mattI don’t think it’s maligned, I think it’s rightly criticised.
Will it drop in cost? So far, the costs just keep going up. And for nearby areas, I think aircraft would be faster. It isn’t going to outrun aircraft when running away from those ports it’s hit.
True and fair points but an aircraft could not bring sustained fire power or create a blockade..would not have the persistant that a naval vessel would and i know at that point the speed of the LCS is of little use.. but you would hope the speed is utilised to attain a good advantage ..
I am thinking of particular ports nearby Vietnam and Gwador…
http://www.naitazi.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/gwadar.jpg
mattIs the IN that rich? The LCS is probably the most expensive warship per ton, & per unit of firepower, one could buy.
I know its a maligned or semi maligned program but its not as if i am asking if the IN would buy the Zumwelt..
From what i understand the LCS will drop in costs when it gets into production… Plus having 1 or 2 LCS with that astounding speed would be very usefull for hitting ports in near by areas..
mattNever said it will cause IAF to become useless, but when it comes to
1) central development of tactics
2) pilot interoperability
3) training
4) spares
5) different weapon types
6) engineering skills
7) maintenence depots
8) ground equipment
9) basing planes at different basesIAF will be at a massive disadvantge.
1) I see that as a plus point, having it so that your enemies dont know whether your coming or going is a benifit, when you send out a wing of Su-30s send out droned versions of old Mig-21Bis’s
2) How many pilots move around from one squadron to another? Also why would the avionics and displays not be altered to keep same user interface? Same problems would be encountered when dealing with an airforce with varying tranches of aircraft, not all the aircraft will have the most upto date software or capabilities.
3) This may be a problem and would it really cost that much more? your not going to suddenly need completely new DACT equipment or telemetry are you? you can use the same training aids but yes the skills needed to make the best use aircraft may vary.. again not a bad position to be in when you are in the IAF’s position
4) You would need the same percentage of spares yes you would have different type and you could not canabalise one squandron type to make another squadron type work but would you want to put your AF in a position where they have to canabalise parts? it should never be in that position in the first place! IAF can not afford to repeat what happened in the 90s with helicopters. You may even find that you have lucked out because one of your types of aircraft has higher rediness levels and reliability then the others.
5) Why would different weapon types be a problem? you stay have to pay £1 – £2million each to whoever you buy your missiles from. Your storage depots will still be able to store the same volume of weapons. The one thing it does do is the there is a posibility that your enemy will not be able to use one tactic to jam all your weapons and weapons systems. Also it would not be difficult to use the same weapons across the fleet. nothing wrong with Meteor AAM being fitted out on Su-30MKIs or R-77 onto a Typhoon. when your paying $11 billion people will listen to your needs if you put it in the contracts early enough.
7) Maintenance again a red hairing, composite repair will be composite repair. you will have one process specification as your base and you will put into place aircraft specific supplementaries (1 – 4 page additions) to cater for any particulars (this is what actually would happen in a MRO facility and your engineers and operators would not have any issue going from one repair to another). LCA is composite, large portion of the Su-30 is probably composite, the Mig-29s have composite sections.. Yes there are other systems other than structures that may need repair but i would suspect most parts would require replacements and would come under a spares issue.
8) No comment do not know much about these
9) Why would the planes have to be based at different bases (do not understand this one)
Also remember most modern multi role aircraft are compromised.. an aero design which is good for air to air combat may not have the wing loading to fly low and fast for an attack role and vice a versa.
There is a very good reason why the USAF still want and have the F-22..
mattCould the IN become one of the first International customers of the LCS?
mattWhile we’re dreaming about all that, why not establish giant naval bases in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Vietnam as well?:D
Building the Anamans into a large base (fortress) is not a new idea and I believe i have read an artical where the IAF or atleast the IN intend to upgrade the airbase their.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTkHn8PhnKg
So not really much of a fantasy..Also not really a great difficulty in seeing Gripen C/D’s in IAF colours to be used in assymetric war…India can not afford to go toe to toe in a conventional encounter in the north. Gripen or Gripen NG (if it can still take off from rough strips) would be ideal for Indias environment.
India desperately needs its own version of Diego Garcia.. Maybe they can share rent with the US for that base…(not that is fantasy!)
India already has deals with Vietnam with regards to access to its Naval bases by Indian Submarines etc..
mattWho cares if it is a circus or not, people are sounding like having more than 3 types causes an airforce to suddently become useless..
not sure if that is the case or will ever be the case.
mattAny Chance our strategically bankrupt babus will take a hint and accelerate the deployment of Agni-III on the border?
Not sure if that would help..Get Indias anti balistic missile system up and running and hope there are enough batteries to ward of the CCS-5.
Also might be best to get a fighter jet that can take off from Roads, not just airfields..
Have these based closer to the front line instead of the Sukhois, and have the sukhois a great deal further back.
Maybe the right time now to not keep buying the best of the best of the best and buy something that can take off from rough landing strips relatively from the middle of no where..
It would also help to develop the andamans a lot more and turn it into an Island fortress
mattNothing that new here really..
China deploys new CCS-5 missiles on border with India
PTI, Aug 17, 2010, 12.27pm IST
WASHINGTON: China has moved new advanced longer range CSS-5 missiles close to the borders with India and developed contingency plans to shift airborne forces at short notice to the region, according to Pentagon.
Despite increased political and economic relationship between India and China, the Pentagon in a report to the US Congress said, tensions remain along the Sino-India borders with rising instances of border violation and aggressive border patrolling by Chinese soldiers.
However, a senior Defense Departmentofficial told reporters that the US has not observed any anomalous increase in military capabilities along the Sino-India border.
Noting that China continues to maintain its position on what its territorial claim is, the official said, the two capitals – Beijing and New Delhi – have been able to manage this dispute, in a way, using confidence-building measures and diplomatic mechanisms to be able to maintain relative stability in that border area.
“But it’s something that China continues to watch; but I wouldn’t say that there’s anything in this report that demonstrates a spike or an anomalous increase in military capabilities along the border.
“It’s something that China’s paying very careful attention to. It’s obviously something that India is paying careful attention to as well,” the Senior Defense Department official said.
In its annual report, the US Defence department said, to improve regional deterrence, the PLA has replaced older liquid-fueled, nuclear capable CCS-3 intermediate range missiles with more advanced and survivable fueled CSS-5 MRBMs.
“China is currently engaged in massive road and rail infrastructure development along the Sino-India border primarily to facilitate economic development in western China: improved roads also support PLA operations,” the Pentagon said.
The report presented to the Congress said despite increased political and economic relations over the years between China and India, tensions remain along their shared 4,057 km border, most notably over Arunachal Pradesh, which China asserts as part of Tibet and therefore of China, and over the Aksai Chin region at the western end of the Tibetan Plateau.
“Both countries, in 2009, stepped up efforts to assert their claims. China tried to block a USD 2.9 billion loan to India from the Asian Development Bank, claiming part of the loan would have been used for water projects in Arunachal Pradesh. This represented the first time China sought to influence this dispute through a multilateral institution,” the Pentagon said.
Read more: China deploys new CCS-5 missiles on border with India – India – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/China-deploys-new-CCS-5-missiles-on-border-with-India/articleshow/6324105.cms#ixzz0wqvJPAxW
matthow so ? all versions of r-77 are ARH.
I just wanted to know what version of the R-77 would not bring something to the table compared to a missile which has not been productionised yet.
mattother than the 20% thrust increase the rest of the upgrades put the SH ahead of the competition imo.
I am not sure if i agree with this. As far as I understand it, it is only when Boeing bring in the F/A-18E/F II+(+) that the Super Hornet starts to get competitive and match some of the capabilities that the IAF currently posses.
I am not sure if it is the block II+(+) that is being offered to the IAF, if it is the vanila SH then why should the IAF pay $11billion now and then a further $2 billion to catch up to the capabilities that the IAF has in its other aircraft 10 years down the line when the IAF can afford upgrades again.
Or if the IAF does go for the F/A-18 E/F and decides to go for upgrades in say 2-4 years thereafter then that is the same as the IAF paying $13billion to buy a made in USA price tag.
Only thing that the F/A-18 brings that the IAF do not have is AESA but to be honest when the Su-30MKI gets its upgrade that will be sorted out too.
No point in buying a complete package just to get a AESA radar, just buy the Radar. Or buy an aircraft that has plans to have a AESA radar in the future but has a full sensor fused suite.
mattare you seriously asking this or do you find it too difficult to google the status of the Astra ?
Are you seriously asking this because if you had read my post you would have noticed that i had asked it.
mattR 77 is operational Astra is undergoing captive trials. My point was we are well on our way to achieving an R 77 equivalant ARH missile indigenously. So R 77 ToT may not appeal much. Things would be different if it is a next gen missile like the Meteor.
Which version of the R-77 are you talking about here because when you say that the R-77 does not bring anything to the table and in the same line mention an R&D project like ARH things get confusing.
mattThe MIG 35 being much smaller may not be able to carry the giant Brahmos. India already has its ARH missile program in Astra. R77 type doesn’t bring much to the table, ToT for something like the Meteor and then we are talking 😀
Russia leased India the Nerpa an SSN and not an SSBN.
Is the astra and r77 operational?
mattBoeing Focuses On Super Hornet Technology Advancement Feature
(Source: ddi Indian government news; issued Aug. 11, 2010)
US aviation major Boeing on Wednesday said if India selects its Super Hornets for its USD 11 billion deal for 126 multi-role combat aircraft, it will be allowed to add advanced capabilities in the fighters as per future requirements.
“India would be able to participate as an International Super Hornet Roadmap customer, if desired, and could enhance future Indian Super Hornets… This (roadmap) will give the Indian Air Force flexibility over the years if they want to integrate or insert new technologies,” Boeing Defence, Space and Security India head Vivek Lall said in New Delhi.
Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F fighter aircraft is one of the six contenders in the race for supplying 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the IAF for the deal.
The company has recently announced a US Navy-funded and Boeing-developed International Super Hornet roadmap for the next 40 years which plans for maturing technologies and inserting them in the aircraft.
“Boeing also has a growth plan for international customers to ensure that Super Hornet meets the needs of international air forces such as the Indian Air Force which may differ from US’ requirements,” he added.
Lall said some of the technologies offered in the roadmap are already there in the aircraft on offer to the IAF. The roadmap will offer capabilities for enhanced survivability and enemy detection capabilities to its customers.
So Boeing proposes a plan by which, once the Indian MOD has spent $11Billion on its F/A-18E/F, India can spend another few billion to upgrade them in the future to match current capabilities of other MMRCA contendors!
mattSome solid news :
A400M Wing Passes Critical Test
The all-composite wing of the Airbus Military A400M new airlifter has passed the ultimate-load up-bend test – the critical static test required for certification.
During the test, performed in the presence of two representatives of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the wing was subjected to a load equal to 150% of the maximum bending load (limit load) predicted to be encountered in service.
The wingtips of the full-size A400M static test specimen moved upwards 1.41m (4.6ft) during the test which was completed at Airbus Military’s Getafe, Madrid facility on 22nd July.
Senior Vice President A400M Chief Engineer Alain Cassier said: “This successful test represents a major achievement for the A400M programme on its route to certification. We are all delighted to have passed this key milestone in the structural test programme, which further confirms the soundness of the A400M design.”
The A400M wing is assembled at the Airbus plant at Filton, Bristol (UK). The static test programme will continue in Madrid, (Spain) until mid-2011, while full-scale fatigue tests will be conducted on another test specimen in Dresden, (Germany) beginning later this year.
Publication Date: 07/08/2010
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