Posted on 09/14/2005 5:23:36 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
Bangalore, September 14: The US has offered to sell eight P-3C Orion naval reconnaissance aircraft to India and New Delhi is examining the proposal, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash said today.
The US has offered to modernise eight old P-3C Orion planes and supply to India, he told reporters here.
"We are examining that offer," the Naval Chief said.
Admiral Prakash said India needs some maritime reconnaissance aircraft as "we lost a few and some have retired." "So, we are looking out for a replacement. This (the US offer) is one of the candidates."
Russia has also offered to sell naval reconnaissance aircraft to India, said the Naval Chief who earlier inaugurated the 46th annual conference of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine here.
Pakistan has recently taken delivery of eight P-3C Orion patrol aircraft from the US. The planes, worth up to USD 970 million, were provided free of cost.
Orions, manufactured by US defence firm Lockheed Martin, are long-range maritime patrol aircraft with an endurance of 18 hours, reports said.
On the Scorpene submarines deal with France, the Naval Chief said once India starts producing submarines, "our force level will be adequate to meet any threat."
He said India would build six submarines at Mazgaon dock in Mumbai under license from the French.
"From the date the contract is signed which should be very shortly, the first submarine should be out in five or six years," Admiral Prakash said.
"After the first production of six submarines is over, we will design and produce our own submarines," he said.
"We are required to have certain force level of submarines which were slowly running down because they were getting old and being decommissioned," he added.
Admiral Prakash said China is helping Pakistan to build a commercial port but it's not a cause for concern for New Delhi "at this moment."
Asked if he anticipated "much more than that" (Chinese going beyond helping Pakistan in port building), he said, "We are watching. We will see what happens in the future. We are prepared for any future developments. At this moment, there is no cause for concern or alarm to us."
The Naval Chief said he was unaware of any move by Beijing to set up a naval intelligence unit in Pakistan or a naval base there.
He said about Rs 300 crore has already been invested in designing and developing naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft. Once it receives certification, expected in 2011 or 2012, it will fly from "both of our aircraft carriers."
On the seabird naval base at Karwar "INS Kadamba", he said it is one of the largest and most capable bases that India has and is meant to relieve the load from the Mumbai Port, which is very congested.
"Over the years, we will shift many units from Mumbai to Karwar that includes an aircraft carrier," he said.
Asked about the recent naval helicopter crash in the jungles of Belgaum, he said the inquiry is going on. He said one crewmember survived the crash, while four died. One is still missing.
I don;t understand why people (here) would think India is a great friend of ours in this part of the world...
If you've been in the military, and have some intel background...You'll know they've always been an "orange" force to be factored into any battle plan...
Most of their hardware is Soviet cast-off stuff...But slap a coat of paint on them, and change the flag it flys under...And boom...Instant (one-more-thing-I-gotta-pay-attention-to) potential OpFor...
At least these P-3's (if they buy them) are a known factor...Its the surprises that get you...
Out of curiosity, during the Clinton Administration, what was our policy for material and technology transfers to countries like Taiwan, India, and Turkey?
What about to Saudi Arabia?
What are the differences between the strategic significances of our military alliances between the Clinton and Bush(43) Administrations?
Is my impression that President Bush's pursuit of encouraging the development of strategic partnerships with countries surrounding China correct, in that Clinton did not have a similar "strategy" in how his administration handled, sold, and distributed American military materials and technology? Or was Clinton's pattern of distribution and transfer geared toward the Cold War concept of balancing American power by giving away our technology and curbing the development of new military technologies, as an attempt to bring about a parity between our country and those who have positioned themselves on the other side as our enemies?
I remember during the 1990s, and one of the reasons I disliked the Clinton Administrations foreign policy was its adherence to the idea that an unopposed American Super Power was unacceptable.
I guess its because they are the largest democracy in the world, and not muslim lead like most others in the area.
We need *some* allies in the area, unless you think Pakistan is sufficient.....
India is a constitutional republic, with military subordinated to the civil authorities.
India has regular free elections, independent judiciary,
and a free press. Its not perfect but then noplace is.
India has a market based economy, enforces contracts,
and allows repatriation of profits.
We have a lot in common with India. We have not so much in common with its neighbors.
we need to play nice with India.
Pakistan is way up and down. Eventually logic tells that Musharaff will fall.
India is more or less a Democracy.
Add to that, they are quite a counter to the numbers (at least) of China.
Has anybody gone over to Jane's to see whether the P3s and sonobuoys we will be giving them can detect US subs?
I haven't but I think I will...
if we don't know how to beat our own hardware though, I will be extremely surprised.
Some people think Pakistan is a better friend than India ever will be...
See, we're too friendly with these people...They don't give a flip about us, nor should they...
I do believe we have a cordule relationship with India, Pakistan etc etc...They like our charity...
Beyond that, its a crap shoot...
I agree...
They like our $$$...
If they don't see it, or enough of it, they are very indifferent to our causes...
It used to be attractive for them to be able to suck out a lot of jobs from this country (via outsourcing), that trend is waning because of the quality of the work and services being performed...
Yes, they are all that, and a bag of chips to some...To me they are a speedbump on the road to future prosperity...
That may be true...
Trust but verify...In twenty years I have yet to see a big contribution to anything they could have been a big player in...
PG War #1, and even prior to that...
And they've been more of an world economic vacumn when it comes to good and services...
Yet, and I'll give you this...They do seem to be uneffected by those factors I just mentioned, because of their below the radar participation, if that...
They wouldn't be much use if they didn;t get them...
Installing/Outfitting with Russian equipment would involve major hardware and electronic changes to the aircraft, and delay their immediate usefulness...
Russiona sonarbouys are completely different animals than the stuff we have...Principles of detection are similar, but the electronic/signalling and processing of the information is almost 180 degrees opposite of how we do it...
Besides, the Indian Maritime forces already have Russian ASW A/C's and helicopter capability...
So they may just gut out the ASW stuff on these P-3's and outfit them accordingly...
Who knows...
Funny, isn't it, that we've been selling P-3Cs to Pakistan as well.
I'm pretty sure the P3C is late 80's technology
To be sure - India will never be an "ally" in the sense that you can manipulate their foreign policy or get them to take part in shady operations like Saudis or Pakistanis do, but India is also not going to say one thing and do another like our traditional "allies" in that part of the world. And unlike in the Cold War, India is fundamentally with us on the two biggest foreign policy challenges facing us in the 21st century - GWOT and China. That is why, we are doing what we are doing now - slowly build up links with thier military and political power players and let common interests guide the partnership. Remember that India, unlike Pakistan, pays for its weapons and can easily buy weapons from a number of suppliers who are all eager to sell. We are doing them no favor by offering existing technology such as the P-3Cs.
"I'm pretty sure the P3C is late 80's technology"
Well, the 80s was the last time I rode one, so...
But then, I don't think we've seen many advances in making submarines quieter since then, either.
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