Posted on 01/22/2014 2:00:55 AM PST by cunning_fish
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has done a stunning about-turn, sharply criticising the showpiece Indo-Russian project to co-develop a futuristic Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). Even as New Delhi and Moscow finalise a $6 billion deal to co-develop an FGFA with capabilities tailor-made for India, the IAF has alleged the Russians would be unable to meet their promises about its performance.
So vital is the FGFA considered for the IAF's future that Defence Minister A K Antony has publicly rejected any prospect of buying the American fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, declaring the FGFA would suffice. In 2007, New Delhi and Moscow highlighted the fighter's criticality by signing an Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) placing the project above MoD procurement rules. Moreover, Indian scientists say the expertise gained from the FGFA will provide crucial momentum for developing an all-Indian fifth generation fighter, designated the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Yet, with so much riding on the FGFA, the IAF has taken aback the MoD with its complaint that it would not be good enough. On December 24, in a meeting in New Delhi chaired by Gokul Chandra Pati, the secretary of defence production, top IAF officials argued the FGFA has "shortfalls… in terms of performance and other technical features."
Business Standard has reviewed the minutes of that meeting. The IAF's three top objections to the FGFA were: (a) The Russians are reluctant to share critical design information with India; (b) The fighter's current AL-41F1 engines are inadequate, being mere upgrades of the Sukhoi-30MKI's AL-31 engines; and (c) It is too expensive. With India paying $6 billion to co-develop the FGFA, "a large percentage of IAF's capital budget will be locked up."
(Excerpt) Read more at business-standard.com ...
You’d think that after the way the Russians tricked India with the Vikramaditya they would be a bit more leery about these seemingly great deals.
It seems like there is not that much a choice for them.
It’s time for everybody to re-think the basic concepts of aerial warfare to adapt affordable technology to the task. India sees the fundamental problem. Even if they get a deal here it ducks the oxygen out of the room and there’s little else the can afford.
SAY DIDN’T CASTRO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEMO WITH THE ROOOSKIES?
THEY ARE NOT REALIABLE FOLK.....I THINK IS HAS TO DO WITH THAT COCK A MAMIE COMMUNISM THING THEY GOT A GOIN’
The aircraft carrier was a trick? Do you mean in terms of capabilities?
The cost overruns were significant along with a missed delivery date.
That was for a used ship with uprades. FWIW, the Russians don’t build aircraft carriers. The yard that did those is in Ukraine.
Ahhh. Perhaps the Indians should buy the old French one and upgrade it?
Probably better off buying one from the Brits.
Brazil has a real carrier. I think they fly A-4’s.
Brazil bought it in 2000. Currently she's 8 years into a planned 5 year upgrade.
India has one under construction in a domestic shipyard.
The recent dust-up about the Indian diplomat is most likely in large part due to Putin paying off the right people in the Indian press and gov to make a stink about it.
Good article. I have always been suspicious of the Russian/Indian claims about that bird. All propaganda to one side, I simply do not think the Russians have sufficient numbers of engineers, skilled craftsmen, and industrial infrastructure to pull it off — certainly not at the numbers they were projecting.
Oh, they’ll build them eventually, but it will take a hell of a lot longer and cost a whole lot more than any of the timescales or budgets they have been talking about to date.
That’s where my reference to the Indian carrier come in. I can just imagine the indian Defense Ministry people talking to the Russians and thinking, “Here we go again! Sigh... Who has the Vasoline?”
Well that answers my question. I still wonder how this would do head to head against a MiG or F-15, all things being equal.
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