India to shop for more combat aircraft

[Adux]

India to shop for more combat aircraft




India is likely to substantially increase its demand for multi-role combat aircraft (MRCAs) from 126 to 180-190, but the higher numbers would be for the Navy.

The Government had earlier wanted the MRCAs for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The requests are to be issued to France's Rafale, the US' F-16 and F/A 18, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, senior IAF officials confirmed.

This increase would significantly boost the cost of the deal to around $10 billion or even more, Defence Ministry sources said.

The sources indicated that Indian naval plans to augment its strike capability and range to deal with out of area contingencies had delayed the ministry's request for MRCAs, over a year after the IAF first publicly declared its intent to import 126 fighters.

The Rafale and Typhoon were not initially under consideration but had entered the race recently.

Till recently, France's Mirage 2000-5 was also in the running for India's MRCA requirement. But its manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, has informed the Indian government of its decision to stop making the fighter.

"We are on the verge of closing the Mirage fighter assembly line and want to offer India a quantum jump in technology in the shape of upgraded new multi-mission Rafale," Dassault head Chacks Edelstenne told Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh during Prime Minister Jacques Chiarc's visit to New Delhi on February 19.

Dassault is also believed to have informed the IAF - which operates around 50 Mirage 2000H's - that its extensive Mirage repair and servicing facilities created at great expense by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd at Bangalore would need "limited modification" to accommodate Rafael because this fighter had much in the common with the Mirage series.

In the late 1990's Dassault had pulled its Alpha advanced jet trainer (AJT) out of the race for the IAF contract for 66 AJTs after it ceased producing the trainer whilst waiting for India to decide.

The British Hawk was eventually awarded the $1.7 billion AJT deal in September 2003 after nearly two decades of negotiation.

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi had declared in November that the request for MRCAs would be issued "within a month".

But official sources said this was in the process of being "reworked" collectively in light of the Indian Navy's requirement and in all likelihood it would be issued "soon".

The Navy is poised for large-scale hardware acquisitions that include maritime reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters, submarines, frigates and two aircraft carriers by 2012 for an extended operational role in the Indian Ocean region.

IAF officials feel that in the light of declining fighter force levels expected to fall to around 29 combat squadrons by 2010, the MRCA acquisition was already delayed by several years after it was first proposed five years ago.

Defence Ministry sources said the delay in dispatching the request for MRCAs was also due to lack of clarity in the government's revised defence procurement procedures that mandate a 30 per cent offset in all arms contracts worth over Rs 3 billion.

"Elucidation on offsets has acquired immediacy as India is poised for a massive weapons buying spree that includes the MRCA," a senior official said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=cef0b97b-f25c-4ce2-a5be-20aa16ccafa6

 

[Adux]

Hmm, DDM or is there a possibility

 

[Contrarian]

Adu, post the actual link of the report. This is an HT report. Follow the link at BR and then to the original site.

BTW, i think its crap. No plans to increase numbers AFAIK.

 

[Bushroda]

This is an old news. It was already reported sometimes back that MRCA tender has been increased for 190 jets. The only piece of news here is that navy is getting its share too.

 

[Adux]

Bushroda,

There has never been a credible info on that.

 

[KashifAsrar]

After 123, is it turn of 126 jet deal?



US Dangles Bait Of Spin-Offs From Fifth-Generation Fighter Programmes


Rajat Pandit | TNN



New Delhi: Will 123 equal 126? That is, will the now finally ready 123 Agreement for civilian nuclear cooperation between US and India give American fighters the required thrust to zoom ahead of other contenders in bagging the IAF project to acquire 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA)?
The US certainly thinks so, and is once again dangling the bait of spin-offs from its futuristic fifth-generation fighter (G-5) programmes if either F-16 ‘Falcons’ or F/A-18 ‘Super Hornets’ bag India’s gigantic Rs 42,000 crore ($10.4 billion) project for 126 MRCA.
Towards this end, F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin made a technical presentation to IAF last week on the ongoing F-35 ‘Lightning-II’ project, indicating this G-5 fighter could fulfil India’s fighter jet needs in the future after the slated induction of 126 MRCA in the next decade.
India, of course, is keen on a G-5 fighter, with a lethal mix of stealth, beyond-visual range combat capabilities, reduced radar tracking signature, super-manoeuvrability and supersonic cruising ability.
The MRCA project, after all, basically involves fourthgeneration fighters in terms of avionics and weapons, with the contenders being the Russian MiG-35, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen, French Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and the American F/A-18 ‘Super Hornet’ and F-16 ‘Falcon’.
But the US is way behind Russia as far as attracting India to its G-5 fold is concerned, even though its programme is far more advanced. ‘‘The F-35 presentation was only that of a preliminary nature. Everybody wants to give us presentations now,’’ quipped a top IAF official.
‘‘But yes, negotiations with Russia to join its G-5 fighter programme are in an advanced stage now,’’ he added. India has already conveyed its ‘‘conditional willingness’’ to join the Russian Sukhoi consortium’s G-5 project, designated as PAK-FA and touted to be a rival to the F-35.
The US offer is not new. Even in 2005, as reported by TOI earlier, the US had promised spin-offs from its G-5 projects like F-35 and the newly-operational F/A-22 ‘Raptor’ since the MRCA project would involve technology transfer and licenced production in India.
But the pitch has certainly become more aggressive in recent days with India finalising the RFP (request for proposal) for the MRCA contract. Interestingly, the F-35 presentation to IAF came even as top Indian and US officials began their negotiations in Washington to remove the remaining hurdles to the 123 Agreement.
The multi-role F-35 stealth fighter, slated to become fully operational around 2012 with over $40 billion being spent on its development, will meet the futuristic needs of US as well as close allies like UK. Some others like Canada, Italy, Holland, Turkey, Australia, Norway and Denmark also have some financial stake in the project.
India certainly has hard choices to make but is sure to use the MRCA project to serve its larger geo-political ends. Defence minister A K Antony, on his part, has outlined three ‘‘guiding principles’’ for the MRCA contract.
One, IAF’s operational requirements should be ‘‘fully met.’’ Two, the selection process will be ‘‘competitive, fair and transparent’’ to ensure best value for money. And three, Indian defence industries should get an opportunity ‘‘to grow to global scales’’ due to the large project.

 

[Bull]

It was already known and reported that 126 was for IAf and the extra are for IN. I guess it shud be here in the ' India build up' thread.

 

[Contrarian]

Its SPECULATION that the number of jets have increased. People, understand this, its quite simple.

 

[joey]

click the link, see the date it is from 2006, HT is having some problems with archives.

 

[Bushroda]

Told Ya, I read this news before.