'Make in India' Single engined fighter

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 23 Jun 2017 04:06

Khalsa wrote:I lost my son to the transformers.... dammit !!

Don't say sacriligeous things! You get GYAN from Transformers. Your Son is Wise! Live Long and Prosper!

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 23 Jun 2017 05:42

srin wrote:So, let's say LM shuts down the F16 assembly line in massa and TASL builds one here to assemble all F16s (provided IAF buys it of course). Good for LM - they can now focus on F-35. But is it good for us ?

If ten years later, the USAF F-16s develop a problem with radar or engine or display, will they come to TASL ? My presumption is no - because supply chain is still in the massa, and all the knowledge is with PW or GE or Raytheon and others.
Now, if ten years later, the IAF F-16s develop a problem with radar or engine or display, will they go to TASL ? Again, my presumption is no, because after all, how much can TASL absorb (even if they are shared with us).

So, what exactly are we gaining with this ?

Same thing we gained by 'building' MKIs under 'deep ToT'

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 23 Jun 2017 06:06

srin wrote:So, let's say LM shuts down the F16 assembly line in massa and TASL builds one here to assemble all F16s (provided IAF buys it of course). Good for LM - they can now focus on F-35. But is it good for us ?

If ten years later, the USAF F-16s develop a problem with radar or engine or display, will they come to TASL ? My presumption is no - because supply chain is still in the massa, and all the knowledge is with PW or GE or Raytheon and others.
Now, if ten years later, the IAF F-16s develop a problem with radar or engine or display, will they go to TASL ? Again, my presumption is no, because after all, how much can TASL absorb (even if they are shared with us).

So, what exactly are we gaining with this ?

This is an important point. There is no significant TOT that can be expected from this program nor will the MOD control large aspects of these aircraft. The only thing that comes out of this domestic assembly and some component production plus local sustainment if orders is large.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 23 Jun 2017 06:19

Thank you brar. In the absence of any ToT (deep or light) and this farce of building up numbers to achieve the magic "42" has been debunked thoroughly, what is left?

Like I said on the previous page of this thread, if the MoD, GoI and the IAF is adamant on importing a minimum of a 100 single engine fighters...we are better off doing it on the F-35 via a FACO (Final Assembly & Check Out) line. Everyone wins.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 23 Jun 2017 06:25

I just cannot fathom what MoD and GoI are thinking here. It is increasingly clear that the gains in terms of technology will be minimal at best. Even MP was very enthusiastic about this. Do they know something that we don't, or this is just a misguided move or one made out of compromise?

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 06:25

The IAF/IN want (or secretly wish for) the single-engined F-35. Given how long import procurement takes in India, by the time any deal is finalized and signed it would be 10-15-years. Nothing sooner. Only viable platform at that time would be F-35. The costs of F-35 would be comparable to F-16-70 or Gripen-E.

As per some arguments about MII bringing in new technology, then F-35 is the way to go, not the legacy F-16. Why waste valuable FOREX on some legacy airframes? Does India still see itself as a third-world country?

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 23 Jun 2017 06:26

Schmidt wrote:Is there any legal way ( through the courts / PIL ) to force the IAF to buy LCA and dump this idea of foreign fighters

Where they are forced to give reasons for ditching a home grown product and go for a 40 year old fighter that is being discontinued in its home market

Can the CAG play a proactive role in dissecting these decisions before any hanky panky occurs rather than doing a post mortem analysis

Any way to persuade our forces to consider desi products like Tejas/Arjun and shed their infatuation with foreign maal ??

The GoI or the MoD cannot force anything on the IAF. They don't know anything about these platforms. Who is going to conduct limited test trials of the F-16 and Gripen? The IAF! Who is going to select the best out of the two? The IAF! The GoI or the MoD play no role in that. They would not what to do or where to start.

The only way to persuade the air force, is to get them to commit a block order of LCA Mk.1A if 100 foreign single engine fighters are purchased. Sign on that first, invest in a second line (buy the land, build the factory) for the Tejas and then go in for 100 single engine foreign fighters. That the GoI and MoD can definately do. And one does not need to be a fighter jock to understand PM Modi's Make In India program. Simple logic will suffice and the GoI/MoD have plenty of that.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 08:41

^^^
It seems in the Indian procurement process the services issue RFI/RFP, conduct trials and make recommendations on which product it likes best. Then it is up to the GoI (MoD, CCS, Finance etc) to negotiate the contract, sign the deal and make funds available. Recent example indicate GoI can override some of these requests/recommendations when an equivalent indigenous product is available.

4 contracts jettisoned
Last month, a Rs 10,900 crore contract for surface-to-air missiles for the army was scrapped in favour of an indigenous missile system

Schmidt · Post by **Schmidt** » 23 Jun 2017 10:22

Rakesh wrote:
Schmidt wrote:Is there any legal way ( through the courts / PIL ) to force the IAF to buy LCA and dump this idea of foreign fighters

Where they are forced to give reasons for ditching a home grown product and go for a 40 year old fighter that is being discontinued in its home market

Can the CAG play a proactive role in dissecting these decisions before any hanky panky occurs rather than doing a post mortem analysis

Any way to persuade our forces to consider desi products like Tejas/Arjun and shed their infatuation with foreign maal ??
The GoI or the MoD cannot force anything on the IAF. They don't know anything about these platforms. Who is going to conduct limited test trials of the F-16 and Gripen? The IAF! Who is going to select the best out of the two? The IAF! The GoI or the MoD play no role in that. They would not what to do or where to start.

The only way to persuade the air force, is to get them to commit a block order of LCA Mk.1A if 100 foreign single engine fighters are purchased. Sign on that first, invest in a second line (buy the land, build the factory) for the Tejas and then go in for 100 single engine foreign fighters. That the GoI and MoD can definately do. And one does not need to be a fighter jock to understand PM Modi's Make In India program. Simple logic will suffice and the GoI/MoD have plenty of that.

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The govt can say there is insufficient funds after the major expenditure incurred for the Rafales and put its foot down and say take the LCA or nothing

KrishnaK · Post by **KrishnaK** » 23 Jun 2017 10:47

Rakesh wrote:Thank you brar. In the absence of any ToT (deep or light) and this farce of building up numbers to achieve the magic "42" has been debunked thoroughly, what is left?

Has the possibility been considered that the IAF is willing to accept a 100 LCAs only if they get a 100 off the shelf from some manufacturer whom they know can deliver on contracted numbers and time ? Doesn't have to be faster than the LCA.

Like I said on the previous page of this thread, if the MoD, GoI and the IAF is adamant on importing a minimum of a 100 single engine fighters...we are better off doing it on the F-35 via a FACO (Final Assembly & Check Out) line. Everyone wins.

Surely this has crossed the IAF'S mind. Is could be possible the F-35 would take much longer to negotiate and pull off ?

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 11:50

^^^
The negotiation part is with the babus. Nothing quick for sure. Anything with "ToT" will take many years to negotiate. Straight import (i.e. Rafale) still takes long with price negotiations. Then after signature you are looking at minimum of 36 months from first deliveries ... unless some used/surplus/diverted airframes are available as a quick loan. So even if expedited, the Indian process for direct import would still take at the minimum of 5-years before any planes arrive. Don't expect to see MII stuff until around 2025.

Marten · Post by **Marten** » 23 Jun 2017 11:55

We're slowly but surely doing down the path where ToT will be forgotten and replaced with offsets (meaning, teach us how to improve our production capabilities and here you go!). F-35 would be any day a better deal as the doorbuster. We need the US to stop supplying 120D. Whatever it takes to counter both PRC and Bakis.

Kakarat · Post by **Kakarat** » 23 Jun 2017 12:02

That is why 'A bird in the hand (LCA Tejas) is worth two in the bush (F-16 & Gripen)'

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Jun 2017 12:47

Buying 100 below par firang SE fighters,which never made the grade 5 years ago, will ultimately be a millstone around the IAF's neck,in terms of rapid future obsolescence,spares,maintenance,etc.,met,esp. if it is a US bird,intrusive inspections regime added. It is abundantly clear that the LCA is being treated like the second-wife's child,waiting for "adoption" of a firang child,"arre bhai,nice white face no?" other LCA is like new-born babe which is being malnourished...deliberately.Somewhere,some jokers are rubbing their hands in glee,anticipating much moolah to be made. A recent report said that the announcement of a second line for the LCA was just that,"plan",no execution.At this rate even HF-24 production no. will be hard for the LCA to achieve. It may end up being the smallest,lightweight fighter built in the smallest number in history!
The F-35 has yet top be offered.There are also well-known dev. problems still to be sorted out.V.intensive maintenance regime and stealth issues.etc. to be ironed out since we are not NATO members or Mil allies,will be babudom's delight!

Unfortunately the IAF is in a very confused state of mind.They're mixing up sev. priorities. Given below in brief are the major issues.

1.42-45 sqd strength as the holy grail,which will amount to a fleet of around 850-900 fighters.
2.Composition of the fleet. FGFA/stealth,heavy.med and light breakup.
3.Indigenous thrust to aircraft development,current prog. in hand,the LCA.
4 Future aircraft programmes (AMCA).

What is known about the Heavy component (MKIs) is that an extra 42 in addition to the 272 planned is on the cards. This makes total of 314.Of this number,upgrades of at least 75% of the fleet (around 240) will bring them all upto Super-Sukhoi std.,armed with BMos/BMos-L ,sensors,engines and new BVR/WVR AAMs.These will make them say analysts more potent than even the SU-35 which China will get. Thus the MKI will be the principal fighter of the IAF spearheading the aerial war on both fronts. Additional aircraft,another 2-3 sqds of the same,which are being already built in India will take the least amt. of time and money to achieve.
2 sds will amt to 40 aircraft at a cost (70M each) of around $3B

FGFA/Stealth bird. If the T-50/FGFA deal goes through,some issues still remain,apparently only relating ti funding,over the next decade,we will see around 100-140 5th-gen fighters arrive.This component will give us the qualitative edge over the Chinese reg. stealth fighters and help achieve the desired number req. for the inventory. One sqd. will cost upward of $3 B,$100m/aircraft plus infrastructure,weapons,etc.etc.

Medium aircraft. 36+ Rafales at around $200M/aircraft! Around $7.5B,may be another sqd/18,plus 60+ 29UGs and 40+ M2Ks will give us just around 150 med. sized aircraft,though all very capable. At a very low price,more 29UG std./35s-with TVC,AESA etc.,can be acquired from between $30-35M a pop.Egypt is doing just that. 3-4 sqds of the same 29s/35s would cost us very little ,just around $3B,for 80+ fighters.

Light aircraft. I'm adding the 120+ Jags (to be upgraded) here instead in the med. zone .120 Bisons,plus whatever LCA MK-1s can be built by 2022,from when the Bisons will go to the happy hunting grounds in the sky...In these 5 years LCAs at the rate of 8-12/yr,we can expect just 40-60 at the most at a cost of $1.5-2B

Therefore in 5 years time,2022,spending just $8-9B,say even $10B,we could acquire 160-180 fighters (MKIIs,MIG-29/35s,LCAs) 9 sqds. plus 2 Rafale sqds for the $7.5B,not counting any 5th-gen fighters that may arrive.That cost hasn't been taken into acct.
This should give us over 800-850 aircraft by 2022,incl. the Bisons,which will be progressively replaced from then on by LCA MK-1As/2s,esp. once the second line starts humming.5 years to set it up should be more than sufficient time to do so.

Thus there will then be no need whatsoever to bring in a sub-standard F-16 for the SE req. in the light of the above proposed acquisition plan augmenting numbers with more aircraft of types already in service. 8-9 sqds can be realised in just 5 years for a much lesser cost of transferring an obsolete line to India of below-par fighters in comparison to the mix outlined above. Time.money and a qualitative advantage in capability will be ensured instead of pursuing the SE wet dream.

PS:AMCA will arrive not earlier than 2030.This above exercise is to augment the IAF's capability and numbers asap,to foreclose the 3-5 yr. window of opportunity that exists for mischief from the Sino-Pak JV.

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 23 Jun 2017 20:39

"TOT'ing" a 1970s platform that failed to make the MMRCA cut is just an absolute disgrace. I don't know if this has IAF's nod.

If this deal goes through, no one will take MoD seriously: "Don't worry if you lose an RFP. Pay off Indian media & use influence peddlers in Delhi. You are back in the game again"

Will · Post by **Will** » 23 Jun 2017 22:06

The F-16 deal if it happens will be the worst thing every. However much one may dress it up in new clothes, its still a 1970's hag . Plus it involves putting your neck in uncle sam's noose. Sad that TATA signed up for the F-16. It would have been better if they had taken up the offer for the second LCA line. What is the F-16 going to bring to India---- zilchhhh.

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 22:18

Prem Kumar wrote:"TOT'ing" a 1970s platform that failed to make the MMRCA cut is just an absolute disgrace. I don't know if this has IAF's nod.

If this deal goes through, no one will take MoD seriously: "Don't worry if you lose an RFP. Pay off Indian media & use influence peddlers in Delhi. You are back in the game again"

What do you mean by 70s tech.

What we know is that all the avionics, sensors, radar, engine are cutting edge, better than available anywhere else.
Even the design has been evolving over time.

What is 70s is just name of F-16 and overall look. all the guts and even the metal will be 4++ tech.
Fail to understand what is 70s in F-16 block 70. I am sure if the same thing would have been called F-20 people would be going ga-ga over its capability. like they are doing over Gripen-E.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 23 Jun 2017 22:19

ragupta wrote:Fail to understand what is 70s in F-16 block 70. I am sure if the same thing would have been called F-20 people would be going ga-ga over its capability.

I'm pretty sure people would have been calling the F-20 an 1980s design.

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 22:25

Will wrote:The F-16 deal if it happens will be the worst thing every. However much one may dress it up in new clothes, its still a 1970's hag . Plus it involves putting your neck in uncle sam's noose. Sad that TATA signed up for the F-16. It would have been better if they had taken up the offer for the second LCA line. What is the F-16 going to bring to India---- zilchhhh.

I think it will be good. primarily we will reduce the no. of type in the inventory, not in the short term, but in the long term there will be lot of commonality of parts and supplier.

Think about the type of aircraft and technology we tried to acquire in response to F-16 acquisition by TSP, you will get the picture.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 23 Jun 2017 22:28

For someone fairly ignorant about the airforce procurement, etc... can someone unbundle for me the following:

1. Does the Tata/LM agreement mean that the IAF/Government have acquiesced to this deal in some way?

2. If yes, and if the F-16 Block 70 is as crap etc., as it is being suggested, why is someone (the IAF? the GoI) so keen on it? Don't say bribes because with this government, it's not something to worry about.

3. Given the strong push for Make in India, if this F-16 deal goes forward, does it mean the LCA is finished? And if yes, why is the government doing that? Any explanation for that?

4. What is the projected business for F-16 sales out of India, including sales/maintenance, etc? I read somewhere that there are some 3,000 of these puppies flying about in various air forces... that's some serious maintenance money.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 23 Jun 2017 22:31

Let me put my money where my mouth is. The F-16 remains a very potent aircraft

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 22:39

JE Menon wrote:For someone fairly ignorant about the airforce procurement, etc... can someone unbundle for me the following:

3. Given the strong push for Make in India, if this F-16 deal goes forward, does it mean the LCA is finished? And if yes, why is the government doing that? Any explanation for that?

.

I would say, No impact whatsoever to LCA, LCA may benefit from supply chain and manufacturing. Let them manufacture and increase production. LCA in all versions must be developed in full swing.

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 22:49

brar_w wrote:
ragupta wrote:Fail to understand what is 70s in F-16 block 70. I am sure if the same thing would have been called F-20 people would be going ga-ga over its capability.
I'm pretty sure people would have been calling the F-20 an 1980s design.

Then it should be renamed to f-28

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 23 Jun 2017 22:55

ragupta wrote:
I would say, No impact whatsoever to LCA, LCA may benefit from supply chain and manufacturing

You mean LM assembly line will be producing parts for Tejas alongside f16?

I don't think so.

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 23:05

Manish_Sharma wrote:
ragupta wrote:
I would say, No impact whatsoever to LCA, LCA may benefit from supply chain and manufacturing
You mean LM assembly line will be producing parts for Tejas alongside f16?

I don't think so.

NO, that is not what I meant, the same tier2 and tier3 suppliers that may supply to Tata/LM, may grow strength to support other projects including LCA.

For LCA MK2 Manufacturing another line in private sector will be needed.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 23:09

ragupta wrote:
JE Menon wrote:For someone fairly ignorant about the airforce procurement, etc... can someone unbundle for me the following:

3. Given the strong push for Make in India, if this F-16 deal goes forward, does it mean the LCA is finished? And if yes, why is the government doing that? Any explanation for that?

.
I would say, No impact whatsoever to LCA, LCA may benefit from supply chain and manufacturing. Let them manufacture and increase production. LCA in all versions must be developed in full swing.

History proves otherwise.

Look what happened to the Marut & ASF when Jaguar was selected and licensed produced. What happened to Arjuns with T-90s. HTT-40 to PC-7. If this MII stuff happens, then future orders for LCA are unlikely. Imported stuff come "ready-made" just as advertised in a brochure. I don't think the users really care where the product comes from as long as they have it.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 23:18

JE Menon wrote:...
4. What is the projected business for F-16 sales out of India, including sales/maintenance, etc? I read somewhere that there are some 3,000 of these puppies flying about in various air forces... that's some serious maintenance money.

Most of the F-16s belong to the USAF and will be retired once F-35 gets inducted. Same story for EU nations. Next 10-15 years mostly gone.

The other thing to point out is that the supply-chain is in the US. Just by transferring/duplicating a final assembly line in India doesn't mean all those suppliers in the US go away. Most of those will still be providing the parts/components. Look at Su-30MKI deal. Russian companies still provide a significant number of materials/parts/components for final assembly at HAL and they also supply parts for maintenance--separate contract.

ragupta · Post by **ragupta** » 23 Jun 2017 23:23

srai wrote:
ragupta wrote:
I would say, No impact whatsoever to LCA, LCA may benefit from supply chain and manufacturing. Let them manufacture and increase production. LCA in all versions must be developed in full swing.
History proves otherwise.

Look what happened to the Marut & ASF when Jaguar was selected and licensed produced. What happened to Arjuns with T-90s. HTT-40 to PC-7. If this MII stuff happens, then future orders for LCA are unlikely. Imported stuff come "ready-made" just as advertised in a brochure. I don't think the users really care where the product comes from as long as they have it.

Situations are different, even if that risk exists, India cannot stop taking risk.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 23:28

^^^
The only problem is if history repeats itself then India would not have learnt from its past mistake where its hard-earned know-hows/whys got lost. It took India some 30-years to re-establish the aerospace ecosystem that now has the capability to R&D a 4th Gen fighter.

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 23 Jun 2017 23:36

srai wrote: Most of the F-16s belong to the USAF and will be retired once F-35 gets inducted. Same story for EU nations. Next 10-15 years mostly gone

Please provide a backup for the above assertion that most of F-16 will be gone in next 10-15 years.

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 23 Jun 2017 23:38

ragupta wrote:
srai wrote: History proves otherwise.

Look what happened to the Marut & ASF when Jaguar was selected and licensed produced. What happened to Arjuns with T-90s. HTT-40 to PC-7. If this MII stuff happens, then future orders for LCA are unlikely. Imported stuff come "ready-made" just as advertised in a brochure. I don't think the users really care where the product comes from as long as they have it.
Situations are different, even if that risk exists, India cannot stop taking risk.

Repeating a mistake is stupidity.

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 23 Jun 2017 23:42

rohitvats wrote:
srai wrote: Most of the F-16s belong to the USAF and will be retired once F-35 gets inducted. Same story for EU nations. Next 10-15 years mostly gone
Please provide a backup for the above assertion that most of F-16 will be gone in next 10-15 years.

The question seems to imply that you know the time that f16 is going to be in usaf please share with forum also.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 23:48

rohitvats wrote:
srai wrote: Most of the F-16s belong to the USAF and will be retired once F-35 gets inducted. Same story for EU nations. Next 10-15 years mostly gone
Please provide a backup for the above assertion that most of F-16 will be gone in next 10-15 years.

Read this article that was published recently.
US dumps ageing F-16s on India?
Post 1996, rapid decline in orders--624 ordered between 1996-2016. Whereas between 1976 -1996, 3,964 were ordered. If we take the last batch for the bulk as 1996, then those planes would be 21 years old. Rest would be much much older.

Quite a few are stored in the US "boneyard":

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 23 Jun 2017 23:55

The question seems to imply that you know the time that f16 is going to be in usaf please share with forum also.

The USAF won't be retiring all of its F-16's in the next 10-15 years. There are over 70 F-16s with the ANG that serve the Homeland Defense mission that are being upgraded (borrowing a lot of components of the block 70 such as the radar, and mission computers) and having their life extended. The large order for the AN/APG-83 radars was awarded just a few weeks ago. Its pretty safe to assume that the USAF will be retaining a couple of hundred F-16's in the active air-force as well but the bulk would be gone.

The USAF is currently inducting the F-35A at a rate of 40+ a year, and this will bump up to 60 a year by early next decade and to around 80 a year by middle of next decade so a lot of the active air force Vipers will begin to disappear fast. But the squadrons transitioning to F-35As aren't exclusively those coming out of F-16s. There will be A-10 units, and perhaps even F-15C units that will be transitioning into the new aircraft. Excluding test and evaluation aircraft, the USAF will have (as per its current plan) roughly 900-950 F-35As in its inventory by 2030 but those would not replace just F-16s.

Rohit is correct, there will be quite a few F-16's in the USAF in the 2030s, just not the 1000+ that exist now. In fact the USAF plans to have triple digit F-16s in service pretty much throughout the 2030s.

Post 1996, rapid decline in orders--624 ordered between 1996-2016.

That many is a surprise to me. I was expecting half that. To put things in context that is roughly the size of (or more than) the sales of the Typhoon or the Super Hornet over the same period.

srai · Post by **srai** » 23 Jun 2017 23:57

^^^
I'd said "mostly"

There will be few hundred around for sometime but not the 3,000 that was mention by JE Menon ji.

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 23 Jun 2017 23:58

Let's say 100th f16 mfrd in Bharat is year 2030, then it would be flying with Vayusena till year 2070

It was being suggested by some that since. Rafale will be obsolete by 2036, we should not buy it but just lease it till 2036, I wonder how would f16 be in 2070?

Cybaru · Post by **Cybaru** » 23 Jun 2017 23:58

JE Menon wrote:
2. If yes, and if the F-16 Block 70 is as crap etc., as it is being suggested, why is someone (the IAF? the GoI) so keen on it? Don't say bribes because with this government, it's not something to worry about.

My chaiwallahs uncle says, IAF may not want it. They rejected it previously. Govt dealing/driving this issue. Not IAF.

abhik · Post by **abhik** » 24 Jun 2017 00:09

The F-16 Block 70 is not crap, atleast when you consider that it is more technologically advanced than any fighter in IAF service today. Though that doesn't mean buying them will be a good decision.

Kakarat · Post by **Kakarat** » 24 Jun 2017 01:29

If USA offers F-4 Phantom with new engine,avionics, sensors & AESA/SABR radar will you still call it more technologically advanced than any fighter in IAF service today?

If the F-16 is coming today then its good but an F-16 under Make in India will not come today or even tomorrow, It will take atleast 5 years to get the plant up and running and production of 100 jets another 5 years, what will be the worth of F-16 on that day?

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 24 Jun 2017 01:45

I am not Philip, but here is the Russian response to talk of F-16 selection by India:

Russia’s fighter jet makers “not afraid” of US competition in India

“We are not afraid of rivalry with the U.S. in this market,” he said. “On the contrary, we believe that attempts by other players to establish cooperation with this country help us to better understand their needs and better meet them.” At the same time, he conceded that Modi’s “Make in India” initiative required some changes in Moscow’s approach, and said his company was ready to respond. “Regarding improvements, we believe that it is necessary to further deepen cooperation within the framework of the ‘Make in India’ concept and are ready to take the necessary steps,” Tarasenko said. He did not elaborate.

He said MiG’s new MiG-35 fighter jet, which will debut at Russia’s MAKS 2017 air show next month, was 20 percent cheaper to operate over its lifespan and offered countries capabilities that went beyond those of regular “fourth-generation” planes. Tarasenko said two MiG-35s should complete flight tests by the end of the year or early next, paving the way for serial production once a contract was signed with the defence ministry. At least one of the two MiG-35 jets would appear at the MAKS 2017 air show, Tarasenko said, adding that MiG met with 20 potential customers during the Paris event and expected to make its first exports in 2020. He did not name potential customers.

Tarasenko dismissed the importance of grouping jets into “generations,” and said the MiG-35 was already “stronger, smarter and more versatile” than fourth-generation jets, but not as expensive as fifth-generation aircraft that can evade radar. “It will be barely noticeable on the radar – due to the reduction of the reflecting surface, the special radio-absorbing coating, and electronic radio-suppressing equipment,” he said. The MiG’s radar would be able to track up to 30 targets, and lead six of them simultaneously, with data streaming into pilots’ augmented reality helmets to enable more precise missile firing.

In addition, he said the aircraft could take on more fuel in mid-air and refuel other planes, had greater range and could carry up to six tons of weapons. Tarasenko said Russia was already working on new aircraft that would be “smarter, faster” and with increased range and a higher top ceiling range. “We are working on perspective projects that by some charactecteristics are ahead of the current perception of aviation,” he said.

Any bets on the Mig-35 showing up in IAF colours?