Indian Air Force floats tender for 126 fighter jets

[+ghostrider883 526]

Finally....

126 MRCA Tender Floated by the IAF

Edited August 29, 2007 by ghostrider883

[+Typhoid 231]

Finally....

126 MRCA Tender Floated by the IAF

 

we could all contract to the IAF to do their fly-off for them.......

 

[Nesher 628]

hard choise... :|

kinda confusing you call the Indian Air Force as IAF...

usually means Israeli Air Force :)

[eraser_tr 29]

My bet is on the typhoon.

[triplethr3at 0]

My bet is on the typhoon.

 

 

$10 on the Rafale

[yalcin_42 0]

if I were the commander of IAF I would choise F-16C blk 60

[+Typhoid 231]

Tough choices. They all look like pretty good planes.

 

I suspect the decision will come down to how good the contract off-set package is.

[JediMaster 451]

Actually, Israel's is usually more properly referred to as the IDFAF, just like Japan's JASDF (not JAF).

The IAF has always been the IAF as far as I remember...since before Israel had one.

 

The funny thing about this competition is the competitor have a WIDE range in price. Gripen and MiG-29 at the low end and Typhoon at the high end.

[+Gocad 26]

My bet is on the typhoon.

 

My utterly subjective opinion is that both the Typhoon or the Gripen are nothing more than outsiders. I say that the serious contenders are the MiG and the American jets.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Gocad

[+Fates 63]

The TYPHOON, being made from a consortium will fall to the same problems as Airbus.

 

There are NO current Multi-role fighters/ attack aircraft in their fleet that are American Made.....so why would they add them?

 

I see the scales leaning heavily in the way of the Mig-35 (shipping would be cheaper...lol) or the Rafaele.

 

 

I'll vote Rafael, but I hope it's the Block 60.

[Silverbolt 104]

i Read something about they will choice the MiG-35, Because they choiced MiG-29K for navy

Edited August 29, 2007 by Silverbolt

[triplethr3at 0]

i Read something about they will choice the MiG-35, Because they choiced MiG-29K for navy

 

Now that you mentiopn it it seems as though the MiG-35 will win. Beacuse of the 29K and the fact that they have already many russian jets. That way they get all their parts from the same country and mable they'll catch a break budget wise.

[+Typhoid 231]

Now that you mentiopn it it seems as though the MiG-35 will win. Beacuse of the 29K and the fact that they have already many russian jets. That way they get all their parts from the same country and mable they'll catch a break budget wise.

 

its tough to beat the cost figures. And the Mig35OVT will be a highly capable combat aircraft. The issues though will also include supportability and reliability (not strong points for the Russian aircraft). But since they are already operating advanced Su-30's and Mig-29K's (soon) the Mig has a strong base already established.

 

If I were a betting man, I'd say the Mig will take it.

[triplethr3at 0]

Aren't russians known for their cheap easy maintained aircraft

[+Fates 63]

As an aircraft technician......I prefer it that way. Making things overly complex doesn't always make it better.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

As an aircraft technician......I prefer it that way. Making things overly complex doesn't always make it better.

 

Like the Harrier? Who thought taking a wing off to service the engine would be... troublesome

 

 

IMHO, I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that India will pick a US aircraft. The US and Indian governments have bumped heads over India's civil and military Nu-Kyi-ler (I love you whacky Americans ) programs and was quick to place embargos on them and Pakistan for nuclear testing way back in 1998/1999. Also, one of the stipulations of the deal is a complete tech transfer which I don't expect the US will be too keen to indulge. Besides (RANT ON:), where large US contractors are concerned, a promise of full tech transfers aren't necessarily worth the paper they're written on as UK, Denmark and Australia have found out with JSF (RANT OFF.)

 

I think the front runner is definitely the Mig-35. There is already a Mig poduction/maintenance plant for Mig-29s in India (I think it was set up with funds from Mig-Mapo? Not sure), the new generation Mig-29k has been selected for the Navy, it has much more commonality with existing IAF aircraft (Su-30, Mig-29, Mirage 2k) and Russia has no qualms about transfering tech to India in the past, irrespective of what India does on the world stage.

 

That said though, I wouldn't mind seeing Indian Navy Rafaels or IAF Typhoons alongside the MKIs. It's a shame about the Rafael, it seems like a great plane, just no one's buying it...

[eraser_tr 29]

It's Nucular, and wacky isn't quite the word for it.....

 

But we have recently had a deal giving them nuclear technology, so it's not entirely out of the question. We've been selling F-16s and F-18s for years, their technology shouldn't be that big of a deal, even for the new iterations (and didn't they redesignate the block 60 aircraft to E?).

 

The mig is an incredibly logical and likely choice. The Eurofighter is just a hunch, a gut feeling sort of thing, easier to picture them in IAF service than the Rafale or Grippen.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Yeah, but the Indians want the APG-79 AESA array and I don't think Boeing will sell them that. If they can get the equivelent from Russia or Israel or if their own indigenous contractors can produce one or a derivative of what's being used in the MKI, they go for that in a heartbeat. I think the biggest concern for India is to make sure they're not beholden to anyone should, say, hostilities were to errupt with Pakistan. They haven't had this problem with Russia and only in the last few weeks has the US stated that it will withhold some of the techs in the nu-killer transfer until it gets assurances that they'll only be used for civilian purposes and that the reactors can be inspected. Something like this is will sour the deal for the US fighters methinks. I mean it's a great diplomatic tool, but in this case it'll hurt their chances.

[Silverbolt 104]

+ fresh news http://www.india-defence.com/reports-3197

[+Fates 63]

The last line of that reads:

 

With the intense competition it is certain that the real contract clinchers will be the top-of-the-line armaments and avionics packages made available to the Indian Air Force by the contenders along with, of course, the degree to which they are willing to commit production and development in India under the Defense Off-sets requirement.

 

Sounds like MIG to me. So now that we've solved India's problems in 20 simple posts...lets see what's next on the world crisis monitor!

[+Typhoid 231]

Aren't russians known for their cheap easy maintained aircraft

 

no. Cheap - yes. But their in-service rates are abysmal by our standards and they take a lot of maintenance per flight hour. In past decades we noted that one reason they had 6 times the air order of battle against us was so that they could hope to get an equivelant number into the air.

 

for export aircraft the reliability of the supply line has also been an issue.

 

That has also proven to be a hinderence in their marketing because most countries recognize that and take it into account.

 

Their newer aircraft are reported to be much better, but still no where near US or Western European standards.

 

as a case study - the Luftwaffe inherited a rather large supply of Migs and Su's. They could not afford to operate them because they cost so much more per flight hour than the other aircraft they had. So they kept just a handful for opposition training and junked the rest.

[+Typhoid 231]

(RANT ON:), where large US contractors are concerned, a promise of full tech transfers aren't necessarily worth the paper they're written on as UK, Denmark and Australia have found out with JSF (RANT OFF.)

 

since I am a defense contractor I will point out that (rant on) its the US Commerce Dept and their idiotic export control and foreign disclosure rules and Congressional meddling that cause all that! (rant off)

 

pause. deep breath.............

 

sigh..................

[eraser_tr 29]

Should probably adjust the air units in SF/WOE campaigns to reflect that. More squadrons, lower chance of each showing up.

[BUFF 8]

as a case study - the Luftwaffe inherited a rather large supply of Migs and Su's. They could not afford to operate them because they cost so much more per flight hour than the other aircraft they had. So they kept just a handful for opposition training and junked the rest.

they actually "sold" most of them to Poland for a nominal €1 iirc ...

[JediMaster 451]

Right, as "interim" fighters until their new fighter contract came about.

Those planes would be F-16s, and they have started deliveries.