MMRCA - FX Indiano

[Penguin]

Chamou-me, Kamarada Karlovsky?


MMRCA BUZZ: MiG-35 Was Never In The Running?
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/08/mm ... nning.html

Quick disclaimer: with nothing official on the MMRCA competition available from the Indian government -- at one level, rightly so -- the only available information is hearsay. And I don't think debate about rumours is going to ever affect a professionally managed competition. This is a pot that stirs itself. It could be bang on, it could be totally off. I'm hoping everyone will look at the assertions on their own merit. These are bits of conversations with officers, ex-Chiefs etc over the last few weeks strung together. Ok, let's get down to it.

The overriding sense I get from my sources is this: It is not a question of what chance the MiG-35 has in the MMRCA sweepstakes but whether the MiG-35 ever had a chance in the first place. From the start, it turns out, both the MoD and a controlling section of the IAF have agreed on one crucial thing -- the next aircraft the IAF operated would need to be a truly modern platform that "broke the mould". That was to be the starting point of everything that followed. The IAF's next aircraft needed to be a top-of-the-line aircraft that broke out from the old mould and signalled new things for India in every possible sense: technology, diplomacy, security cooperation, political opportunity, military interoperability, logistical exchange and economics.

As late as mid-2006, a time when there was a breathless guessing game about precisely when the Indian MoD would send out its MMRCA RFP, there were apparently quiet discussions on over whether Moscow could be brought on board and persuaded to stay out of the proposed MMRCA competition. It was suggested that this be made possible through interactions at the highest levels, but first the MoD and IAF needed to figure the feasibility of such a proposal. It is said that the Russian Ambassador to New Delhi at the time was called in for an unofficial discussion on the highly controversial possibility of Russia actually being kept out of the sweepstakes. He was accompanied by Russia's Air Attache. As the IAF expected, the Russian envoy was incredulous. He said there was no way on earth his Russian bosses would ever be persuaded to agree to that. Obviously. A year before, in February 2005, Russia had sent a MiG-29M/M2 MRCA to AeroIndia 05. For AeroIndia 07, MiG pulled out all the stops. A month before that in January 2007 was an important event -- India and Russia finally formalised their joint fifth generation aircraft plan, though actual agreements came later.

In February 2007, the "MiG-35" (actually the MiG-29M2 No. 154, a 17-year-old airframe with blue-painted fins) was officially unveiled to the world at AeroIndia 07 at the IAF's Yelahanka base. Coupled with the bright red and blue thrust-vectored MiG-29OVT, the two aircraft put up a deeply memorable show. But IAF officers who had a chance to check out the aircraft came away very unimpressed. "It is an old aircraft with a few MFDs," one of them said at the time. At the time, it indeed was, but Russia had said it was merely a proof-of-concept platform that would be evolved into a formidable new Fulcrum.

Six months later, on August 28, 2007 -- two days after the MAKS 2007 air show at Zhukovsky (see photo, me and MiG's Stanislav Gorbunov after our sortie) -- the Indian government finally and belatedly issued its long-awaited RFP to six vendors, 211 pages long and delayed ostensibly by the offets and selection model sections. This probably means nothing, but in all MoD and official acquisition council papers concerning the MMRCA competition since the RFP, the MiG-35 is first in the list of six competitors. As a matter of record, the official order of the remaining competitors is Gripen, F-16, F/A-18, Typhoon, Rafale. A senior IAF officer who was part of a delegation to MAKS 2007 met UAC boss Alexei Fedorov on August 22-23, 2007, and is understood to have had a very "frank chat". Fedorov was told that the Indian government was willing to consider the MiG-35, though its chances were slim, considering the three explicit guiding principals of the selection process, and the two unspoken ones (more on these later). Fedorov is understood to have said that the Russian government was fully aware of the "winds of change" in New Delhi, but was confident that MiG would put up a good fight, politically too.

On a political level, it was conveyed to the Russians that the flagship Russian airplane, the Su-30, was being patronized extensively by India (plans were afoot already then to up orders), and that the MiG-35 was hardly a platform the Russian Air Force itself was interested in.

On March 7, 2008, the Indian government, after prolonged cost negotiations, finally concluded a $964.1-million contract to upgrade the IAF's entire fleet of over 60 MiG-29s (the Indian phase of the upgrade began in June this year). Shortly thereafter, on April 28, 2008, RAC-MiG/Rosoboronexport submitted an MMRCA technical bid for the MiG-35/35D to the MoD, offering a Fulcrum with an improved airframe, new generation avionics and an AESA radar, the Phazotron Zhuk-AE.

In October-December 2008, during evaluations of the MMRCA technical bids, two Russian MiG-29s crashed after critical structural failures of their fins, forcing the Russian Air Force to ground its entire fleet shortly thereafter. Coming as the accidents did so soon after the upgrade contract was concluded, the IAF generated a query, routed through the Russian Air Attache, asking for a full brief on the accidents on why the Russians had been forced to ground their entire fleet. In April 2009, Russia responded, saying there were structural faults in the MiG-29 platform, and that the accidents had been caused as a result of structural failure of the aircraft's fin root ribs. Significantly, the Russians conveyed that a specific "repair scheme" would be included in the March 2008 upgrade manifest. The IAF, however, demanded to know what immediate checks needed to be carried out and requested full accident reports. These were provided. The Russians grounding their entire Fulcrum fleet created a huge stir. Sections of the MoD/IAF debated the possibility of manipulating the entire issue to somehow put the MiG-35 out of the reckoning, but nothing whatsoever in the RFP terms would allow it. Also, by this time, the "guiding principles" as expounded by the MoD had begun to echo like a mantra.

The explicit principles -- first, the IAF's operational needs should be fulfilled. Two, the selection process needed to be competitive and transparent, and finally, that the competition would lead to a legacy leap for Indian industrial capabilities. The unspoken principles -- first, the competition should provide robust leverage to India's multifarious 21st Century political aspirations. And second, as previously stated, the competition needs to break old moulds in every sense to create strategic space for other partnerships.

A former IAF chief, who served during a crucial phase of the MMRCA planning, admits that the competition is a political opportunity that incidentally gives the Indian Air Force a chunky stop-gap to tide over legacy jet phase-outs and delays in the Tejas -- not the other way round. "You can argue ad nauseum about sanctioned strength and squadron strength. The fact is the IAF's requirement is not only much simpler, but much smaller too. As long as the pilots get a top-of-the-line airplane, nobody is complaining. Let the politicians do the politics. That is their job," he says, adding, "The IAF's requirements for a fresh batch of medium fighter jets came at a time when our strategic aspirations were in a state of great flux. It will be an enabler in many ways."

In March 2010, around the time the crucial MMRCA field evaluation trials were winding down, the Indian government exercised options and signed up for 29 additional MiG-29K/KUB shipborne fighters for the Navy at a cost of $1.46-billion, taking its total order to 45 planes. In other words, since the time the IAF first approached the government with a requirement for a quick induction of medium fighters (it wanted to quickly contract for 60-70 more Mirage-2000s at he time), the Indian government has pumped approximately $3.5-billion into procuring MiG-29 platforms or platform related services.

The maximum I could squeeze out from informed sources about the MiG-35's performance in the field evaluation trials is that the platform achieved "average compliance". Areas of poor compliance are said to have occured at the Leh leg, avionics exploitation and PGM delivery routines in Russia. The IAF are also said to have been fairly unimpressed with what the Russians had managed to achieve with the aircraft since they first saw it in February 2007. If the MiG-35's performance was average in the trials, they know about it, since the IAF trial team briefed every contending team about their horse's performance after trials concluded.

The Indian government remains utterly unconvinced of Russia's ability to provide any meaningful industrial package to India as a mandatory part of the MMRCA. The India-Russia relationship is anything but new -- it stretches back 47 years. India has learnt much from Russia, and has been provided the opportunity to cookie-cut airplanes through decades. But when it comes to meaningful industrial collaboration, the Indian government feels the Russians are better at selling and license building, rather than true blue industrial cooperation.

"It is not as though they have not had a chance to deepen their relationship with us industrially. Nobody knows the Indian industrial capability better than the Russians. They have exploited our weaknesses to the hilt for over four decades. But even then their industrial base is in tatters. In my opinion, whatever we can ever get from the Russians, we have already got or are soon to get. To expect anything more is unreasonable," says a former IAF Chief. Apparently, the Indian government also doesn't believe the Russians have anything to offer over and above what the Indians are already signing up for -- the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will be an ostensibly joint effort.

While the initial MiG-29K deal was too good not to go for (at least in 2004!) and the upgrade was something the IAF could postpone but not sidestep, sources say the government has very low confidence in the industrial health of MiG Corporation, tottering as it apparently is from airframe to airframe. Russia's inability to stick to delivery timeframes, especially for MiG Corp, is another spoiler.

On a final note, the path taken by the MiG-35 so far in the MMRCA competition needs to be seen in the light of the unspoken guiding principles and what the IAF and MoD originally wanted to persuade the Russians about. I've put this post up now, but will be adding more to it over the next couple of days.

[Penguin]

Realidade bem diferente da nossa...

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2010


Sukhoi Upgrade To Cost Rs 10,920 Cr
http://chhindits.blogspot.com/

Centre proposes upgrade of decade-old Sukhois

Defence minister says enhanced features will cost exchequer Rs10,920 crore

Suman Sharma NEW DELHI
After admitting an astronomical 155% rise in the price of Sukhoi-30 MKIs, defence minister AK Antony told parliament on Wednesday that there was a proposal to upgrade the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) mainstay heavyweight Russian fighters for Rs10,920 crore.

The upgrade will be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russian Federation's Irkutsk, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), in a phased manner from 2012.

Sukhois entered service in 2000, after being approved in 1997, and have not undergone any upgrade since.

IAF operates approximately 200 Sukhois, all of which would have upgraded data systems and digital glass cockpits after a contract is signed to the effect.

Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan had several meetings with vice-chief air marshal PK Barbora during the MAKS air show last year to sort out configuration of the upgraded radar as specified by IAF. By 2018, the number of Sukhois is set to reach 270, making India the largest operator of the twin-engine aircraft in the world.

Asked about the upgrade schedule, a source told DNA, "It's a continuous process beginning 2012. All aircraft will be upgraded eventually."
The upgrade price per piece is reportedly between Rs70 crore and Rs110 crore.

[marcelo l.]

Santiago, sobre o blog do Sr. Shiv Aroor pelos próprios indianos:

"Well, Aroor does know how to bring more visitors to his blog. I at least hope that he possesses some imagination and writes that the downselect is from MOD and not from IAF. Aroor sure seems to have taken special black ops spy training from our dear mohterma. Only that could explain how both of them can get their hands on highly classified info which will greatly influence our National Security".

[Carlos Mathias]

É o Áreamilitar indiano.

USAntiago vai colar isso na parede e ajoelhar de manhã, ao lado do ralatório vazado pela FSP.

A coisa é tão feia que eles contrataram "apenas" mais 100 SU-30MKI da Rússia e o upgrade dos atuais 200.
Compraram uma penca de MIG-29K.
E etc.

Agora, imagina só se a Rússia fosse algo mediano pelo menos, e não essa merda toda que esse cara disse...

Algumas coisas ali realmente fazem algum sentido.
Pode ser realmente que os indianos queiram mudar o eixo de relações com um produto fora da Rússia.
Isso pode ser uma das razões do Rafale o EF pssarem para a 2º fase da parada lá, segundo infos.

Também é correto quando o cara aforma que é o poder político que vai decidir afinal.
Acho que só no Brasil se pensa (pensa? ) que uma decisão dessa magnitude seja deixada nas mãos apenas da Força envolvida.

Enfim, segue o barco com os 300 SU-30MKI, todos upgradeados para o padrão BM.

[marcelo l.]

DO pesquei dos indianos.

O MIG35 como carta fora do baralho, por causa do upgrade do sukkoi30 + projeto PAK-FA, afinal a India tem o MMRCA para incorporar novas ToTs...Além, dos badaladas compras a IAF também comprou este ano Mi-17 V5* e seis Il 78 para reabastecer no ar e três IL 76 aeronaves para acomodar os radares israelenses Phalcon.


O F-16IN é visto com reservas já que o Paquistão tem uma das versões...também estaria fora.

Gripen - é um caso único, meio como no Brasil tem apoiadores, mas...é visto como concorrente em caso de futuras vendas externas do Tejas e Suécia geo-politicamente falando não mete medo na China.

F-18 é o candidato forte pelo componente diplomático, por que a India quer maior aproximação com os americanos, pesa contra ele a política de transferência americana. Mas, tem a vantagem dos itens de defesa, leia-se armamento.

Thyphoon - a EADS com seu TOT, grandes investimentos na indústria aeroespacial indiana, fabrica o Hawk lá que terá painel identico, e o motor do Tejas pode ser o mesmo É o favorito de muitos.

Os franceses têm TOT e Mirage-2000 upgrades.

Concluindo:Tests had "643 test points",results forwarded as "tabulated data, without a quantification of the level of compliance achieved". "Cost and politics will play a role in the DM's selection",a senior IAF official reported.



* Eles tinham comprado um lote de 80 helicópteros Mi 17 em 2008, começaria a ser entregue este ano, a Força Aérea Indiana (IAF) fez um pedido de um adicional de 59 helicópteros.

[Thor]

É o Áreamilitar indiano.

USAntiago vai colar isso na parede e ajoelhar de manhã, ao lado do ralatório vazado pela FSP.

A coisa é tão feia que eles contrataram "apenas" mais 100 SU-30MKI da Rússia e o upgrade dos atuais 200.
Compraram uma penca de MIG-29K.
E etc.

Agora, imagina só se a Rússia fosse algo mediano pelo menos, e não essa merda toda que esse cara disse...

Algumas coisas ali realmente fazem algum sentido.
Pode ser realmente que os indianos queiram mudar o eixo de relações com um produto fora da Rússia.
Isso pode ser uma das razões do Rafale o EF pssarem para a 2º fase da parada lá, segundo infos.

Também é correto quando o cara aforma que é o poder político que vai decidir afinal.
Acho que só no Brasil se pensa (pensa? ) que uma decisão dessa magnitude seja deixada nas mãos apenas da Força envolvida.

Enfim, segue o barco com os 300 SU-30MKI, todos upgradeados para o padrão BM.

Não sei se eu tenho inveja ou dó... mas é outra realidade a deles.
300 só de Sukhoi. O país deles não brinca em serviço. Enquanto isso, em terra tupiniquim estamos tentando aprovar a compra de 24 míseros caças, mas o impacto que isso teria nas eleições (2010 e 2002) é mais importante que a nossa soberania.

[Justin Case]

Thor,

O número já baixou para 24 ou foi distração?
Abraço,

Justin

[Marino]

São 36, a princípio.

[marcelo l.]

Essa eu acho que um visão que sintetiza o pensanmento do indiano médio que acompanha o processo:

"I view MRCA not in terms of "medium" but simply as a readymade hedge against the Tejas Mk2 which the IAF doesnt want to put all its eggs on.
think about it - the Mk2 and MRCA deliveries could begin around the same time around 2015. so if the required funds were spent there instead of MRCA, nothing prevents HAL from opening another line and producing at twice the planned rate.

Seems to me MRCA is ALSO the "price" and "offerings to the reigning Gods" to be made to obtain vital ew, radar and engine techs no available in india for the Mk2 tejas and there was no hope of developing them inhouse and productionizing by 2015.

So once the gods feed on the meat , they are expected to help out more generously on the Mk2 tejas it is hoped.

Israel could have supplied the el2052 and ew help but are helpless on the engine front which is most critical input. they also lack long range aam expertise as amraam-D is shoo-in for them anytime they want.

So IAF wants a hedge and DRDO/HAL need serious help in some areas. both would use the MRCA deal as a vehicle to get what they want. PMO sits in between and 'balances' the two sets of needs".

[crubens]

Thor corrige esse número aí senão vai aparecer uma enxurrada de especulação.

[marcelo l.]

Não é novo o artigo, mas as considerações são boas.

http://ceoworld.biz/ceo/2010/03/04/indi ... o-will-win

Considerations: Strategic considerations may influence government’s final decision.
MiG-35
Zhuk AE AESA radar the most powerful amidst the MMRCA contenders.
Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar.
100 per cent technology transfer for the MiG-35, including the radar and all its systems.
Airframe barely improved from MiG-29
Life cycle cost of Russian fighters is traditionally high
Super Hornet
Battle-tested, frontline fighter with the US Navy
can function as refuelling tanker with external fuel tanks
US restrictions on modifications and end usage
Earlier generation design, dating back to 1980s
Heavy, 30-ton aircraft, expensive
Super Viper
Tested modern fighter, has logged over 100,000 combat missions globally
Single-engine, 19-tonne fighter, price competitive
Advanced Northrop Grumman APG-80 AESA radar
Four F-16 production lines functioning world-wide
Earlier vintage F-16s in service with Pakistan Air Force
Typhoon
Contemporary fighter, still evolving
High performance, high-end technology, including supercruise
Offering India development partnership
No end user restrictions, easy transfer of technology
EADS already helping to develop India’s LCA
No combat experience
Heavy, 25-ton aircraft, expensive
AESA radar still under development
Gripen
Can land, refuel, rearm and take off in 10 minutes
Light, single-engine, highly cost-effective
Selex Raven AESA radar with advanced swashplate technology
Willing to hand over source codes for high-tech equipment
SAAB offering an advanced version of a state-of-the-art a second generation AESA (advanced extended search array radar), The radar will come with its software source code.
Gripen is way to dependent on other countries (engine, radar, or the main weapons), what would be a problem if India face sanctions again and it could not share any techs with LCA without permission of them.
Has US components, including engines and avionics
India has never operated a Swedish fighter
Rafale
France deploys on land and aircraft carriers
IAF’s Mirage-2000 fleet creates comfort level with Dassault
Transfer of technology smooth; no end user restrictions
Only non-US fighter with deployed AESA radar
Limited combat experience
25-tonne, twin-engine aircraft, expensive


Discussões dos usuários:
How much and and what kind of ToT India will get?

Rafale - full ToT of new techs like RBE 2 AA radar, M88 engine, hopefully Spectra EWS and all techs could be useful for LCA too
EF - not finalised so far, but most likely of EJ 200 engine and avionics that could be produced in India for all EFs. These could be useful for LCA too
Mig 35 - full ToT is offered, but only Zhuk AE radar is a real new tech for IAF and can be shared with LCA
F18SH - limited, most likely engine techs that could be useful for LCA too
Gripen NG - very limited ToT because all important parts are co-developments which needs approval of other countries, so not much that can be shared with LCA.
F16IN - maybe nothing useful, because the new techs in it, like radar and avionics comes from F35 and they won't share them with us. So it most likely will be ToT of the GE F110-132 engine, that can't be used in LCA!

What will be the benefit for our industry?

Our industry will benefit the most, if they get techs that are new and helps to improve their capabilities, also co-developments and co-production will be benefits too.
So the most benefit should come through Rafales full ToT and EF's partnership in production offer, both could lead to further co-developments.

We already have a deal with France. Should we reinforce it?

We already had Mirage 2k and Jags for years, bought 6 new subs and new nuclear power plants. France was a reliable partner in the past and in sanction time, also they can offer nearly any arm that Russia can offer (tanks, fighters, subs, ships, helicopters...), so they would be a perfect stratigic partner for India besides Russia!

If we negotiate with the US, will we be forced to toe the line on its policies?

Without a doubt, there are enough examples for it and it is obvious that they want us as a counterweight against China. A relationship to US is not wrong, but only for not so important arms and in smaller numbers at the moment. To remain independent and non aligned should be an important issue for India!

Are there advantages to negotiating with the Swedes?

Not really, Sweden is too small and is highly dependent on other countries in developments of arms, also they don't have the political power that would be an advantage for India.


The final decision in Brazil will be taken in oct, it will be interesting to see how it will end and what the final reasons was. Because these could be good reasons for India too.

[marcelo l.]

Tecnicamente EUROFIGTHER é o mais cotado e aumenta a sua vantagem pela forte proposta da BAE



http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... phoon.html

"Enthusiastic support" for the Indian government's 50% offset target and technology transfer ambitions are a cornerstone of the Eurofighter consortium's bid for India's $12 billion, 126-aircraft medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition, says BAE Systems.
Alan Garwood, business director of BAE - which along with Alenia Aeronautica and EADS is pitching the Typhoon for the MMRCA deal - says the consortium's preparedness to meet India's stipulations on technology transfer "absolutely distinguish" its bid.
BAE Systems, he notes, has had a presence in India "for some 50-60 years" and, with partners, has built "around 1,000 aircraft" there, a track record he considers "unique among the competitors".

Garwood declares himself "very pleased" with the performance of the Typhoon in flying evaluations, while acknowledging that "it's what the Indian air force think that counts". Declining to speculate on the likely timescale for a decision by the air force, he notes: "They're playing this as an absolutely straight-bat competition."
The Typhoon is up against the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Lockheed Martin F-16, RSK MiG-35 and Saab Gripen NG for the Indian contract.
The Typhoon is also participating in a Japanese fighter competition geared toward sourcing 40-50 aircraft to replace McDonnell Douglas F-4s. Its Japanese campaign is led jointly by Alenia and BAE Systems, and Garwood considers it to have "a very good chance" of success, again citing the consortium's willingness to transfer technology. Competition for Japan's business will come from the F/A-18.
In a bid to boost BAE Systems' Japanese prospects, Tony Ennis was appointed to serve as its president of north-east Asia from a base in Tokyo. He took up the position on 1 January.
The company will shortly host an event aimed at showcasing its technological innovations to the Japanese market.
On the Typhoon's prospects in Oman, BAE Systems comments: "The UK government announced Oman's intention to procure Eurofighter Typhoon earlier this year, and BAE Systems is continuing to work closely with both governments to reach agreement for the supply of this new-generation fighter to meet Oman's national defence needs for the next 20-30 years."
Typhoon business is also being sought in Romania, Turkey and Qatar, and the type will be offered to Switzerland should that nation's mooted fighter contest proceed.
Garwood says BAE Systems has received "an unprecedented level of prime ministerial support" from the UK since David Cameron took office in May, and notes a generally "increased tempo to the government's support" since the Cameron-led coalition formed.
"The coalition wants to get the country out of recession and they see manufacturing and exporting as a way to do it," asserts Garwood. "With the level of government support we're getting now, I'm very confident we'll get a lot more success over the next few years."

[marcelo l.]

Sem BrahMos

http://idrw.org/?p=581

O high-profile ", aviões de combate papel multi médio" (MMRCA), 126 dos quais estão sendo adquiridos pelo IAF em um espantoso preço de etiqueta de Rs 42000 crore, foi descartada para a integração com o míssil supersônico BrahMos. BrahMos Aerospace, o indo-russo comum de risco, tem desenvolvido com sucesso a altitude de cruzeiro supersônico BrahMos baixa míssil que é mais rápido que qualquer míssil no mundo.
Tendo uma velocidade de 2,8 Mach, BrahMos, com um alcance de 290 km, é quatro vezes mais rápido do que o americano de mísseis de cruzeiro Tomahawk, amplamente utilizada pelos E.U.A. durante a sua ofensiva contra o Iraque. BrahMos Aerospace está trabalhando agora para desenvolver um míssil supersônico com uma velocidade superior a Mach 6.

Dirigindo uma imprensa à margem da conferência da Expo espaço aqui hoje, um Pillai Sivathanu, CEO e MD de BrahMos Aerospace, disse que o novo míssil supersônico estaria pronto em mais cinco anos. A ogiva do míssil hipersônico seria relativamente menor, disse ele e acrescentou que devido à sua velocidade, o míssil supersônico teria atingido o alvo com um impacto devastador no entanto.
Pillai, disse após a indução do supersônico BrahMos do Exército e da Marinha, que estavam trabalhando agora para desenvolver um míssil supersônico para o IAF. Ele disse que o míssil seria integrado com o russo Sukhoi 30 aeronaves. Pillai disse que US $ 50 milhões, divididos entre a Investigação de Defesa e Organização para o Desenvolvimento (DRDO) e sua parceira russa em 50,5 e 49,5 por base cento, tinham sido atribuídas para o desenvolvimento da versão da força aérea do míssil a ser utilizado para ar-terra ataques modificações na aeronave Sukhoi para integrar o míssil seria realizado pela Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), em sua instalação de Nashik, disse Pillai.
Blueprint para que as alterações deverão ser elaborados pelo gabinete de projecto Sukhoi na Rússia, disse Pillai. O vôo de teste da força aérea variante do míssil teria lugar em 2012, acrescentou. Sobre a questão da integração do míssil com o MMRCA, que o IAF foi no processo de aquisição, disse Pillai aeronaves de médio não estavam sendo considerados para disparar o míssil. "Sukhoi, sendo um avião grande, é ideal para BrahMos", disse ele.

[prp]

Coisa grande só pode ser carregado em coisa grande

[Carlos Mathias]

Eu fico imaginado as nossas novas escoltas com esse BRAHMOS HIPERSÔNICO...