How is the Rafale in a different class than the F18 E/F? If you can have Raffles for MRCA, surely F18 e/f can also contend. If they want to stay lighter, MiG 35 and Gripen are the only options and for obvious reasons, the MiG 35 is the best bet.

Only problem with 250 MKI is that it is 2 seater a/c. Translates into problems in terms of pilots available ( i believe they have 2 sets per a/c, Harry or George or Nick could confirm this). A Single seat version (similar to Su 35BM) ought to make this more practical.

REgards,
USS.

Thats what i want to see more single seat aircraft in the IAF so that we dont have such dramas about pilots etc!

With the avionics and weapons management systems on the EFA they have managed to overcome the need for a WSO it can be done on the Su-30Mki also! how much further would it go faster would it fly if it didnt have to carry the life systems for two men! and only had to worry about the one!

can we not just call it THE NEW SUPER GUPPY?

Well i once went into this local “Indian” restaraunt and found on the menu “NESHELI MURGHI” which is DRUNKEN CHICKEN to people who arent up with the language.

Now having witnessed a Drunken Chicken Curry i dont see any problem in having a STEALTHY CHICKEN.

I just can not wait for the coming wave of anti anti anti ballistic missile interceptors. 😀

Naah that will never ever happen! all the engineers on the projects will go mad trying to decide the nomencleture of a Anti-Anti-Anti Ballistic missile interceptor, before they get to the produtiong phase.

What is the situation on the helmets? Have they shifted to Kevlar helmets?

The IAF needs to get all there air defences networked and i think that is what the airticle is talking off, for true Network centric warfare the IAF IN and IA need to be linked and that is another ball game.

It seems that with all the modernisation the Army is being neglected maybe the ground reality is different, but the IN is buying new ships and warfare systems and the IAF is buying new Aircraft. but the Army still doesnt have the Artilary it wanted or the Tanks (thanks to the Arjun fiasco) and is still waiting for better body protection gear.

i am prob out dated in this opinion but would like to know either way.

Dhruvs Perform Daring Missions In Flood-Hit Areas

(Source: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.; issued Aug. 17, 2006)

The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, has once again become the saviour of several lives in the face of a natural calamity.

Dhruvs, operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and ONGC, were instrumental in saving people from flood-affected areas in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

In areas like Bhadrachallam, Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh and Nanded, Nagpur in Maharashtra, three Dhruv helicopters flew 60 hours in three days, distributing around 20 tons of food and water to people who were stranded.

Around 320 people were rescued from floodwaters. This included seven people who were winched from the top of a stranded bus in Mahekar, close to Bidar.

In another case, 262 people were evacuated from two marooned villages close to Nagpur. The helicopters also did low hovering over flooded areas and rescued lying casualties and those who took shelter over treetops.

On its part, the ONGC operated one Dhruv copter for rescue operations in its Surat Hazira plant, apart from dropping food and water packages in Surat and surrounding areas.

The copters carried out the operations in extremely testing conditions. Low-cloud ceiling, poor visibility, strong winds and rain made the mission more challenging.

Wg Cdr C.D. Upadhyay, Chief Test Pilot, HAL, said that the latest operations proved the capabilities of ALH to carry out its mission in adverse climatic conditions. “We are proud that our machines played a key role in saving so many lives. We once again salute the spirit of IAF and its boys,” Upadhyay said.

-ends-

From what i know from ex RAF chaps serving in Saudi nearly all of there things were done by ex pats.

I was also told by my lecturers how the Saud kids would come to the uk and wouldnt like to be told they were wrong or did bad and threw tantrums regularly if they didnt do so well. The exams were too hard for their poor rich heads aparently. Maybe they mistook Engineering for Computing or something.

Anyways didnt the Saudis buy a shed load of Tornados during the 90s?