrated by the OEM and certified for the survey, target Towing and COMJAM roles including dropping of flares, passenger and cargo roles. Two aircraft should be certified to perform the SIGINT role. The basic platform for all the nine aircraft is to be the same platform and is to comply with FAA/JAAR or equivalent standards. The role equipment and role performance is to comply with related Mil STD/ equivalent stipulations."

Israel's IAI has pitched the AISIS special mission aircraft over the last few years.

 

[angeldemon_007]

Raytheon was pitching their ASTOR system also for this....

British Sentinel (Raytheon)

 

[sudhir007]

and what about IAI AISIS and Shavit special mission jets | Photo: Gulfstream/IAI

 

[Skull and Bones]

I'll settle with Raytheon, can anyone post the price per unit of these birds?

 

[Gessler]

Raytheon Sentinel looks good! AISIS or Shavit would do too, if their cheaper.

This new RFI indicates at IAF's growing attention towards electronic warfare systems, a strive
towards network-centric warfare capabilities is being endeavoured by the IAF, and I can
say by all means this is a good move!

 

[Dash]

Shouldnt be this with the Army??

 

[angeldemon_007]

I'll settle with Raytheon, can anyone post the price per unit of these birds?

Britishers paid £954m (for a fleet of 5 aircraft plus 8 vehicle-based ground stations)...

and what about IAI AISIS and Shavit special mission jets | Photo: Gulfstream/IAI

Yeah its also on offer. I didn't wrote its name because it was already mentioned in the article. I think IAI aircrafts will costs around 150 million $ and US ASTOR will cost close to 250 million $.

Embraer also offers similar but cheaper system (R-99B). It cost less than 100 million $ per unit.

 

[angeldemon_007]

Shouldnt be this with the Army??

No, they deal with ground based similar systems. Also they won't be able to maintain the fleet of such complex aircrafts.

Raytheon Sentinel looks good! AISIS or Shavit would do too, if their cheaper.

Raytheon is good but i doubt US will clear the sales and if they will there will be too much restriction and no ToT. These are some serious tech aircrafts we won't be able to get them easily from US. Don't worry israelis are good in this field...

Israel has previously also given similar aircrafts to intelligence agencies and i doubt they will face any restrictions.

This new RFI indicates at IAF's growing attention towards electronic warfare systems, a strive
towards network-centric warfare capabilities is being endeavoured by the IAF, and I can
say by all means this is a good move!

Actually this was envisaged a few years ago although RFI came now. IAI and Raytheon has already given a presentation as IAF separately asked them to do. I think other than them there will be a couple more vendors who will respond and then Rayteon and IAI are most likely to get selected and then IAI will win as Raytheon won't get clearance to sell the ASTOR and if they got clearance on top of restrictions IAF will always have their suspicions like they had in MMRCA (main reason for US aircrafts failing the competion). Also indian intelligence agencies are already operating similar aircrafts from IAI for years now.

In short IAI will win this competition.

 

[marcos98]

Israeli systems. Period.

 

[jha]

Even though ASTOR is mouthwatering but the habit of US giving downgraded systems to other countries might go against Raytheon.
Israel should win this also.

 

[Adnan Faruqi]

Go for Israel can't trust Americans, they are OK for transpiration not others.

 

[Sergi]

Buy British planes this time. They got mad last time we reject them

 

[Agent_47]

Here is the full tender - http://tenders.gov.in/viewtenddoc.asp?tid=del480387&wno=1&td=TD

 

[Abingdonboy]

Buy British planes this time. They got mad last time we reject them

It's not British- A US radar mounted on a Canadian jet for the RAF. There's 0 UK input.


+ I think IAF should/will go with IAI- affordable, excellent after sales support, good friends and reliable. Also RAW ARC has been operating similar a/c for some time now.

 

[Gessler]

It's not British- A US radar mounted on a Canadian jet for the RAF. There's 0 UK input.


+ I think IAF should/will go with IAI- affordable, excellent after sales support, good friends and reliable. Also RAW ARC has been operating similar a/c for some time now.

Wow. So RAW will be allowed to use these to gather intelligence info?

That's great!