Shortlist to be announced in the first week of April, not long then.

I believe the decisions made will be on performance, cababilities, growth potential/future upgrades, what has already been pitched etc, etc and so on. So if its two or three, I think its likely to be something like this: In no particular order;

Typhoon – (I would be very, extremely surprised if it doesn’t make it through. I’m 100% certain it will make it throuigh and has the best offer, overall.)
Rafale – (I think it has a good chance to make it through and looks an attractive offer.)

For a third, it’ll probably be a US type just to keep them happy; F/A-18. IMO the only way the F/A-18 will win is with politics, same with the F-16, (it’d certainly be an anti-climax), they’re a long way off as far as performance and ToT is concerned compared to the Rafale and Typhoon and these are the areas India think is critical.

I would like to see the Gripen make it through but something is bothering me about it…I can’t quite put my finger on it…

F-16; Well what can I say, its an F-16…*yawn*

Mig-35…Not much to say about that one…Apart from I’m a bit of a fan of its earlier little sister, the Mig-29.

So anyway, Typhoon and Rafale to go through with a US type in the works. As I’ve said before on a few occasions, Eurofighter without doubt offer the better deal, Rafale offer a nice deal but I suspect its not as good as it really should be.

For me personally, the US types do not offer anything that amazing, especially in terms of performance and ToT. The US have kinda shot themselves in the foot about their comments towards/about HAL and what they’ve stated about what India can have and not have. For those reasons alone, I’d drop their offers in the bin & say; thanks, but no thanks, theres just no trust from you lot.

Lewis Page?…Yep, people that believe his dribble usually get plugged into the electric grid at the loony ward on weekends. I see at least two posters have got their electric bill in, went cuckoo and took Mr. Lewis – I haven’t got a clue about anything – Page’s nonsense! Please, oh dear. :rolleyes:

Again, from the MoD’s blog: http://www.blogs.mod.uk/defence_news/2011/03/defence-in-the-media-.html

And lets face it, if the Typhoon was really that “bad” or whatever, the MoD would pounce on it in a blink of an eye. And as I said before, its funny how the other Typhoon users haven’t mentioned anything about theres.

The Guardian newspaper reported criticism raised in the NAO report on the Typhoon programme. The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the criticisms within the report but these are mainly historic.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/22563/?SID=edbfc0cf98a595fbdeda1f92d4d9031e

Thanks Scorpion82

Perhaps, perhaps not. Operating costs will most likely be significnatly higher than for second-hand F-16 or Gripen.

Well its debatable, the Typhoon is made up of 70% carbon fibre which apart from being lightweight, very strong & can take an amazing amount of stress and quite easy to manufacture, its easier to maintain and lasts longer compared to the likes of titanium and what not. Although very expensive, it works out to be cheaper in the long run. Hence why Formula 1 teams use carbon fibre. Of course, with the F-16 and Gripen being lightweight, singled engined fighters and the Typhoon being a twin engined, medium fighter, the operating costs might be higher but how much life would the second hand Gripens and F-16’s have left in them? Especially the latter. Just depends on how old the airframes are and how much stress they’ve been through, the Typhoon T1’s are still relatively young, keeping in mind that the Typhoon was designed to operate at way higher performences.

News: U.K. pitch: free trade, Eurofighter and Hague

Japan can deepen ties with the United Kingdom in many areas, including via European free trade, efforts to mitigate climate change and purchase of the European mainstay fighter jet, said David Howell, British minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

London’s view: David Howell, British minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is interviewed at the British Embassy in Tokyo last week.Howell, visiting Japan last week for high-level exchanges, urged the government to adopt the Eurofighter Typhoon, which has been jointly developed by four European countries, including the U.K

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110302f2.html

As for Tranche 3 for India; Bernhard Gerwert stated that; the Eurofighter Typhoons delivered to the IAF will be the latest Tranche 3 aircraft with state-of-the-art electronic warfare sensors and communication systems.

So I believe with AESA, Helmet Mounted Symbology Systems, up to date SA, etc and with the ability to introduce whatever weapons the IAF want.

Cheers Scorpion82, I’ll check it out. 😉

Perhaps the case for Typhoon being the front runner is not that strong?

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/02/353798/nao-report-slams-uks-typhoon-acquisition.html

No wonder they are eager to get India as a partner to pay the bills.

Not see the pattern emerging? Trainee pilots binned, signs of two RAF bases threatened to get the chop, training hours chopped, Harrier took the bullet in the head, Nimrod took the bullet in the head, signs of Tornado being cut. Whos next? Ah, Typhoon…What can we (government) say? Oh yeah, costs!

Hardly surprising…

What next Hmmm F-35? You can be sure as hell that’ll be looked into next, again! Especially since we don’t know how much it’ll actually cost just yet.

I’d take these reports about the Typhoon with a pinch of salt, its rather “odd that they’ve just realised now” after how long has it been in service, 5-6 years. Funny how the other Typhoon users haven’t mentioned anything. Yep, odd.

I have little doubt this would affect its chances in India.

Last time I heard, or even checked I heard someone, I think from the RN a few years ago that if you put a single T45 Destroyer in the centre of the Thames river, it’ll be able to defend the whole of London from air threats. So if it really is capable of defending that much of air space, placing it at a respectable distance off shore Libya, it should be able to keep an eye out over a good amount of air space. I must admit, my knowledge of the T45 is limited so I’m not quite up to date of its capabilities, or should I say – what the public knows of it. So I need to look into it a little.

So having one or two T45’s and a few RAF Typhoons in and around Libya would be very effective. If they’re need that is.

If the US get involved in the No Fly Zones, I wonder if the USAF will send a few F-22’s? Nah maybe not. 😀