Posted on 05/12/2011 8:44:57 AM PDT by Cardhu
“The jets offered were not the jets built “decades ago.” If they were that stupid to know the difference, then there is no hope for them.”
Even if they’re upgraded, it’s still old stuff.
“Offer the JSF. . .as if. . . giving one of the most corrupt third-world countries in the world access to JSF technology. Sure.”
The europeans did. So they made clearly the better offer.
Let him be dismayed. From what I’ve read and seen, the IAF has had its heart and mind set on the Rafale for awhile, and that IMO will be the eventual winner.
I’ve seen on Livefist allegations from a supposedly reputable source on corruption involving people close to Dassault and the Indian govt. Dunno how accurate, but wouldn’t surprise me. Even then, Rafale was probably always going to win this contest.
The F-16 was a non starter from the get go. The F-18 is anything but old fashioned. Containing 3rd gen AESA (while the Euros are still putting together a first gen and havent finished) and probably the most adv avionics (the Prowler option would have been unbeatable perhaps), the -18 was nothing to sneeze at. This completely escaped the Rafale fanbois on the Indian forums.
However, we had nothing to offer on ToT and plenty against us (CISMOA etc), and in the end that probably kept the -18 off the shortlist. The French are promising the world, and I’m sure will charge India the world as well. Their problem.
How do you know? Did you read the IAF’s report?
Silly. The current F-18 is newer than the Typhoon and Rafale in many respects. If F-18 is decades old, so are the Euro-canards.
Those “allegations” are laughable to say the least. Subramaniam Swamy, the fellow who made those claims, pretty much makes his living out of targeting Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the ruling Congress party. The claims are too idiotic to even be considered laughable-if ‘Italian’ links were so important (since Sonia is an Italian by birth), why didn’t Eurofighter use it??
If these allegations are remotely credible, why is it that the other contenders and OPPOSITION political parties aren’t jumping on it. It’s not like India’s politicians and media remain quiet on a scandal.
You still don’t seem to be interested in answering why people diss the Super Hornet on it’s aerodynamics-why is it that people keep crapping on it regarding its range, its turn rates and speed? India has purchased almost 10 billion USD worth of weaponry from US companies-the same restrictions on technology transfers existed there; so why did the Indian military buy it. Because those systems had significant advantages over the rest.
If the decision making process in India is as corrupt as you claim, how come Boeing, Lockheed Martin and GE have won billions in contracts since 2005?? Why did Boeing and LM participate in this tender if it was a corrupt cesspool where they stood no chance?
Was that to me? I’m not sure what you’re getting at, I never made claims the F-18 was the perfect plane, even for India.
You said the Super hornet is better than the Euro-canards. Sure it is-everyone knows that its the most mature product on offer. But those improvements in avionics do not compensate for the drawbacks in design which I was alluding to.
Considering that the Typhoon (2003) and Rafale (2006) entered service more then twenty years after the F-16 (1980) and -18 (1978), there's not a lot of shame in that.
Negative, I said it was nothing to sneeze at. It’s the canard fanbois who trash it, OTOH, that are mistaken. No plane is perfect, and each of them had drawbacks, it was up to India to determine what was most important. I don’t think they chose wrong but that is not to say the planes they didn’t choose are inferior...which is a popular sentiment it seems.
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