Bharat Rakshak

Viv S

That a lot of the enhancements can be fitted as modifications to existing engines by cycling them through the depots has been claimed. In fact a major thrust was not to re-engine but to engineer enhancements that could be retrofitted onto existing engines. That's true for M88-4E as well. Modificati...

Viv S

I just went by the Rafale wikipedia page which said that 164 Rafale's have been produced as of January, 2018. The Growler should be in the 150 range for the USN (I believe the USN will take deliver of its 160th aircraft this year) and more for the RAAF. Regardless, the difference between a sub 250 ...

Viv S

The difference is quite apparent when once considers that the French inventory of the Rafale. The USN's Growler fleet is likely larger than the current French Rafale fleet. The USN will buy 850 or more Super Hornets and Growlers over its production run. A large fleet makes enhancements more economi...

Viv S

Nothing is assured including any hypothetical single engine AMCA plans. That said, the USN has funded F414 improvements, and is only now beginning to seriously look at other enhancements to its fleet which just grew by 110 aircraft based on the FYDP presented by Trump's current budget. The larger, ...

Viv S

Similarly, there is nothing in terms of a written implied interest from the USN when it comes to improving the radar of the F-18E/F, or enhancing its mission computers but it much like other things doesn't require a leap of faith when it comes to projecting a need down the road given that they have...

Viv S

Viv, IMHO, Calling Su-57 battle unworthy and F-35 battle worthy from day 1 can only be put down as bias. One program has clocked 125,000 flight hours and delivered close to 300 aircraft. The other is still in the prototype stage and yet to deliver its first production variant. In terms of maturity,...

Viv S

The USN has only recently begun investing in upgrades to their Super Hornet and Growler fleets beyond what they had planned to do Those fleets are powered by the baseline 414. The crucial question - have they expressed any verbal/written/implied interest in the EPE which has been available as a dev...

Viv S

Structurally, the howitzer has changed very little in over a century. The principle remains the same-a shell is spun out through a grooved steel barrel in a high trajectory to fall on its target. The addition of modern electronics and computers-automated gun alignment and positioning systems, laser...

Viv S

Shameek wrote:Akash Missile
Why India needs the Akash missile

I much preferred the Ajai Shukla's original headline over the Rediff edited one -

Buy the Akash. It is ours

Viv S

Both those OEMs can deliver a 110Kn class engine if funded. And there is nothing as a backup if the MOD does not get it wants on the F135 or if challenges and relationship with P&W does not pan out. Nothing as an option to import, and nothing currently possible from domestic efforts. Funded by ...

Viv S

The risk I was referring to was not in relation to the engine being provided but integration, and the fact that the program would lock itself in a single vendor situation and will likely take a considerably longer time to develop an equivalent indigenous engine given the challenges associated with ...

Viv S

There are four medium sized 5th gen programs out there outside of the US. All four of them have narrowed down on a twin engine set up. There is likely a higher element of risk with performance and margins when you are reliant on one of the largest fighter engines with some of the highest TETs in th...

Viv S

GOI should give the highest priority in coming up with the Kaveri minus the chinks. Amount of money and resources should not be a constraint. Use saam, daam, dhandh bedh to achieve this. It is critcal as it is now clear that we will have to induct LCA (across all the versions) to service the number...

Viv S

Viv, Gone are the days when we would just integrate Israeli systems into MKIs. Today, there are replacing those Israeli systems with Indian ones. I'm taking the Rafale deal as a benchmark for the IAF's customization requirements. Most of what the IAF requested on the Rafale is doable for the F-35 (...

Viv S

I don't think IAF will dump the FGFA for F-35. One reason: customizability. For 100-odd planes LM is not going to customize weapons, systems etc. What kind of customizability are we're talking about? Typically, the IAF has required modification for two reasons. The first is to ensure compatibility ...

Viv S

All the cutting edge stuff (relatively speaking) that pakistan has- from F16's and Mirages to frigates, to Artillery Guns to Submarines is all Western stuff, and is susceptible to spares embargo. Not necessarily. They've only got one squadron (18 aircraft) of F-16 Blk 52s. The rest are of early 80s...

Viv S

Yes. Re-engining them gives extra power and makes them useful. Right now they are very anemic. 1. I favour re-engining the Jaguars. 2026-2030 is still a decade away. No point throwing away good airframes. Well, we have to sign a deal with Honeywell, carry out the necessary mods and then install the...

Viv S

Mk2 will easily trump upgraded Jaguar and Mirage 2000s. Does it make sense to re-engine the Jags then? After all, they're scheduled to begin retirement in 2026, about the same time that the Mk2 should be coming online. Also, are we sure the Mk2 program has been green-lighted? As I recall, there was...

Viv S

I am looking forward to seeing the discussion between you (for Eurofighter) and arturo (for Rafale) :mrgreen: Naah. I've switched boats. Upgraded to the next gen you might say. The new one comes with a big ass flat-screen and is VR enabled. Smart design. Built for high speed broadband era. Besides,...

Viv S

srai wrote:Time to shutter this SEF thread and start a new one MMRCA-II. Another decade of entertainment on BRF

Hooray!! The deja vu will be so strong we'll all feel 10 years younger.

Viv S

Three Lada-class submarines have been ordered to date (export variant: Amur). The first was rejected by the RuN and reduced to being a experimental vessel (Kilo-636s were ordered instead). The second and third boats have been delayed and the AIP plans deferred. The Navy refused the newest submarines...

Viv S

JayS wrote:Every 500ft, not being too pedantic.

Rough eyeball - should be about 1000 ft to lift off I think. The third marker is in the picture at rotation but the aircraft is considerable distance behind it.

Viv S

^OK, this is not India negotiating, it is the US pushing. An Indian credible source would have had a different effect. You can probably find a report like the one above going back even 10 years. If India's not negotiating why would the COMCASA be in a more advanced state than the BECA? You wouldn't...

Viv S

Neela wrote:From someone who has a view of HAL Airport runway.
He swears Tejas can take off in 300m.

There are markers every 100 metres I think.

Viv S

You are claiming that India is negotiating COMCASA and BECA, can you quote a reference for this claim, please? Or is your claim based on the generic long-standing desire of the US to do so? So, is this an active negotiation or the same old passive one? If active, please quote your sources? US wants...

Viv S

ShauryaT wrote:
Viv S wrote: We're negotiating the COMCASA and a similar local analogue for the BECA. No intrusive boilerplate agreements.
Reference Please?

You'll have to be more specific.

Viv S

We were offered all this, got them first and more, long before the Chinese who never got the top line models. Offered Backfires 3 decades ago, a fleet of SSNs, etc. ,and now their best bird the FGFA.Our mistake if we don't take our opportunties and others do. The Chinese had the Su-27 & Su-30 o...

Viv S

Have you forgotten '71 and who protected our backs both from the US and China? Hmm.. lets see. The Chinese were foxed by the timing of the war, which was delayed by Manekshaw to Nov-Dec to, among other things, ensure that the Himalayan mountain passes were impassable. The US meanwhile was neck-deep...

Viv S

Just thinking loudly ... I wonder why we are discussing the F35 purchase... The IAF's preparing to ask for a classified briefing on the F-35A. Wouldn't that mean that we will have to sign various CISMOA and BECA agreements to be able to enable communication between F35 and various Indian entities t...

Viv S

F-35s as the IAF wants it? Dream on! It is so heavily layered with software and ultra- sophisticated tech that any attempt to modify it will be even more complicated than trying to modify the FGFA. Modify it for what? Local IFF & comms? Done. For Israel. Local weaponry? Done. For Israel, UK &am...

Viv S

srai wrote:I thought they were bypassing TD (-> PV -> LSP -> SP) and going for "designed for production" approach instead?

TD -> LSP -> SP. Same as the LCH. AFAIK.

Viv S

Not at all.I too am an Indian first.BMos is to be the principal strike weapon of the IAF even for the next century.IN smaller NG form it is hoped that it will be small enough to be accommodated in an FGFA's internal bay.This gives it a great advantage when penetrating enemy territory undetected sti...

Viv S

Cosmo, if the FGFA is unaffordable the JSF will take the IAF to the cleaners. So you say. Right now the IAF buys Su-30s for $75 mil each from HAL which is $10 mil more than buying it direct. The idea that the Su-57 could be had for less than $100 mil especially given its drip-feed production state ...

Viv S

Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft for the IAF: A Mirage or Reality? by Gp Capt Joseph Noronha Generations in Evolution It was in the 1990s that jet fighters first began to be classified by generation. Although the practice quickly gained popularity, most categorisation is rather vague. This is part...

Viv S

The F-16 Block 70 has been termed as old technology that LM is pushing hard for the IAF — what do you plan to do to take the discussions forward, especially as the IAF, to mitigate the shortfall of fighters, is acquiring the indigenous ‘Tejas’ Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)? The F-16 Block 70 being of...

Viv S

Just end of last month we got this news not sure how credible this too is Calm down everyone, there’s no plan to put an F-35 production line in India That was with regard to a poorly drafted PTI report that quoted LM advertising the existence of F-35-derived tech on the F-16. Many outlets misquoted...

Viv S

Means nothing when both quote unnamed source , for all you know their unnamed sources may be the same person who is clueless or their own desire to push something as unnamed sources , to give credbility to their own story it is better they quote some one and generally speaking for any defence repor...

Viv S

Austin wrote:To believe in Ajai Shukla and his unnamed IAF sources is a Leap of Faith , All his recent write up is against the current Gobermant.

Except that the same has also been reported by Saurabh Joshi.

Viv S

Looks more like carrot dangling not sure if the news is even if the news is reliable because MOD and IAF has not responded to it. The source acc. to the article is not LM, its the IAF. LM would much rather shut down this F-35 talk, so that it doesn't affect the prospects of the F-16 in India (which...

Viv S

The IAF cannot afford 126 F-35As. It will break the bank. Expect nothing more than 2 - 3 squadrons. And that too, if they successfully hammer a deal. And that is a big IF. Well it also depends on the context and time-frame. What we're contemplating on the fighter front right now is - - Tejas Mk1A: ...

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