'Make in India' Single engined fighter

[Rakesh]

Arrghhhhh and now this forum is becoming a place to post ones political views? 7 per cent growth with crude prices what they are today is an achievement to boast about? I don't have any gr8 love for the congress but lets call a spade a spade. Let's keep this forum apolitical . India is our country and all of us here want the best for it. So lets keep the propaganda and politics out. Sad to say this forum is turning more into a political one then a defence one. People try to push their views and those who don't support it are considered anti-national. Lets not turn this into something like pakdefence. The ones in charge should clean up this forum.

Saar, what phor this much venom? I don't have much louve for the Congress either. I was just pointing out how various sectors in India are already booming without F-Solah production. What can I do if the 7% growth chart was produced by the BJP? I was making a point, not endorsing the BJP. I am apolitical onlee, with the exception of Rahul Gee.

[Rakesh]

Rakesh saar, and orders for 1.1 Lakh crore of local designed eqpt were placed in the past one year and a half itself. Thats $17 Billion, Make in India.

Saar, I did not even see your post. Sorry and Amazing. That is fantastic. Another one for the books! Thank you for pointing that out.

[NRao]

Rakesh saar, and orders for 1.1 Lakh crore of local designed eqpt were placed in the past one year and a half itself. Thats $17 Billion, Make in India.

That is the Made in India category.

[GeorgeWelch]

Okay if it is more "sophisticated" than assembly, please explain in what areas does India need to be taught sophistication.

what's the current LCA manufacture rate?
what's the current F-35 manufacture rate?

There is a world of difference between hand building everything and a true assembly line

So other than assembling the fighter, from the vast global supply base, what else are we doing?

Rapid assembly to tight standards is an important skill.

You mentioned sophisticated manufacturing processes vis-à-vis Russia, so I am not going to ignore it. Please explain what is so sophisticated that LM does.

Rapidly and efficiently build fighters while maintaining tight quality control

Secondly, what use was this sophistication when Russian fighters, flown by Indian pilots, flew circles around F-16s and F-15s during the various Cope India exercises? Even the 3rd generation MiG-21 was soundly beating the 4th generation American fighters.

1. Lots of that is nonsense, wild exaggeration and traditional fighter jock boasting
2. Regardless, you're confusing design quality and manufacturing quality.

This contract is about an existing plane, so there is little to no design work, so that's irrelevant to this discussion. But the ability to quickly and efficiently manufacture while maintaining tight quality control is very much of interest.

There is a running joke on the internet. That NASA wasted millions on developing a pen for astronauts that could write in space. The Russians gave their cosmonauts a pencil. What is the point of this sophistication, if the end goal is achieved?

Of course that joke is false for multiple reasons (NASA spent nothing to develop the pen and pencils are dangerous in space because the graphite can break off and short out components)

As for what is the point? How about being able to manufacture the LCA at a reasonable rate? Or the AMCA? India is facing a huge shortfall in fighter aircraft, and if you ever want to be able to fill that gap without relying on imports, you will need a more modern, efficient manufacturing capability.

Unless you have been living under a rock, India is already working with LM

Of course, and that just demonstrates the potential of even more contact with LM.

If they put an F-16 line in India, more subcontractors will be investigated for locally sourced parts and get the opportunity to build relationships with LM and become part of their supply chain.

If that is your theory, then that is a theory that can be learnt. You do not need to purchase 100 F-Solahs on how to create a network of suppliers and build your aerospace industrial base. That is bakwaas.

You have this bizarre all-or-nothing mentality. Indian firms has some contracts with LM and Airbus. Therefore you have a completely developed aerospace base and nothing further should be done.

Instead you should look at it as an F-16 line would help that base grow even more. It's undeniable that if you bought 100 F-16s, more firms would get more LM contracts than they do currently.

[Cybaru]

Rapid assembly to tight standards is an important skill.

Important skill for?
Does it not exist in India today?
Assuming it does not exist, If we add this skill how will it change things for us?
What portion of the value chain will that bring to the table?

[GeorgeWelch]

Rapid assembly to tight standards is an important skill.

Important skill for?

A country that wants to be self-sufficient in fighters but needs enough to counter China and Pakistan

Does it not exist in India today?

Do you see any rapid manufacture of fighters in India today?

[Cybaru]

Important skill for?

A country that wants to be self-sufficient in fighters but needs enough to counter China and Pakistan

Does it not exist in India today?

Do you see any rapid manufacture of fighters in India today?

You only answered a tiny portion of the question GW and it may be a valid point, but is that the reason we are where we are?

Is the manufacturing ability not geared for fast manufacturing or is it limited to other reasons? For eg: one could be our ability to afford so many fighters in a financial year?

Assuming it does not exist, If we add this skill how will it change things for us? What portion of the value chain will that bring to the table?

How many fighters a year do we need to produce to counter pakistan/china?

[Rakesh]

what's the current LCA manufacture rate?
what's the current F-35 manufacture rate?

There is a world of difference between hand building everything and a true assembly line.

From H Siddesha, project director and technology director of LCA,
http://www.indiatvnews.com/politics/nat ... ets-370263

"Every year, 16 Tejas aircraft will be built on two assembly lines. By 2024, all the aircraft will be inducted in the IAF whereas Tejas Mark 2 version will be ready by 2021," Siddesha was quoted as saying by Times of India.

And yes, that is lower than the F-35 production rate and for that very reason - that you so beautifully typed above (thank you) - I have been asking (on this VERY thread) for a FACO line that Japan and Italy have. You want to give us a true assembly line? Give us the F-35 then. I would be happy if India did screwdrivergiri on a 5th generation platform that is viable in 2050 versus a 4th generation platform in that same time period. The spin-offs for the AMCA would be fantastic, at least in terms of production. We do not need to know how to assemble 4th generation planes. We have been doing it on the Su-30MKI and on the Tejas.

Rapid assembly to tight standards is an important skill. Rapidly and efficiently build fighters while maintaining tight quality control.

Bakwaas bandh kar! The folks who developed the Tejas did not lose one single plane during her development. NOT ONE. Three aircraft are now in service with No.45 Flying Daggers Squadron of the IAF. Yes, onlee three, but still Now let us examine how many F-16s crashed during its development. AFAIK, one belly landed. Here is the video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuFmTPdIE2k

What happened to your rapid assembly to tight standards now? OTOH, we can teach you a few things on how not to belly land planes

This contract is about an existing plane, so there is little to no design work, so that's irrelevant to this discussion. But the ability to quickly and efficiently manufacture while maintaining tight quality control is very much of interest.

Dude, you guys parroted this same nonsense during the first MMRCA contest. Still you guys lost. You repeat the same thing again, you will get the same result. As you so eloquently put in your post, F-35. Put that on the table. Changes everything. Same company, same manufacturing philosophy no? We can learn about rapid assembly to tight standards while wearing tight undies

Of course that joke is false for multiple reasons (NASA spent nothing to develop the pen and pencils are dangerous in space because the graphite can break off and short out components).

That is why I said it was a joke. You don't need to explain the science of it

As for what is the point? How about being able to manufacture the LCA at a reasonable rate? Or the AMCA? India is facing a huge shortfall in fighter aircraft, and if you ever want to be able to fill that gap without relying on imports, you will need a more modern, efficient manufacturing capability.

Hai! Hai! Kya Dialogue Mara! If the project & technology director of the Tejas has said - as explained above - that 16 aircraft will be produced a year, then that is what will happen. You do not get to determine what is reasonable. We can figure that on our own, with regards to a fourth generation platform. Onlee the design of the AMCA has been frozen. Not a single prototype has been built yet. So that argument of yours is moot.

Oh yes, India is indeed facing a huge shortfall in fighter aircraft. But with LM stating that it will take 36 months from contract signing to delivering the first aircraft and with Paper-NG having her FOC onlee in 2025/2026, the IAF will be waiting for a LONG time indeed.

Of course, and that just demonstrates the potential of even more contact with LM.

So basically like you said earlier, there is always room for improvement

[srai]

what's the current LCA manufacture rate?
what's the current F-35 manufacture rate?

How many F-35s ordered VS how many LCA ordered?

[Rakesh]

saar, why are you asking logical questions? tsk...tsk...tsk....

[Karan M]

this guy reminds me of the american version of that obnoxious rafale fanboy who would constantly post here about how great the rafale was and how bad the su-30, lca etc were and only rafale would be purchased.
each time welch goes on his evangelical posturing about the mmrca, it seems more and more obvious the f-teens wont be chosen

[Karan M]

will, the facts are the facts and the numbers about india's manufacturing prowess speak for themselves. you have an issue with the current PM, vote against him if you will but don't sling mud on the forum and its members for talking up india's achievements. its quite ironic that on the one hand you claim everyone here is for india and then in the same breath you castigate rakesh for merely having posted a bunch of media links about indian manufacturing. by comparing the forum to some random site and getting upset, you are wearing your political views on your shoulder and then imposing them on others.

[GeorgeWelch]

Is the manufacturing ability not geared for fast manufacturing or is it limited to other reasons? For eg: one could be our ability to afford so many fighters in a financial year?

I could look at the amount invested in the Rafale and then the amount they're looking at investing in MiI single engine fighter and then the amount they're looking at investing in a naval fighter, and the amount they're investing in LCA currently and the amount they're investing in MKI production, it does not appear that money is the limiting factor

Assuming it does not exist, If we add this skill how will it change things for us?

already addressed

What portion of the value chain will that bring to the table?

Not having to rely on foreign designed planes, even if a substantial percentage of components are still imported, would be quite a savings

How many fighters a year do we need to produce to counter pakistan/china?

More than HAL can build by hand.

[GeorgeWelch]

We do not need to know how to assemble 4th generation planes. We have been doing it on the Su-30MKI and on the Tejas.

Not really. HAL can do their hand assembly, but they can't really scale up efficiently.

That's why it's time to give someone else the opportunity to make a true, scalable assembly line.

Bakwaas bandh kar! The folks who developed the Tejas did not lose one single plane during her development. NOT ONE.

It doesn't matter how well they handcraft each plane if you don't have enough of them to matter.

Three aircraft are now in service with No.45 Flying Daggers Squadron of the IAF. Yes, onlee three, but still

What are 3 aircraft going to do to China?

Now let us examine how many F-16s crashed during its development. AFAIK, one belly landed. Here is the video...

Again you're confusing design issues and manufacturing issues. However, the F-16 was on the bleeding edge of design while the LCA is a very conservative, well-understood design.

What happened to your rapid assembly to tight standards now? OTOH, we can teach you a few things on how not to belly land planes

1. Design issue not manufacturing issues
2. That was over 40 years ago. The industry has come a long way in 40 years.

This contract is about an existing plane, so there is little to no design work, so that's irrelevant to this discussion. But the ability to quickly and efficiently manufacture while maintaining tight quality control is very much of interest.

Dude, you guys parroted this same nonsense during the first MMRCA contest. Still you guys lost.

And clearly I was right. They ignored cost and ended up with this ridiculous situation where they are spending tremendous amounts of money for not enough Rafales to be useful. If they had gotten SH to begin with, you could have had just one fighter everywhere, greatly saving costs. Instead you're going to end up with a runt group of Rafales, a completely separate 'single engine fighter' and yet another fighter for the Navy

You repeat the same thing again

Because I'm still right

you will get the same result

That would be unfortunate for India

As you so eloquently put in your post, F-35. Put that on the table. Changes everything. Same company, same manufacturing philosophy no? We can learn about rapid assembly to tight standards while wearing tight undies

It has been informally offered several times, but India has never shown any interest. If India wanted it, they could get it. But they don't want it, so . . .

Hai! Hai! Kya Dialogue Mara! If the project & technology director of the Tejas has said - as explained above - that 16 aircraft will be produced a year, then that is what will happen. You do not get to determine what is reasonable.

I didn't determine what is reasonable, the IAF did, and they want 42 squadrons. Even 16 a year is a drop in the bucket compared to the need.

Onlee the design of the AMCA has been frozen. Not a single prototype has been built yet. So that argument of yours is moot.

How so? Once it is ready, India will want it to enter service quickly. Having production drag out over multiple decades does not serve India's needs.

Oh yes, India is indeed facing a huge shortfall in fighter aircraft. But with LM stating that it will take 36 months from contract signing to delivering the first aircraft and with Paper-NG having her FOC onlee in 2025/2026, the IAF will be waiting for a LONG time indeed.

So you should just give up and say we'll never produce planes fast enough? Rome was not built in a day. A modern assembly line is just one of many components necessary for a fully indigenous fighter force, but you just have to keep attacking the problem

[Cybaru]

More than HAL can build by hand.

How do you guys build?

[Rakesh]

More than HAL can build by hand.

How do you guys build?

Using Robots Onlee See below. So Advanced! We SDREs bend the metal by hand



Robots are also used for F-35 production. See again. That is a robot sitting on a chair. So life like no?



Tejas Production...so SDRE. Shame, Shame!

[Rakesh]

this guy reminds me of the american version of that obnoxious rafale fanboy who would constantly post here about how great the rafale was and how bad the su-30, lca etc were and only rafale would be purchased.
each time welch goes on his evangelical posturing about the mmrca, it seems more and more obvious the f-teens wont be chosen

Saar, I now understand what it means to get the ball rolling. The poster forgot to put 's' after the word ball. Allow me to explain. I may get banned for this, but oh well!

Rapid Assembly to Tight Standards only occurs when wearing Tight Undies. That causes balls to roll (words such as squeeze and compressed can also be used)...hence the term get the balls rolling. This result of balls rolling causes acute pain which forces one to speed up production. Since the production line is coming, I am sure tight undies come along with them. As long as they are new & fresh and not used, we should be good no?

Allow me to add 'condescending' to Evangelical Posturing. And you are right...it appears F-Solah may not be chosen after all.

[GeorgeWelch]

Allow me to add 'condescending' to Evangelical Posturing.

*shrug* And yet HAL's underperformance in speedy manufacturing remains something that needs to be addressed. I'm hardly the first person on this forum to point it out.

And you are right...it appears F-Solah may not be chosen after all.

So you're saying that the India's best decision makers with access to far more information than any of us are influenced by these rambling discussions? That's pretty insulting to them actually.

[Rakesh]

And yet HAL's underperformance in speedy manufacturing remains something that needs to be addressed. I'm hardly the first person on this forum to point it out.

Well as per you, HAL is not going to manufacture these single engine fighters no? So why are you concerned what HAL is doing or not doing?

So you're saying that the India's best decision makers with access to far more information than any of us are influenced by these rambling discussions? That's pretty insulting to them actually.

Far from it. They don't need to read this rambling discussion to decide what is best for them. They have already decided

Just seeing you whining brings back fond memories from the previous MMRCA discussion and how you were so confident that your teens would be chosen.

Not really. HAL can do their hand assembly, but they can't really scale up efficiently. That's why it's time to give someone else the opportunity to make a true, scalable assembly line.

So what does LM do to assemble planes? Use Robots?

I didn't determine what is reasonable, the IAF did, and they want 42 squadrons. Even 16 a year is a drop in the bucket compared to the need.

How is LM even going to fulfill that need when LM has said it usually takes 36 months from contract signing before the first aircraft is delivered. And we are still in the RFI stage. There is the RFP stage, technical evaluation stage, negotiation stage and then the contract signing. Indian bureaucracy takes forever. At the rate the SP policy was finalized (took them over a year to write the one chapter of SPP!), this tamasha is going to take a long time. How long is LM planning to keep this line open waiting for India?

So you should just give up and say we'll never produce planes fast enough? Rome was not built in a day. A modern assembly line is just one of many components necessary for a fully indigenous fighter force, but you just have to keep attacking the problem.

Why give up? Once LM transfers the line, we should match the same number of production as in Forth Worth no?

Even taking a compressed timeframe and if we sign that contract by 2019, transfer the line by 2020, it will take time to complete 100+ aircraft. And since HAL is not going to be involved in this, where is this trained workforce going to come from to assemble these planes?

If handled properly, it can be much more than that and make a substantive difference

Please explain how it will make a substantive difference.

Make in India is more sophisticated than just assembly, but I think the first step is to not let HAL anywhere near it. As you mentioned, they've had plenty of opportunities and haven't done anything with it.

Okay if it is more "sophisticated" than assembly, please explain in what areas does India need to be taught sophistication. We are not getting radar technology, we are not getting engine technology. Would you agree on that? LM is not expected to part with that. So other than assembling the fighter, from the vast global supply base, what else are we doing?

Someone mentioned learning how to market the fighter. So I ask again, is India allowed to market and sell the fighter to the following countries? Venezuela? Iran? Syria? Myanmar? Vietnam?

[Rakesh]

Just thinking out aloud about the technical evaluation stage - since neither plane exists, what plane is the IAF going to fly to determine their technical merits?

[NRao]

Ran across this comment by Edward Linhart (in AWST on the AMCA article):

Edward Linhart on Feb 24, 2017
I was in India on the Tejas program in 2014. I recommended some parts be changed to machine parts from sheet metal. They also could have redesigned some of the sheet metal parts for produceability. The main issue was the lack of understanding on adding sub-assembly positions to achieve rate(which I recommended and helped them on the design concepts). HAL was getting more modern by going to automated drilling machines which will be a great improvement for production. HAL was supposed to be at a four per month rate and was at a four per year rate. I attribute that problem to thinking in a proto type method. I hope that my contribution achieved getting them into a production mode.

I was impressed by their young engineers. They only needed some training to allow them to jump ahead on the learning curve. I understand that all of the training has been accomplished now.

I was asked to help them on the stealth design. However, when answering my question on who was helping them on the design, the answer was the Russians. That is when I stated that there was no way I could help them if I wanted to keep a security clearance.

I believe they are geared to not make the same mistakes as they did on the Tejas. However, they have a ways to go on composite technology.

[Cybaru]

Edward Linhart
Edward Linhart on Feb 24, 2017
HAL was supposed to be at a four per month rate and was at a four per year rate.

I was asked to help them on the stealth design. However, when answering my question on who was helping them on the design, the answer was the Russians. That is when I stated that there was no way I could help them if I wanted to keep a security clearance.

4 per month is 48 per year. There is no way that number is right and his comments seem extremely exaggerated. This is not a 2 year run but a 9 year ramp-up & run.

Russians or No Russians, he will need all sorts of clearances before he can help! So that seems a bit off too! I am sure there are others here who can comment on this.

[NRao]

The imp part:

I attribute that problem to thinking in a proto type method. I hope that my contribution achieved getting them into a production mode.

Anyways.

[Cybaru]

Really not sure about design capabilities, he seems like a supply chain guy.

http://www.ecbb-3dplm.com/Pages/default.aspx

[Cybaru]

The imp part:

I attribute that problem to thinking in a proto type method. I hope that my contribution achieved getting them into a production mode.

Anyways.

Seems like impression about prototype mode from couple of years ago?

=I was in India on the Tejas program in 2014

[Philip]

Please read Sandeep Unnithan's cover feature in IT ,"unmade in India",about the entire defence industry's woes at home and who are responsible for the same. The poor delivery /performance of DPSUs coupled with babudom's tentacles and red tape,plus a suspicion ny the establishment of pvt. India industry is stifling the goal and task of greater indigenisation,better quality of desi products and providing the armed forces with the eqpt. they need at the right time,right price and right number. Even when they provide a good product,it is delayed and too little rorcing crisis imports as was done recently for mundane items like ammo,etc. from Russia and Israel,over a billion$$,so that we can fight intensely for a week!

It is an excellent report,giving facts and figs,plus lists key items chosen but not "cooked"and served" as yet.The Modi regime is still hobbled by babudom and in another US report elsewhere about IN and USN naval cooperation,it warns that despite Mr. Modi's push for greater cooperation,there is strong resistance in the establishment about certain aspects of the cooperation. We and the Chinese are on the same side when it comes to EEZ and other maritime issues. There appears from this report to be a great reluctance in India to be drawn into a maritime spat with China by joining a US led naval alliance,akin to a de-facto Asian NATO.

What is striking about the "SE fighter" requirement is to somehow,shove a "square peg" Solah or SH into a "round hole",thus tying our bootstraps to those of Uncle Sam. The US def. establishment is making a massive pitch to "capture and control" the Indian armed forces,especially as our strategic deterrent and ABM defences mature. Once we possess the two in all aspects and deploy both systems in strength,we will be arguably "immune" to the provocations and pressure from any nation. The plot to control our civil and weapons-related N-capability ( and stunt our FBR programme) was attempted through the N-deal. Here,we had to segregate our N-weapons establishments from civil power production and the hope was to bind us into a perpetual fuel "marriage" with the west through their supply of fuel for their N-plants.This hasn't taken place becos of our N-Liability Bill,very necessary after the Bhopal catastrophe,where US MNC Union Carbide ,and their chairman, were allowed to escape their liability of $billions. With Russia agreeing to the Indian safeguards,the western major N-plant OEMs are in a bind. The KKNPP was thus ubject to sabotage by western paid agitators,which delayed the plan'ts opening by a whole year!

Thus,the nation has no option but to press ahead with LCA dev. and production,fielding whatever HAL can build with the whip at its back. Here too the pvt. sector can also open another prod. line with a guaranteed order of 100+ aircraft,just as Tata's want an order for 100 LTAs.Why can't the BJP govt. go ahead with this as it fully fits in with the "Make/made in India" mantra of Mr.M? The light fighter shortfall could be covered by other options,"more of the same types in service" (more Rafales,MIG-29/35s,Jaguars,MKIs) ,and if there is still a need,the Gripen seems the best choice. To avoid another sanctions possibility,we must also develop an LCA tech-demo fighter with an EJ TVC engine. That work should start right now s the basis for the Mk-2.

The whole point of the MMRCA requirement was to augment the IAF with a western multi-role aircraft and thus prevent us from putting all our eggs in the Ru basket.There is no point in doing exactly the same with the light fighter need,putting our engine eggs into Uncle Sam's basket,who notoriously through sanctions delayed the LCA project for sev. years! At least the LCA's future variants will be less liable to sanctions from the Zero-peons who are in a crisis over Brexit.

[Rishi Verma]

The imp part:

I attribute that problem to thinking in a proto type method. I hope that my contribution achieved getting them into a production mode.

Anyways.

Nrao Ji that's a good documented evidence you got. To be in "prototype method" vs "production mode". And what minor design changes need to be carried out with DFM methodology to make the design as conducive to manufacture as it is to performance. It's easier said than done but can be done and it's not done on LCA thus the low production numbers and thus the need to import. There are major subsystems made by different entities (landing gear by HAL, composites by NAL, other parts by L&T etc) and there really needs to be a single program office that cracks the whip on every stake holder. There is no other way. HAL establishing 2nd line etc will not increase efficiency of manufacture.

Also HAL should be broken down into rotary and fixed wing manuf divisions. Right now their plate is full with helicopter design and manufacture and they have a list of excuses ready when they can't and won't deliver the 83 odd Mk1A as promised.

GeorgeWelch +108

[Indranil]

increasing production rate of LCA could use some help. And if this guy did help, thanks to him.
But I can tell you that evil Yindoos are going alone on the RCS effort other than the RAM coatings. The RCS figures of the desi fighter has stayed with the Indians. We have full scale RCS measurement facility at JOdhpur. You heard Dr. Tamilmani refer to it for the upcoming RCS measurement of a full scale metallic model of Ghatak. That facility has been in use for a while. Let me leave it at that.

[NRao]

* Is Dr. Tamilmani still around? I thought he had retired. Great news about RCS. Now if they can build a good all around wind tunnel and an all weather test facility ......

* Ed Linhart used to be the VP for Global Production for the F-35. He retired in 2007. CY, the citing you have have is his own company on Supply Chains AND Design. He apparently was in India in that capacity.
* Yes, in 2014

* RV. I have no idea why there are issues with products like the PCS - outside of the fact it is the first product. Especially with a sister institution like ISRO. Even the sky is not the ceiling

* Philip, any URL? Thx.

*GW. I had wrapped everything you pretty much posted in " manufacturing processes". I would also add two things: supply chain, especially the software. And, the issue is not about India getting to a point, India always will, but it is about when. Point being users cannot afford to wait. And cumulative wait - in multiple products - could be crippling. Anyways .....

[Philip]

The IT site should have the cover story. I bought the issue from the news stand.

[GeorgeWelch]

Well as per you, HAL is not going to manufacture these single engine fighters no? So why are you concerned what HAL is doing or not doing?

First you understand the problem then you understand the solution. If the problem is both rapid manufacturing prowess and increasing your aerospace industrial base, the LM is clearly the better choice than Saab. LM just operates at a different scale and is far more likely to come back to industrial partners in the future.

brings back fond memories from the previous MMRCA discussion and how you were so confident that your teens would be chosen.

I was confident the SH was the best choice (and still am). I never expressed any belief about what India would actually do.

How is LM even going to fulfill that need when LM has said it usually takes 36 months from contract signing before the first aircraft is delivered.

LM is never going fulfill India's need for rapid indigenous production because they aren't Indian.

What they can do is give their Indian partner experience in the field and increase the local supplier base so that 'next time' their partner will be ready to do it themselves.

This is all about building for the future

Why give up? Once LM transfers the line, we should match the same number of production as in Forth Worth no?

It isn't just about one line, it's about applying that experience to other applications. Such as an LCA line or an AMCA line.

Please explain how it will make a substantive difference.

When the AMCA is ready, it's the difference between inducting 8 a year and inducting 30 a year.

So I ask again, is India allowed to market and sell the fighter to the following countries? Venezuela? Iran? Syria? Myanmar? Vietnam?

Again, it's not about the F-16, it's about applying those skills to future indigenous projects that you will be able to sell around the world.

[Viv S]

what's the current LCA manufacture rate?
what's the current F-35 manufacture rate?

What is the current Su-30MKI manufacture rate? Ans: 16/yr.
What is the current F-16 manufacture rate? Ans: 10/yr.

What is the proposed F-16 production rate in India? Most likely 16/yr.
Tejas production rate. 16/yr (deliveries 2019 onwards).

On the Tejas v F-16 issue:

F-16:
Aluminium - 78.4%
Steel - 17.8%
Composite - 9.8%

Tejas:
Aluminium - 40%
Steel - 4.5%
Composite - 45%

Its just plain silly to suggest that India go from serial manufacture of one metal airframed (Su-30) to serial manufacture of another metal airframe (F-16), to gain the experience require to scale up production on a more modern composite airframe (Tejas).

Nevermind the fact that the two will be built at different facilities by different companies.

There is a world of difference between hand building everything and a true assembly line

The prototypes were hand built. Production units are not.

Rapid assembly to tight standards is an important skill.

Production rate - 16/yr
Mfg tolerance - upto 80 microns.

[Viv S]

I was confident the SH was the best choice (and still am). I never expressed any belief about what India would actually do.

The F-16 & SH are both dead-end platforms that have been rendered pointless with the advent of the F-35.

Its just a stupid idea to buy an F-16 for $65 mil or a SH for $75 mil when the F-35A is available for $85 mil and wiping the floor with the other two. Although being a stupid idea there's a good chance the MoD will go that way (not unlike the US DoD that might still order more SHs despite the F-35C being available).

[Cybaru]

Really not sure about design capabilities, he seems like a supply chain guy.
http://www.ecbb-3dplm.com/Pages/default.aspx

* Ed Linhart used to be the VP for Global Production for the F-35. He retired in 2007. CY, the citing you have have is his own company on Supply Chains AND Design. He apparently was in India in that capacity.
* Yes, in 2014

Yes, I noticed that it is his own company. The reason I posted the link was to point out he is a supply chain/process guy and not a stealth designer like his message came across. I was trying to understand things in context and share for others as well.

I also wanted to highlight that his comments were valid for 2014 when we only had a few prototypes and we were still in mid testing phase (Pre IOC)

I thought the interesting bit from Ed Linharts comment was : "I was impressed by their young engineers. They only needed some training to allow them to jump ahead on the learning curve. I understand that all of the training has been accomplished now."

[NRao]

Really not sure about design capabilities, he seems like a supply chain guy.
http://www.ecbb-3dplm.com/Pages/default.aspx

* Ed Linhart used to be the VP for Global Production for the F-35. He retired in 2007. CY, the citing you have have is his own company on Supply Chains AND Design. He apparently was in India in that capacity.
* Yes, in 2014

Yes, I noticed that it is his own company. The reason I posted the link was to point out he is a supply chain/process guy and not a stealth designer like his message came across. I was trying to understand things in context and share for others as well.

Actually, his firm claims both, supply chain and design.

However, to your point, he is a production guy - was the VP at LM for the F-35.

So he takes a design and if need be he suggests a better alternative from a production point of view - without changing the design. The first paragraph is just that. He is not suggesting change in design, but a change in the way the part is made.

I also wanted to highlight that his comments were valid for 2014 when we only had a few prototypes and we were still in mid testing phase (Pre IOC)

Very true on your conclusions. But, production people look into the future. The assumption is what they see will carry into the future. If anything changes in the design of the product, they revisit the production aspect of it - the way it is made.

I thought the interesting bit from Ed Linharts comment was : "I was impressed by their young engineers. They only needed some training to allow them to jump ahead on the learning curve. I understand that all of the training has been accomplished now."

That has been my take for a while. If a few million Indians can make a difference by leaving the country, imagine what those that stayed behind can do. HTT-40 is a great example. And of course, ISRO, which seems to have caught the attention of some US Senators. : ) Seems like ISRO built a high alt test facility. Recently.

And it's not like things in the US are great. There is ample politics and back stabbing, etc here too.

[Cybaru]

Actually, his firm claims both, supply chain and design.

However, to your point, he is a production guy - was the VP at LM for the F-35.

So he takes a design and if need be he suggests a better alternative from a production point of view - without changing the design. The first paragraph is just that. He is not suggesting change in design, but a change in the way the part is made.

Aren't we all extrapolating way too much just based on some post which had amazing amount of hyperbole built into it already (need to be at 48 vs 4)? Unless you have talked and interviewed the guy extensively, I am not sure we should do that. I would leave it at them being some persons opinion and not a fact finding mission on the state of affairs at the moment.

[ramana]

The IT site should have the cover story. I bought the issue from the news stand.

From Spinster:

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/defe ... 89372.html

[Rakesh]

Good posts Viv_S. +110 to you!

On the Tejas v F-16 issue:

F-16:
Aluminium - 78.4%
Steel - 17.8%
Composite - 9.8%

Tejas:
Aluminium - 40%
Steel - 4.5%
Composite - 45%

I checked Paper-NG's composite content. Even that has a higher composite content than the F-Solah!

It is around 30% for the Gripen. See below...

https://defenseissues.net/2013/02/16/sa ... -analysis/

To minimize weight, 30% of the structure is carbon-fibre composite. Aircraft is inherently unstable, and SAAB claims that it is first inherently unstable canard fighter to enter production.

[GeorgeWelch]

The F-16 & SH are both dead-end platforms that have been rendered pointless with the advent of the F-35.

Same for the Rafale. The difference is that the SH is actually affordable.

[Cybaru]

The F-16 & SH are both dead-end platforms that have been rendered pointless with the advent of the F-35.

Same for the Rafale. The difference is that the SH is actually affordable.

So buy dead platforms because they are affordable? Bargain bin shopping at thrifty discount store??