IAF tender for 126 fighters cleared....finallly!!!!!!!!!!!
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I think we should go for light fighters for this one.
We already have very heavy Su-30MKI's. We are additionally going to buy the heavy T-50, mind you it will be a heavy plane, not a light fighter, and if we go now with Typhoons, it will be another heavy plane. Hell even the USAF does not keep as many heavy fighters. The logistics will lay a heavy burden along with many other aspects. it would be insane for the IAF to have all Heavy MRCA's.
I think they should go for a light plane in this one, so that we have a light plane that would complement the T-50 as well as Su-30. That would make some sort of sense in terms of costs per sortie, etc, etc.
It should be either the MiG 35, or the F-16 blk 70( yes, the money in development given by us). Not Gripen, cuz we alredy got LCA, though if you really think about it, Gripen is exactly what we need.
We already have very heavy Su-30MKI's. We are additionally going to buy the heavy T-50, mind you it will be a heavy plane, not a light fighter, and if we go now with Typhoons, it will be another heavy plane. Hell even the USAF does not keep as many heavy fighters. The logistics will lay a heavy burden along with many other aspects. it would be insane for the IAF to have all Heavy MRCA's.
I think they should go for a light plane in this one, so that we have a light plane that would complement the T-50 as well as Su-30. That would make some sort of sense in terms of costs per sortie, etc, etc.
It should be either the MiG 35, or the F-16 blk 70( yes, the money in development given by us). Not Gripen, cuz we alredy got LCA, though if you really think about it, Gripen is exactly what we need.
Adux
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Malay just read a lil bit about CAPTOR, you are better at understanding stuff like that, its way too amazing from what i could gather.
If we are going for Light Gripen NG takes my vote. Better than 1970's Airframe design of 16's
If we are going for Light Gripen NG takes my vote. Better than 1970's Airframe design of 16's
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You have shown the foto of F-16 blk 60, not 70. And yes i do know about the prowess of CAPTOR as well as the anticipated ones of CEASER. But one radar is not the reason to buy an entire line of planes. You should read up on the Israeli Elta 2052 radar as well my friend. I assure you, it is just as impressive. And that is one radar that we can integrate with any plane we choose.
There is a lot more to the plane that its own capabilities you know. A plane which might be inferior in a one on one combat against another, might turn out to be the one winning battles because of its support structure, or its for example net centric abilities. Though Typhoon would undoubtedly be the best of the lot, i would rather have IAF going for a light fighter, it wont be a drain on our national resources.
You take a look at UK as well. They plan to operate just the Typhoon for a2a and F-35 for strike roles. They both complement each other. One heavy and one light. That is what the IAF needs as well. We have the heavy, what we need is a light. As regards to the Su-30MKI, its avionics, etc can be changed anytime to keep it above its peers. Its unmatched nose cone size can ensure that fcking heavy AESA radars can be put in it, which cannot be put in any other plane. Do you realise what that means? a 2500 Tr module for example in our Su-30MKI would make it a cut above any other platform. Its a heavy plane, we can customize it in any way we like. There are also said to be details that the RCS of the Su-30MKI has been reduced to 3sq m due to extensive RAM coatings. The Meteor can be put in our MKI as well. Its a damn beast my friend. We dont need another heavy plane as of now.
Imagine, detecting the Typhoon at huge ranges because of the vast nose aperture of the MKI and using that range to the fullest with Meteor. That along with the continuing RCS reduction efforts. And FYI, the MKI is much much more manouverable than the Typhoon.
Now, what we need is a small plane, a Gripen, or an F-16 or even a MiG 35 though the latter comes under heavy arguably. This would complement out Mirage 2005/9 and the MiG 29 SMT's.
The F-35 would have been IDEAL for us undoubtely. But at that time, we did not have relations with the US such that they would allow us to be a partner. But the F-35 is almost like it was made for us. It would be the perfect lo for the Su-30MKI as well as the T-50(which is again a heavy plane). It would be EXCELLENT in strike as well as a2a. It would be able to be utilized by our Navy, it would be able to use our LPD's and merchant ships as well.
We now need something LIGHT, and nOt heavy, and radar does not matter there.
There is a lot more to the plane that its own capabilities you know. A plane which might be inferior in a one on one combat against another, might turn out to be the one winning battles because of its support structure, or its for example net centric abilities. Though Typhoon would undoubtedly be the best of the lot, i would rather have IAF going for a light fighter, it wont be a drain on our national resources.
You take a look at UK as well. They plan to operate just the Typhoon for a2a and F-35 for strike roles. They both complement each other. One heavy and one light. That is what the IAF needs as well. We have the heavy, what we need is a light. As regards to the Su-30MKI, its avionics, etc can be changed anytime to keep it above its peers. Its unmatched nose cone size can ensure that fcking heavy AESA radars can be put in it, which cannot be put in any other plane. Do you realise what that means? a 2500 Tr module for example in our Su-30MKI would make it a cut above any other platform. Its a heavy plane, we can customize it in any way we like. There are also said to be details that the RCS of the Su-30MKI has been reduced to 3sq m due to extensive RAM coatings. The Meteor can be put in our MKI as well. Its a damn beast my friend. We dont need another heavy plane as of now.
Imagine, detecting the Typhoon at huge ranges because of the vast nose aperture of the MKI and using that range to the fullest with Meteor. That along with the continuing RCS reduction efforts. And FYI, the MKI is much much more manouverable than the Typhoon.
Now, what we need is a small plane, a Gripen, or an F-16 or even a MiG 35 though the latter comes under heavy arguably. This would complement out Mirage 2005/9 and the MiG 29 SMT's.
The F-35 would have been IDEAL for us undoubtely. But at that time, we did not have relations with the US such that they would allow us to be a partner. But the F-35 is almost like it was made for us. It would be the perfect lo for the Su-30MKI as well as the T-50(which is again a heavy plane). It would be EXCELLENT in strike as well as a2a. It would be able to be utilized by our Navy, it would be able to use our LPD's and merchant ships as well.
We now need something LIGHT, and nOt heavy, and radar does not matter there.
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Yes, i do know that that approaches the Bars class of radars and yet captor is small compared to Bars. But, refer to my previous post.
Adux
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Jul, 2007 l 1330 hrs ISTlIANS
SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: Putting aside rumours of multi-vendor acquisition, the Indian Air Force (IAF) says it will acquire its 126 Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) from a single manufacturer.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major said in an interview to a defence magazine: "The world's single biggest fighter jet order jet will go to one supplier.”
"It doesn't make any sense to go to two or three sellers just to keep different countries happy."
He said there was no proposal at the moment to increase the order to 200 aircraft but "a review after induction, based on cost-benefit analysis, is of course possible in future".
The Air Chief said although the process of issuing tenders had taken time, "all possible issues" are being verified in advance.
"The first squadron of 18 new jets will be inducted within five years (by 2012)," he said.
Senior officers of the defence ministry also indicated the same time period, pointing out that the new acquisition procedures under the Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) 2006 would facilitate time-bound technical evaluation by the IAF followed by financial clearance by the ministry.
"After issuance of tenders - around July - the laid down procedure will be followed which is very objective, transparent and time-bound," Major said.
The interview, conducted on the eve of the Paris Air Show, will be published in the July issue of the India Strategic , a defence magazine.
The initial deal for the 126 jets is estimated at $10 billion, inclusive of the aircraft as well as training and weapons package, the latter accounting for some 25 percent of the overall costs. Future upgrades, to be conducted twice or thrice during the estimated 40 year life of the aircraft, would be additional.
Major said the Air Force wanted to reduce the inventory in its combat jet arsenal to three aircraft systems only, and over the next few years, it would use the home-made Tejas as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the new MRCAs as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) and the 35-tonne SU30-MKIs as the Heavy Combat Aircraft (HCA).
The SU30-MKI is a near fifth generation fighter giving IAF substantial strategic reach, and although this aircraft is still in the process of acquisition, future upgrades for it are already being planned to ensure that it retains "its cutting edge" over the coming decades.
The MCA and LCA would be given a technological edge on similar lines and the key to the acquisition of the new MRCAs, from among a choice of six vendors, would be the "technology and multi-role capability".
The Air Chief said that while the selection criteria for MRCA - called the Air Staff Requirements (ASR) - are secret, the Air Force wanted the new fighter jets to be "contemporary and futuristic and with a cost-benefit angle".
"Broadly speaking, we want a medium weight, multi role combat aircraft that can undertake air defence, ground attack, maritime attack (anti-ship) and reconnaissance roles with ease."
"We want the aircraft to have adequately long-range and endurance to meet our operational requirements with additional mid-air refuelling capability and ease of maintenance and low life-cycle costs."
This is the first time the IAF has indicated the capabilities that it wants in the MRCA.
Both Major and his predecessor S.P. Tyagi have said technologies like the new AESA radar, which give a pilot the capability to acquire targets far away - say 100 nautical miles plus - as well as to use the same system as a communication platform to "talk" to his colleagues and command, will be vital in the selection process.
At the moment, this still evolving technology is best available with the US companies, primarily Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, while the Russians and others are also developing their versions.
Whether these technologies will be available to India, the answer is yes from all the vendors. But whether India would have Transfer of Technology (ToT) rights is still not known.{Getting tech is NOT ToT}
According to Raytheon International President Torkel Patterson, whose company is supplying this technology on US bombers and the F-18 Super Hornets, "it would depend upon the agreements between the Indian and US governments" because the manufacturer has no control on export of sophisticated technologies.
He told India Strategic at the Paris Air Show last fortnight that Raytheon was, however, already configuring the AESA radar for the Boeing F18, Lockheed Martin F16 and Swedish Gripen. {Interesting, even the Grip will have same tech as F-16/18}
The three other aircraft in the fray are Russian Mig 35, French Rafale and European Consortium's (Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain) Eurofighter.
Taken from BR
SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: Putting aside rumours of multi-vendor acquisition, the Indian Air Force (IAF) says it will acquire its 126 Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) from a single manufacturer.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major said in an interview to a defence magazine: "The world's single biggest fighter jet order jet will go to one supplier.”
"It doesn't make any sense to go to two or three sellers just to keep different countries happy."
He said there was no proposal at the moment to increase the order to 200 aircraft but "a review after induction, based on cost-benefit analysis, is of course possible in future".
The Air Chief said although the process of issuing tenders had taken time, "all possible issues" are being verified in advance.
"The first squadron of 18 new jets will be inducted within five years (by 2012)," he said.
Senior officers of the defence ministry also indicated the same time period, pointing out that the new acquisition procedures under the Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) 2006 would facilitate time-bound technical evaluation by the IAF followed by financial clearance by the ministry.
"After issuance of tenders - around July - the laid down procedure will be followed which is very objective, transparent and time-bound," Major said.
The interview, conducted on the eve of the Paris Air Show, will be published in the July issue of the India Strategic , a defence magazine.
The initial deal for the 126 jets is estimated at $10 billion, inclusive of the aircraft as well as training and weapons package, the latter accounting for some 25 percent of the overall costs. Future upgrades, to be conducted twice or thrice during the estimated 40 year life of the aircraft, would be additional.
Major said the Air Force wanted to reduce the inventory in its combat jet arsenal to three aircraft systems only, and over the next few years, it would use the home-made Tejas as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the new MRCAs as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) and the 35-tonne SU30-MKIs as the Heavy Combat Aircraft (HCA).
The SU30-MKI is a near fifth generation fighter giving IAF substantial strategic reach, and although this aircraft is still in the process of acquisition, future upgrades for it are already being planned to ensure that it retains "its cutting edge" over the coming decades.
The MCA and LCA would be given a technological edge on similar lines and the key to the acquisition of the new MRCAs, from among a choice of six vendors, would be the "technology and multi-role capability".
The Air Chief said that while the selection criteria for MRCA - called the Air Staff Requirements (ASR) - are secret, the Air Force wanted the new fighter jets to be "contemporary and futuristic and with a cost-benefit angle".
"Broadly speaking, we want a medium weight, multi role combat aircraft that can undertake air defence, ground attack, maritime attack (anti-ship) and reconnaissance roles with ease."
"We want the aircraft to have adequately long-range and endurance to meet our operational requirements with additional mid-air refuelling capability and ease of maintenance and low life-cycle costs."
This is the first time the IAF has indicated the capabilities that it wants in the MRCA.
Both Major and his predecessor S.P. Tyagi have said technologies like the new AESA radar, which give a pilot the capability to acquire targets far away - say 100 nautical miles plus - as well as to use the same system as a communication platform to "talk" to his colleagues and command, will be vital in the selection process.
At the moment, this still evolving technology is best available with the US companies, primarily Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, while the Russians and others are also developing their versions.
Whether these technologies will be available to India, the answer is yes from all the vendors. But whether India would have Transfer of Technology (ToT) rights is still not known.{Getting tech is NOT ToT}
According to Raytheon International President Torkel Patterson, whose company is supplying this technology on US bombers and the F-18 Super Hornets, "it would depend upon the agreements between the Indian and US governments" because the manufacturer has no control on export of sophisticated technologies.
He told India Strategic at the Paris Air Show last fortnight that Raytheon was, however, already configuring the AESA radar for the Boeing F18, Lockheed Martin F16 and Swedish Gripen. {Interesting, even the Grip will have same tech as F-16/18}
The three other aircraft in the fray are Russian Mig 35, French Rafale and European Consortium's (Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain) Eurofighter.
Taken from BR
Adux
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So According to Air Chief, F-16 and Gripen will be out of the fray since they are not medium weight. Rafale EuroFighter and Super Hornet. And I have to say Super Hornet has a definite advantage over here in terms of its influence on the Indian Government. While EF would be my favorite
ahussains
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so it means that the deal is going in the US court rather then Russian Hornet is the good choice its very difficult for the indians to choose between Hornet or MIG35 and long lasting Russians Indian relations it hit some thing defenatly in Russians Camp .
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Thats a costly jet. isnt it. Does anybody have a table of the cost per unti of these toys which IAF is considering.
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