Why India abandon the French Rafale in favor of the Russian Sukhoi
"Deal of the Century" - delivery of 126 French Rafale fighter jets to India - under threat. For Paris, this may mean stop producing its own aircraft for Moscow - a new lucrative contract.
Two-fold rise in price, and the rejection of technology transfer may cause cancellation of the tender to supply the Indian Air Force fighter French Rafale. In return for their Delhi intends to buy additional batch of Russian fighter
Su-30MKI
.
The successful tenderer French Rafale fighter began in late 2012. In addition to the French car, it was attended by the company Lockheed Martin (USA) with the F-16, Boeing with the F / A-18E / F, SAAB (Sweden) with the Gripen and the newest Russian fighter
MiG-35 .
MiG-35
Until the last moment it was considered the main favorite of the competition. A number of characteristics, such as the availability of radar with an active phased array (AESA), it is much superior to the competition.However, the contract for the purchase of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, estimated at more than $ 10 billion., Went to Paris.
"This is not a paradox, - expressed his opinion channel STAR CAST head Ruslan Pukhov. -
We are used to buy a lot of equipment Delhi for little money. Today, India's annual GDP growth of 9%. The country had the tools, and with them the ambition to buy what you want. And in this regard, we have a lot of white spots. As a result, the Indians are turning to the Europeans and the Americans. "
So, over the past few years, we have consistently lost a number of major tenders for the supply of military transport aircraft. Instead of our
IL-76Delhi prefer to buy six American C-130 Super Hercules. For them to pay almost $ 1 billion. The figure astronomical, especially when you consider that the IL-76 would cost much cheaper. Our most modern
MiG-35 lost to the French Rafale, combat helicopter
Mi-28N lost the American AH-64 Apache, and the heavy transport helicopter
Mi-26T2 - US CH-47 Chinook.And this despite the fact that the Russian car more modern - fully digital one and a half times more flies and has twice the volume of the cargo compartment than the American counterpart.
In the case of the Rafale Pukhov sees not only the desire to buy a modern fighter, but also the possibility of India's new technologies. Under the contract, the manufacturer of the machine Dassault Aviation undertook to convey India's production technology of many units, equipment and tools a fighter.
Rafale unique in that it replaces in the armed forces of France just seven types of combat aircraft: fighter-bomber Jaguar, attack aircraft carrier-based Super-Etendard, carrier-based fighter Crusader, tactical fighter Mirage F1, Mirage 2000C interceptor, attack aircraft Mirage 2000N / D, eurostrategic atomic bomber and scout Mirage IV. In the future, the first Rafale fighter jets from all European and receive radar with active phased array antenna. It came close to his fighters 5th generation. However, on this serious dignity of the French car ends. Rafale is very specific and expensive to maintain, demanding home locations. Because of this, Dassault Aviation could not sell it to anyone except the French military, the expert adds.
In addition, as already understood the Indians themselves, France does not eager to share their advanced technology. For example, the contract for the Rafale, involves the transfer of manufacturing technology of gallium nitride semiconductor chips for use in avionics. However, the transfer of related technology required to manufacture the chip, the proposal is not registered. India thus buys a technology that can not be converted into the desired component, and which will, ultimately, be imported during the whole life cycle of the aircraft.
The second caveat - this radar with an active phased array. He only developed for Rafale. Delhi invited to take part in its development money.It's a few billion dollars. But there is no guarantee that in the end the country will receive as the technology of production of such equipment, and the source code for re-board equipment, primarily for self radar equipment modernization "at a late stage of exploitation."
India's Defense Minister has made a statement that the deal on Rafale too costly for the country.
The company Dassault Aviation has doubled the cost per aircraft - from $ 65 million. To $ 120 million. Dollars. This means that the entire consignment of 126 jets will cost not as planned at $ 10, and $ 28-30 billion.
Plus, the country will have to spend much to equip machines missile and bomb armament maintenance extremely capricious French technique.
At the same time, as noted in the Ministry of Defence of India, the production of one Russian fighter Su-30MKI by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) does not exceed $ 56 million., which is twice lower than the price of one Rafale.
Su-30. Photo: Sergey Krivchikov
In favor of Russian fighter is the fact that the fleet is one third of the fighting strength of the Indian Air Force. Indian pilots operate these machines is not the first year. Actively participate in international military exercises, where they met with the American F-15 and F-16, the French "Mirage" and British "Typhoon". The result of this exercise was always the same - the Su-30MKI emerged victorious.
Indian pilots not only the first detected the enemy (and therefore first used Missiles), but also by using the super-maneuverability of their fighters dragged the enemy in close combat, in which the Su-30MKI has no peers.
In addition, India is now completed the development of the aviation program options supersonic cruise missile BraMos - the appearance of this machine in the armed Su-30MKI making it one of the most armed and multi-role fighters in the world. On the basis of the "big» BraMos company makes and mini-version of the rocket. This will allow her arm even lighter MiG-29K / KUB.
In favor of a shift from French to Russian fighters and the program says FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) to establish Moscow and New Delhi Indian version fighter 5 th generation on the basis of our T-50. Delhi participated in this project is not limited to one money (investments Indians in the project $ 25 billion).
Already, India offers its composite materials and electronics. By 2017, the country wants to get a double version of the fighter. At the same time the country will receive the aircraft manufacturing technology of new aircraft engines, radars with active phased array antenna, modern avionics and a lot more then that neither France nor the US nor anyone else had weapons of European companies do not intend to transmit Delhi.
Author: Dmitry Litovkin
Posted : January 4, 2015
Translated from Russian
Link:
Почему Индия откажется от французского Rafale в пользу российского Су - Телеканал «Звезда»
