MMRCA - FX Indiano
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
ok...
"O que se percebe hoje é que os idiotas perderam a modéstia. E nós temos de ter tolerância e compreensão também com os idiotas, que são exatamente aqueles que escrevem para o esquecimento"
NJ
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Santiago escreveu:Artigo muito interessante sobre o Tejas, explicando os sistemas e as tecnologias que a India precisou desenvolver:
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/downl ... diance.pdf
Sempre e inevitavelmente, cada um de nós subestima o número de indivíduos estúpidos que circulam pelo mundo.
Carlo M. Cipolla
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
US engine for Tejas
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101003/j ... 011954.jsp
SUJAN DUTTA
Light combat aircraft Tejas
New Delhi, Oct. 2: The American firm General Electric has emerged as the lowest bidder to supply the Indian Air Force with engines for the indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas, a huge boost to the US as it vies for mega military contracts from India.
The US is now best placed to power the IAF’s next generation of fighter aircraft.
This automatically gives two of the six participants in the $12-billion race to supply the IAF with medium multi-role combat aircraft an advantage.
Only the Boeing-made F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Swedish Saab Gripen fighters use the GE-414 engine that is now likely to power India’s light combat aircraft (LCA) Mark II.
The announcement by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that GE has emerged as the lowest bidder with its GE-414 engine, beating a European consortium’s EJ200 (that powers the Eurofighter Typhoon), comes even as defence minister A.K. Antony is returning from the US.
India is expected to buy 99 engines for the LCA Mark II, the aircraft that is scheduled to take wing by 2014. The LCA is a single-engined aircraft and is currently powered by the GE-404. The deal to buy the GE-414 could top $3 billion and lead to more orders, according to an unofficial estimate.
The announcement by the DRDO that GE is the lowest bidder is itself a rarity.
The defence establishment usually does not announce the winner of a tender till the price is finalised. But the defence establishment felt the necessity to demonstrate a commitment for acquisitions that have been held up for long.
If the GE-414 is adopted for the LCA, the prices of the twin-engine Super Hornet and the single-engine Gripen could come down by as much as 12 per cent, making them more attractive when the commercial bids for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition are evaluated.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101003/j ... 011954.jsp
SUJAN DUTTA
Light combat aircraft Tejas
New Delhi, Oct. 2: The American firm General Electric has emerged as the lowest bidder to supply the Indian Air Force with engines for the indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas, a huge boost to the US as it vies for mega military contracts from India.
The US is now best placed to power the IAF’s next generation of fighter aircraft.
This automatically gives two of the six participants in the $12-billion race to supply the IAF with medium multi-role combat aircraft an advantage.
Only the Boeing-made F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Swedish Saab Gripen fighters use the GE-414 engine that is now likely to power India’s light combat aircraft (LCA) Mark II.
The announcement by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that GE has emerged as the lowest bidder with its GE-414 engine, beating a European consortium’s EJ200 (that powers the Eurofighter Typhoon), comes even as defence minister A.K. Antony is returning from the US.
India is expected to buy 99 engines for the LCA Mark II, the aircraft that is scheduled to take wing by 2014. The LCA is a single-engined aircraft and is currently powered by the GE-404. The deal to buy the GE-414 could top $3 billion and lead to more orders, according to an unofficial estimate.
The announcement by the DRDO that GE is the lowest bidder is itself a rarity.
The defence establishment usually does not announce the winner of a tender till the price is finalised. But the defence establishment felt the necessity to demonstrate a commitment for acquisitions that have been held up for long.
If the GE-414 is adopted for the LCA, the prices of the twin-engine Super Hornet and the single-engine Gripen could come down by as much as 12 per cent, making them more attractive when the commercial bids for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition are evaluated.
Sempre e inevitavelmente, cada um de nós subestima o número de indivíduos estúpidos que circulam pelo mundo.
Carlo M. Cipolla
Carlo M. Cipolla
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
P-8, C-17, E-2D, turbinas ...
Devagar e pelas beiradas os USA vão tomando o mercado de defesa deles.
Devagar e pelas beiradas os USA vão tomando o mercado de defesa deles.
[justificar]“ Se não eu, quem?
Se não agora, quando?”[/justificar]
Se não agora, quando?”[/justificar]
Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Enquanto interessar estrategicamente à Índia.
Eles tem alguma experiências não muito boas com os EUA.
Mas nada que um bom saco de bondades não possa apaziguar.
Eles tem alguma experiências não muito boas com os EUA.
Mas nada que um bom saco de bondades não possa apaziguar.
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Exato, exato CM;
e como tem país bonzinho nesse mundo!!!
e como tem país bonzinho nesse mundo!!!
[justificar]“ Se não eu, quem?
Se não agora, quando?”[/justificar]
Se não agora, quando?”[/justificar]
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Eu acho incrivel a mentalidade desses países em desenvolvimento, ficam magoadinhos quando toman uma pernada dos EUA, mas.....quando os EUA fazem um charme...ficam empolgados e abraçam o primeiro cd do White Stripes que encontram na prateleira....
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
De maneira geral, os norte-americanos podem fornecer os melhores equipamentos do mundo, com o melhor financiamento e com a melhor logística, é inegável. Mas tem que se saber quando e o que comprar com eles, e com todos os outros.
[]'s
[]'s
Alberto -
Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
O que se tem de saber, e acho mesmo que todos os países sabem perfeitamente, é que há um custo político e operacional de se comprar deles.
Os equipamentos já vem com restrições no contrato de compra.
Até nossos M-60 já vieram com restrições de uso.
Quem acha que vale à pena, ótimo, pois cada um sabe de si.
Quem acha que não, vai buscar noutra freguesia.
Mas eu acho que ninguém aqui nega a qualidade dos equipamentos americanos, eu pelo menos não me lembro de negar.
Tirando a tralhabina, é claro.
Os equipamentos já vem com restrições no contrato de compra.
Até nossos M-60 já vieram com restrições de uso.
Quem acha que vale à pena, ótimo, pois cada um sabe de si.
Quem acha que não, vai buscar noutra freguesia.
Mas eu acho que ninguém aqui nega a qualidade dos equipamentos americanos, eu pelo menos não me lembro de negar.
Tirando a tralhabina, é claro.
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Não há ligação entre MMRCA e a escolha das turbinas do Tejas
Tradução: Plano Brasil
E.M.Pinto
“Não há nenhuma conexão entre a escolha das turbinas do Tejas MK II e o programa MMRCA”, anunciou o comandante Chefe da IAF Marechal do Ar P.V. Naik negando os rumores de que haveriam ligações diretas entre os programas.
Naik afirmou hoje que não há “nenhuma conexão” entre a seleção do motor GE F414 para o Tejas MK-II e à concorrência MMRCA indiana.
Ele foi questionado se a seleção F414 proporcionaria uma vantagem considerável para as duas plataformas que o utilizam, ao F 18 EF e o caça em desenvolvimento Gripen NGI ambos concorrentes do programa MMRCA que visa a aquisição de 126 caças para a IAF.
Naik foi contundente ao afirmar “Não, não há nenhuma conexão.”
Tradução: Plano Brasil
E.M.Pinto
“Não há nenhuma conexão entre a escolha das turbinas do Tejas MK II e o programa MMRCA”, anunciou o comandante Chefe da IAF Marechal do Ar P.V. Naik negando os rumores de que haveriam ligações diretas entre os programas.
Naik afirmou hoje que não há “nenhuma conexão” entre a seleção do motor GE F414 para o Tejas MK-II e à concorrência MMRCA indiana.
Ele foi questionado se a seleção F414 proporcionaria uma vantagem considerável para as duas plataformas que o utilizam, ao F 18 EF e o caça em desenvolvimento Gripen NGI ambos concorrentes do programa MMRCA que visa a aquisição de 126 caças para a IAF.
Naik foi contundente ao afirmar “Não, não há nenhuma conexão.”
- Justin Case
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Amigos,
Esta é uma notícia que traduzi sobre os planos da Força Aérea da Índia.
Air Chief Marshal PV em Nova Deli, na segunda-feira. (Fotocorp)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101005/j ... 019493.jsp
Justin
Esta é uma notícia que traduzi sobre os planos da Força Aérea da Índia.
Air Chief Marshal PV em Nova Deli, na segunda-feira. (Fotocorp)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101005/j ... 019493.jsp
Abraços,The Telegraph – Calcutá, India
Chefe da IAF (Indian Air Force) confessa obsolescência
Por SUJAN DUTTA
Nova Deli, 04 de outubro: A Força Aérea Indiana tem uma carência de cerca de 600 pilotos e a metade de seu equipamento é obsoleto, mas essa tendência está invertendo, Marechal do Ar Pradeep Vasant Naik disse aqui hoje.
"Não é como se fossemos incapazes", disse ele. "Por quase 10 anos, houve pouco dinheiro disponível, mas agora não é esse o caso."
Menos pilotos estão optando por sair da força agora - atraídos pelas companhias aéreas privadas - do que antigamente. Em cinco anos, a "taxa de obsolescência" dos equipamentos cairá dos atuais 50 por cento para 20 por cento, afirmou Naik.
A IAF vai comemorar seu 78º aniversário nesta sexta-feira. A data é comemorada a cada ano como "Dia da Força Aérea".
Houve uma carência "entre 550 e 600" (pilotos). "Mas a taxa de atrito inverteu já há algum tempo", disse ele, o que significa que mais pilotos estavam entrando na Força do que a estavam deixando.
Mas, com a IAF expandindo a sua frota de aeronaves - aeronaves Airborne Early Warning (AWACS) foram incorporadas este ano - a procura de pilotos nas áreas de helicópteros, de transporte, de caça está-se multiplicando.
A IAF está agora no meio do processo de escolha de 126 aeronaves de combate médio multifunção (MMRCA). Dependendo da seleção, esses aviões podem ser monopostos ou bipostos. No caso de serem escolhidos bipostos, a IAF necessitará mais pilotos de caça do que nunca.
Naik informou que a IAF apresentou o seu relatório de avaliação sobre os ensaios dos aviões de combate para o Ministério da Defesa. Agora é atribuição do Governo de fazer o "short list" dos seis concorrentes, para aquele que é atualmente o maior contrato mundial de defesa.
Os seis concorrentes são o F-16 Super Viper, o F/A-18 Super Hornet, o Gripen NG, o Rafale, o Eurofighter Typhoon e o MiG 35.
Naik afirmou que cobrir as lacunas na defesa aérea está no topo de sua lista de prioridades, assim como a IAF procura equacionar a obsolescência tecnológica. Aquisições de radares mais precisos, mísseis terra-ar e de um sistema de defesa contra mísseis estão no topo da lista de compras.
Há também uma escassez de cerca de 50.000 graduados (abaixo do nível de oficial). Ele disse que, em dois anos, a IAF iria recrutar 30 mil funcionários adicionais.
Naik afirmou que a IAF estava planejando comprar entre 200 e 250 "Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft" (FGFA). O programa FGFA é uma joint venture com a Rússia. Ele ainda está na prancheta. Se o desenvolvimento for cumprido conforme o cronograma, a introdução desses caças de quinta geração pode começar em sete anos a partir de agora.
Justin
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
AVIATIONWEEK.COM
India Eyes Su-30 AESA Upgrade
Oct 8, 2010
By Neelam Mathews mathews.neelam@gmail.com
NEW DELHI
India is looking at fitting its Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters with Russian Phazotron Zhuk-AE active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.
The X-band radar can track 30 aerial targets in the track-while-scan mode and engage six targets simultaneously in attack mode. By 2018, the Indian air force inventory is expected to comprise around 300 Su-30MKIs.
India’s Sukhois currently use N011M passive array technology, which delivers less peak power than an AESA. The N011M also has limitations in its back-end processing and requires more maintenance.
Defense Minister A.K. Antony recently told the Indian parliament about a proposal to upgrade the Indian air force’s Su-30 fleet. The upgrade is be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and Russia’s Irkutsk, the original equipment manufacturer, starting in 2012. It is likely that the order for the AESA also will be made simultaneously, as the radar will have to be integrated into most parts of the aircraft, including the navigation systems and engines.
The Su-30 entered service in India in 2000 — the purchase was approved in 1997 — and the aircraft have not been upgraded since.
AESA technology offers improved performance and reliability compared with traditional mechanically scanned array radars. India also has made it clear that having an AESA will be critical in the competition for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). For instance, the F-16IN is being proposed with the Northrop Grumman APG-80, while the F/A-18E/F is being bid with the Raytheon APG-78. All the other contenders have offered an AESA road map,
During the April trials for the MiG-35, the Zhuk AE test radar had a slightly smaller array than the production version would feature. The MiG-35 also is a contender in the MMRCA competition.
India would also expect to field an AESA on the fifth-generation fighter — the co-development and production effort with Russia built around the Sukhoi T-50.
Su-30MKI photo: Douglas Barrie
India Eyes Su-30 AESA Upgrade
Oct 8, 2010
By Neelam Mathews mathews.neelam@gmail.com
NEW DELHI
India is looking at fitting its Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters with Russian Phazotron Zhuk-AE active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.
The X-band radar can track 30 aerial targets in the track-while-scan mode and engage six targets simultaneously in attack mode. By 2018, the Indian air force inventory is expected to comprise around 300 Su-30MKIs.
India’s Sukhois currently use N011M passive array technology, which delivers less peak power than an AESA. The N011M also has limitations in its back-end processing and requires more maintenance.
Defense Minister A.K. Antony recently told the Indian parliament about a proposal to upgrade the Indian air force’s Su-30 fleet. The upgrade is be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and Russia’s Irkutsk, the original equipment manufacturer, starting in 2012. It is likely that the order for the AESA also will be made simultaneously, as the radar will have to be integrated into most parts of the aircraft, including the navigation systems and engines.
The Su-30 entered service in India in 2000 — the purchase was approved in 1997 — and the aircraft have not been upgraded since.
AESA technology offers improved performance and reliability compared with traditional mechanically scanned array radars. India also has made it clear that having an AESA will be critical in the competition for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). For instance, the F-16IN is being proposed with the Northrop Grumman APG-80, while the F/A-18E/F is being bid with the Raytheon APG-78. All the other contenders have offered an AESA road map,
During the April trials for the MiG-35, the Zhuk AE test radar had a slightly smaller array than the production version would feature. The MiG-35 also is a contender in the MMRCA competition.
India would also expect to field an AESA on the fifth-generation fighter — the co-development and production effort with Russia built around the Sukhoi T-50.
Su-30MKI photo: Douglas Barrie
Sempre e inevitavelmente, cada um de nós subestima o número de indivíduos estúpidos que circulam pelo mundo.
Carlo M. Cipolla
Carlo M. Cipolla
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Ingleses devem estar torcendo para impressionar os indianos
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 724839.cms
NEW DELHI: Top-notch fighters and other aircraft from India and UK will match their combat skills in the `Indra-Dhanush' joint exercise at Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal later this month.
While the British Royal Air Force will deploy their spanking new Eurofighter jets for the exercise slated to begin from October 20, the IAF fleet will be led by the `air dominance' Sukhoi-30MKI fighters.
"The exercise will be held in an AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) environment, with air defence being a major thrust area. We will be fielding different types of our fighters," said a senior official.
Both the Indian and British forces are also expected to use their mid-air refuelling aircraft, like the IL-78 and VC-10 tankers, during the combat manoeuvres.
"The aim of the joint exercise is to learn from each other and enhance mutual operational understanding. With every exercise, IAF has gained valuable experience and gained respect as a highly-professional and motivated force," the official added.
The exercise comes at a time when the $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for IAF is in the final stages of selection process.
Apart from Eurofighter, the other five contenders in the hotly-contested race to bag the lucrative MMRCA project are the F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Falcon' (both US), Gripen (Swedish), Rafale (French) and MiG-35 (Russian).
A major Indo-UK defence deal has been the `Hawk' AJT (advanced jet trainer) project. As reported earlier, India is going in for another 57 Hawks as a "follow-on" order to the ongoing Rs 8,000 crore AJT project, finalised in March 2004 with BAE Systems, under which IAF is already getting 66 Hawks.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 724839.cms
NEW DELHI: Top-notch fighters and other aircraft from India and UK will match their combat skills in the `Indra-Dhanush' joint exercise at Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal later this month.
While the British Royal Air Force will deploy their spanking new Eurofighter jets for the exercise slated to begin from October 20, the IAF fleet will be led by the `air dominance' Sukhoi-30MKI fighters.
"The exercise will be held in an AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) environment, with air defence being a major thrust area. We will be fielding different types of our fighters," said a senior official.
Both the Indian and British forces are also expected to use their mid-air refuelling aircraft, like the IL-78 and VC-10 tankers, during the combat manoeuvres.
"The aim of the joint exercise is to learn from each other and enhance mutual operational understanding. With every exercise, IAF has gained valuable experience and gained respect as a highly-professional and motivated force," the official added.
The exercise comes at a time when the $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for IAF is in the final stages of selection process.
Apart from Eurofighter, the other five contenders in the hotly-contested race to bag the lucrative MMRCA project are the F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Falcon' (both US), Gripen (Swedish), Rafale (French) and MiG-35 (Russian).
A major Indo-UK defence deal has been the `Hawk' AJT (advanced jet trainer) project. As reported earlier, India is going in for another 57 Hawks as a "follow-on" order to the ongoing Rs 8,000 crore AJT project, finalised in March 2004 with BAE Systems, under which IAF is already getting 66 Hawks.
"If the people who marched actually voted, we wouldn’t have to march in the first place".
"(Poor) countries are poor because those who have power make choices that create poverty".
ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant
"(Poor) countries are poor because those who have power make choices that create poverty".
ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant
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Re: MMRCA - FX Indiano
Ajai Shukla: Scrap the MMRCA, buy US F-35s
The F-35 will comfortably outclass every one of the six fighters that the IAF is currently evaluating
Ajai Shukla / New Delhi October 19, 2010, 0:34 IST
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/news ... wsid=13624
Given the global buzz around the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) ongoing $10-billion procurement of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), my suggestion to scrap the process and, instead, go in for a straight buy of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightening II fighters is admittedly radical. But consider this: when the F-35 enters service, a couple of years from now, it will comfortably outclass every one of the six fighters that the IAF is currently evaluating. Thereafter, through the entire 30-40 year service life of the selected MMRCA, the IAF will fly a second-rung fighter when it could have gotten the best.
The six fighters that the IAF has flight-tested over the last year — Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet; Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Super Viper; Dassault’s Rafale; the Russian MiG-35; the Swedish Saab Gripen NG; and the Eurofighter — are categorised, even by their manufacturers, as Fourth Generation fighters. In contrast, the F-35 is globally acknowledged as a Fifth Generation fighter. The key to its superiority is stealth, making it effectively invisible to radar at longer ranges. This is a battle-winning advantage in aerial combat, where radars are the only way of “seeing” the enemy; the F-35 will detect enemy fighters and launch missiles at them, well before being detected. While attacking ground targets in enemy territory, the F-35 will remain undetected until it is too late to react. Unsurprisingly, each Fifth Generation fighter is the battlefield equivalent of three-four previous generation aircraft.
Since the IAF knows all this, why is the F-35 not in the MMRCA contest? Because, while framing the specifications for the 126-fighter tender in 2003, the IAF set the bar so low that the F-35 was overqualified. The Ministry of Defence (MoD), still nursing a hangover from the Tehelka sting expose, wanted to avoid potential controversy by having several vendors competing for the MMRCA order. Had the IAF been allowed to keep the long-term in mind, and to demand Fifth Generation capabilities, only the F-35 would have met the tender requirement. With that single-vendor situation an MoD bugaboo, the IAF'’s specifications were dumbed down to bring in a clutch of Fourth Generation fighters.
When Lockheed Martin — one of the four vendors that received inquiries from the IAF in 2003-04 — studied the requirement, it offered the F-16 Super Viper, which it estimated met India’s requirements. Offering the overqualified, and pricier, F-35 made little business sense: India’s procurement rules give no credit for exceeding the tender requirements. The Defence Procurement Procedure mandates that the cheapest of the vendors that meets the technical requirements automatically wins a contract.
Price was just one reason for offering the F-16. With the F-35’s prototype not even having flown then (it first flew in 2006), Lockheed Martin knew that the F-35 would not be available for flight-testing in the time frame that the IAF wanted. Senior IAF officers believe that Lockheed Martin made a strategic decision: to field the F-16 in the MMRCA competition; and later offer the F-35 as a Fifth Generation fighter, a logical follow-on to the F-16. But that offer (which officials confirm was made to the IAF later) was a non-starter: India had decided to partner Russia in jointly developing the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA).
Today, much has changed. The F-35 programme has moved into its production phase and will be flying operationally soon. Senior Lockheed Martin officials confirm that the US is more than keen to sell India the F-35. Meanwhile, a more confident MoD has demonstrated — through its single-vendor purchases of the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft — that it has the political courage to buy American systems when they clearly outclass the competition.
Senior IAF officers, serving and retired, make two arguments against the F-35. Accepting that the F-35 far outclasses the other MMRCA contenders, they apprehend that scrapping the MMRCA purchase risks losing several years that the MoD will surely take for fresh evaluations and financial sanctions for buying the F-35.
This logic does injustice to the MoD, which has demonstrated in the C-130J and C-17 procurements that it is capable of acting decisively. Having shed its post-Kargil, Pakistan-centric mindset, and focusing on building credible offensive-defence capabilities against China, surely the MoD will not spend $10 billion on fighters that will be outclassed with the inevitable appearance of Chinese Fifth Generation fighters over the Himalayas.
The other IAF concern is that, with the F-35 still under development, there is little clarity on when it will become available or on what terms. But the announcement last week of Israel’s purchase of 20 F-35s (with another 75 likely to follow) has dispelled much of the mist. Israel, which is not even one of the nine countries that funded the F-35 development, will be buying the fighters for $96 million each under the Foreign Military Sales programme, for not much more than the Rafale’s and Eurofighter’s estimated cost. Israel will get its F-35s between 2015 and 2017; several of the MMRCA contenders will need as long.
Significantly, defence analysts believe that Israel has obtained Washington’s okay to integrate a variety of Israeli sensors and weaponry onto the F-35. The US has long resisted this since it involves passing on software source codes to the Israelis. With an order of 126-200 fighters, India too could demand this important concession.
Given India’s deteriorating security environment, it must build a Fifth Generation air force, one that will remain the pre-eminent power in South Asia the next two decades. The Fifth Generation heavy fighter already in the works, in partnership with Russia, will only enter service towards the end of the decade. In the medium fighter segment, a Fifth Generation fighter is as essential, with strategic balance maintained by importing from the US. For obvious political reasons, the initiative to scrap the MMRCA and go in for the F-35 must come from the IAF; and the MoD must assure them of minimal delay.
The F-35 will comfortably outclass every one of the six fighters that the IAF is currently evaluating
Ajai Shukla / New Delhi October 19, 2010, 0:34 IST
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/news ... wsid=13624
Given the global buzz around the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) ongoing $10-billion procurement of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), my suggestion to scrap the process and, instead, go in for a straight buy of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightening II fighters is admittedly radical. But consider this: when the F-35 enters service, a couple of years from now, it will comfortably outclass every one of the six fighters that the IAF is currently evaluating. Thereafter, through the entire 30-40 year service life of the selected MMRCA, the IAF will fly a second-rung fighter when it could have gotten the best.
The six fighters that the IAF has flight-tested over the last year — Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet; Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Super Viper; Dassault’s Rafale; the Russian MiG-35; the Swedish Saab Gripen NG; and the Eurofighter — are categorised, even by their manufacturers, as Fourth Generation fighters. In contrast, the F-35 is globally acknowledged as a Fifth Generation fighter. The key to its superiority is stealth, making it effectively invisible to radar at longer ranges. This is a battle-winning advantage in aerial combat, where radars are the only way of “seeing” the enemy; the F-35 will detect enemy fighters and launch missiles at them, well before being detected. While attacking ground targets in enemy territory, the F-35 will remain undetected until it is too late to react. Unsurprisingly, each Fifth Generation fighter is the battlefield equivalent of three-four previous generation aircraft.
Since the IAF knows all this, why is the F-35 not in the MMRCA contest? Because, while framing the specifications for the 126-fighter tender in 2003, the IAF set the bar so low that the F-35 was overqualified. The Ministry of Defence (MoD), still nursing a hangover from the Tehelka sting expose, wanted to avoid potential controversy by having several vendors competing for the MMRCA order. Had the IAF been allowed to keep the long-term in mind, and to demand Fifth Generation capabilities, only the F-35 would have met the tender requirement. With that single-vendor situation an MoD bugaboo, the IAF'’s specifications were dumbed down to bring in a clutch of Fourth Generation fighters.
When Lockheed Martin — one of the four vendors that received inquiries from the IAF in 2003-04 — studied the requirement, it offered the F-16 Super Viper, which it estimated met India’s requirements. Offering the overqualified, and pricier, F-35 made little business sense: India’s procurement rules give no credit for exceeding the tender requirements. The Defence Procurement Procedure mandates that the cheapest of the vendors that meets the technical requirements automatically wins a contract.
Price was just one reason for offering the F-16. With the F-35’s prototype not even having flown then (it first flew in 2006), Lockheed Martin knew that the F-35 would not be available for flight-testing in the time frame that the IAF wanted. Senior IAF officers believe that Lockheed Martin made a strategic decision: to field the F-16 in the MMRCA competition; and later offer the F-35 as a Fifth Generation fighter, a logical follow-on to the F-16. But that offer (which officials confirm was made to the IAF later) was a non-starter: India had decided to partner Russia in jointly developing the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA).
Today, much has changed. The F-35 programme has moved into its production phase and will be flying operationally soon. Senior Lockheed Martin officials confirm that the US is more than keen to sell India the F-35. Meanwhile, a more confident MoD has demonstrated — through its single-vendor purchases of the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft — that it has the political courage to buy American systems when they clearly outclass the competition.
Senior IAF officers, serving and retired, make two arguments against the F-35. Accepting that the F-35 far outclasses the other MMRCA contenders, they apprehend that scrapping the MMRCA purchase risks losing several years that the MoD will surely take for fresh evaluations and financial sanctions for buying the F-35.
This logic does injustice to the MoD, which has demonstrated in the C-130J and C-17 procurements that it is capable of acting decisively. Having shed its post-Kargil, Pakistan-centric mindset, and focusing on building credible offensive-defence capabilities against China, surely the MoD will not spend $10 billion on fighters that will be outclassed with the inevitable appearance of Chinese Fifth Generation fighters over the Himalayas.
The other IAF concern is that, with the F-35 still under development, there is little clarity on when it will become available or on what terms. But the announcement last week of Israel’s purchase of 20 F-35s (with another 75 likely to follow) has dispelled much of the mist. Israel, which is not even one of the nine countries that funded the F-35 development, will be buying the fighters for $96 million each under the Foreign Military Sales programme, for not much more than the Rafale’s and Eurofighter’s estimated cost. Israel will get its F-35s between 2015 and 2017; several of the MMRCA contenders will need as long.
Significantly, defence analysts believe that Israel has obtained Washington’s okay to integrate a variety of Israeli sensors and weaponry onto the F-35. The US has long resisted this since it involves passing on software source codes to the Israelis. With an order of 126-200 fighters, India too could demand this important concession.
Given India’s deteriorating security environment, it must build a Fifth Generation air force, one that will remain the pre-eminent power in South Asia the next two decades. The Fifth Generation heavy fighter already in the works, in partnership with Russia, will only enter service towards the end of the decade. In the medium fighter segment, a Fifth Generation fighter is as essential, with strategic balance maintained by importing from the US. For obvious political reasons, the initiative to scrap the MMRCA and go in for the F-35 must come from the IAF; and the MoD must assure them of minimal delay.
Sempre e inevitavelmente, cada um de nós subestima o número de indivíduos estúpidos que circulam pelo mundo.
Carlo M. Cipolla
Carlo M. Cipolla