I can’t see In being interested in a 80 k tonne ship before they even learn to use a 40 K tonne ship. The F-18 has never interested the navy anyway. Too much to have 3 fighters in your modest fleet.

I can’t see india being stupid enough to go for F-18 when rafale and typhoon are available.

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/2011.asp

“Vice Admiral J.S. Bedi told this website’s newspaper, ‘‘First of all, the Hawkeye is too big. In light conditions, the endurance of the aircraft goes down from five to just one hour. And for an early warning aircraft to have the capability of staying for only one hour makes no sense. We have decided not to consider the Hawkeye.”

Matt that article is pretty old, at least a few months. And scooter I prefer the kuz to CDG anyday. I believe the E-2c shouldn’t have as much trouble taking off from Kuz as from gorky.

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=9399

India says ‘not yet’ to another assault ship from US

The United States has offered a second assault ship like the USS Trenton to India, but for the time being the Indian Navy has said “no” to another acquisition.

According to the India Strategic defence magazine, Indian naval officers have examined the USS Nashville, listed in the US Navy as an Austin-class Amphibious Transport Dock, “but that there was no movement on the US offer”.

The Indian Navy has also said ‘no’ to the highly sophisticated Northrop Grumman’s Hawkeye II — the all-weather carrier-based Tactical Airborne Early Warning Aircraft.

The reason is that its launch and recovery system is different from what would be available on board India’s indigenously developed carriers or INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov), which India is buying from Russia.

Indian Navy carriers have ramps for short-take-off-and-landing while the US carriers use steam-powered catapults and arrester wires.

Keep this to the vikramaditya and since its not a nuke powered ship drop the discussion on 123 and other nonsense.

Scooter..India is moving closer to everyone not just west. Its never going to be at the cost of russia unless something drastic happens. India’s purchase from west especially US will always remain a fraction of total procurement. Even today out of india’s total defense spending US share is what ? 1% ? The MRCa deal is likely to go europe’s way… I think people under estimate rafale’s chances.

USS Chicago I read somewhere.

Both american a/c’s have a very low chance of getting selected. The lockheed is just using the F-35 in a a rather pathetic attempt to swing some votes in favor of F-16. The F-35 is a 20 odd country program and there is no way IAF will get it before 2020 at the least. The PAk-FA has a higher chance of flying this decade that IAF or IN going for F-35. But then Just my opinion.

Interesting that you say India would be “very unlucky to get stuck with either deadend ships”! As the current INS Viraat (ex-HMS Hermes) was almost 40 years old when India purchased her from the UK and India will use her for at least another 25! Further, now that both the Vikramaditya and IAC are running years behind. I guess the India Navy will just have to make do “dead end or not”. I would add that the Vikramaditya (ex-Gorshkov) is 20 years old from commissioning and 30 years old since she was laid down. Which, will more than likely make her 30 years old by time she reaches India Service. Funny, how you have never referred the Vikranaditya as a deadend? :confused:

Saipan will remain with USN till it get scraped. IN has never been interested in it or F-35 :rolleyes: . It has been flogged for 40 years and will require the same amount if not more of reconstruction before it can be used as aircraft carrier (especially CTOL). The Gorky is dead end like vikrant because india does not learn how to make and design AC by acquiring these ships. This can only be solved by building IAC and not handing it to some euro yard.