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Fedaykin

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  • in reply to: Indian Navy News and Discussions #2023213
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    The Russians also deserve our thanks

    A funny little report, the line about no other country wanting to sell India is a Carrier is utter tosh! Several countries would love to certainly:

    France, Italy, Spain and the UK would happily sell carriers to India and for that matter Indias new indiginous carriers are being built with Italian help.

    in reply to: AAfter RAFALE deal, Brazil need a new Carrier ? #2023645
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    – Too costly, hmmm, in fact a conventionnal aircraft carrier design were on the extreme limit (or lightly over) of the brazilian budget…..

    – A possible commercial standard vessel from the koreans ???:confused: You speak about the Korean Dohkdo design ???
    http://www.military-today.com/navy/dokdo_class.jpg
    I doubt seriously that brazil buy this type of vessel (better for use of F35, don’t able to take RAFALE)

    Yes, I agree. The choice of RAFALE is excellent because the avaibility for aircraft carrier operation

    I think that if brazil decided to purchase a aircraft carrier, this ship were similar to the CVF-FR design (French version of CVF british design)
    http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/SHIP_CV_PA2_Concept_2006-06_lg.jpg

    CVF-FR is too much aircraft carrier for Brazil, for that matter I doubt PA2 if it ever happens will be based on this concept.

    A minimal design is required in respect of Brazil, around 40 thousand tons two catapults, arrester gear engine, landing aids and minimal (if any) command and control facilaties. A number of countries could produce that type of carrier.

    in reply to: CVF Construction #2023649
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    http://www.modoracle.com/news/52m-Equipment-Contracts-Placed_18799.html?category=all

    Wow i didn’t know they were this far ahead in the CVF construction i didn’t think we would see anything happening at Rosyth for at a least a year.

    £52m Equipment Contracts Placed

    As the first sections of the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers arrive at the Rosyth dockyard where they will be assembled, work is continuing apace to deliver the machinery, fixtures and fittings that will equip the ships.

    The Ministry of Defence has announced that sub-contracts for the new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers worth over £52m for a wide range of equipment have been placed, helping to secure jobs and sustain work for industry across the UK.

    Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:

    “As well as the everyday essentials such as washing machines and TVs that will make the ship’s company comfortable onboard, the contracts announced today provide for some of the highly sophisticated equipment that will make these ships fit for the Royal Navy of the 21st century.

    “With construction well underway and the first units of the pre-fabricated units having arrived at the dockyard in Rosyth where they will be assembled, the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are beginning to take shape.”

    The UK is procuring two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. The carriers will be the biggest and most powerful surface warships ever constructed for the Royal Navy and will deliver an increased strategic effect and influence around the world.

    The ships will be delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance – an innovative alliance comprising industry participants and MOD in which MOD acts as both client and participant. For the manufacture phase the industrial participants will be the BAES/VT planned Joint Venture, Thales, Babcock and BAES (Surface Ships & Insyte).

    Tony Graham, Head of Capital Ships within MOD’s Defence Equipment & Support, said:

    “The vast majority of Queen Elizabeth Class supply contracts have now been placed. These latest orders begin to close out the few remaining supply agreements needed to finish HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.

    “Our supply chain stretches the length and breadth of the UK and as such we recognise that the build of these two important warships is a national endeavour of great consequence for jobs, skills and local pride.”

    The sub-contracts include: £16m for 12,000 valves by Score Marine Ltd, based in Peterhead, who employ 675 people at the site; £15m for an integrated waste management system managed by Babcock Strachan and Henshaw in Bristol, helping to sustain employment for their suppliers for the next six to eight years; and £3m for ship lighting and lighting distribution panels by McGeoch Technology Ltd, based in Birmingham, as well as several other smaller contracts.

    The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers together with the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and the brand new Type 45 destroyers will form the cornerstone of Britain’s future ability to jointly project airpower world-wide from land or sea at a time and place of the UK’s choosing.

    For more information click on or go to http://www.mod.uk

    Indeed this is good news! Something like £700 million has been contracted out now! Hopefully with each section delivered and each multi million contract placed it will weaken the position of the naive “Lets cancel the carrier brigade”! It never fails to amaze me how pundits in this country will argue the cancellation of projects when the money is SPENT! For example Nimrod MRA4 still gets calls for cancellation despite the fact that the money has been spent and its nearly ready to enter service!

    Also I wish the term “Cold war relic” would be banished from the press as it paints a false picture to the public. Its only used by fans and pundits of each service to bash procurement projects of the other services.

    I think the term “Cold war relic” should be replaced with “Retaining the ability to fight a hot war against a moderate enemy”!

    in reply to: Navies news from around the world -II #2023715
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    South Korea offers IKL-209 submarines to Indonesia

    According to Jane’s Group, the South Korea was offer to supply 2 submarines to Indonesia, in a deal worth U.S. $ 1 billion for two units.
    The South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) TKMS defeated the German and French DCNS and is in the final competition with Russia (which is the class roviding the “Kilo”).

    Indonesia already operates 2 submarines IKL-209/1200 that were modernized by DSME and the new competition includes the construction of the second unit in Indonesia.

    The South Korea has in operation 9 IKL-209 submarine and acquired the license for the submarine produce locally and export it.

    http://www.naval.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/changbogossk061typ209uboat-500x184.jpg

    http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naval.com.br%2Fblog%2F&langpair=pt|en

    Thats ironic! South Korea beat Germany selling what is in effect a German submarine.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2023751
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    What is on discussion is not a swing role RAFALE getting off the São Paulo, the airframes being looked at are the nine M/F1, as swerve and Adelphi mentioned. 😉

    Cheers

    Whats the point of getting these nine older M/F1 when the upgraded Skyhawk will do the job perfectly well?

    Better to wait for a new carrier down the line and buy a follow up order of the latest carrier variant of the Rafale.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2023759
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    Fedaykin

    The RAFALE made 168 flights from the Foch, including several with internal fuel, two external tanks, four MICA and two MAGIC II, this was before the refitting made by the MB…
    http://www.naval.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/campfoch04gd.jpg

    And yes, the French instaled a very small ski jump, the Brasilians can do the exact same thing.
    http://www.naval.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/foch_ski-jump.jpg
    http://www.naval.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/rafale-foch.gif
    Right now, the central “Cat” is rated for twenty tons.
    Not only the RAFALE can be safely operated from the São Paulo, it can also have a decent load (at least in the ATA scenario), the biggest problem might not be the take off, but the landing (bring back capability).

    Cheers 🙂

    But not in Swing Role with a decent bring back as you point out, why operate two different fast jet types off the Sao Paulo when the upgraded Sky Hawk are more then adequate in both roles. Better to save the money for a few years and allow the air force to get to grips with the Rafale then look at a replacement for the Sao Paulo…then get Rafale M.

    Anyway I am dubious about how safe it is to operate the Rafale at high weights off the Sao Paulo, the French did it for testing reasons not for full operations.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2023775
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    WE might see Rafale on a new Brazillian carrier in the future but not on the Sao Paulo. Whilst the Rafale was tested on the Foch it is really too heavy to operate well off this carrier with any kind of load. If you look at the video posted by Stonewall you will see the Ski Jump that had to be mounted on the strop catcher to support testing.

    Considering the Skyhawk are going through a SLEP with new avionics I see it staying in service for at least another ten years. Brazil is also buying tanker and AEW conversions of the S2 Tracker from America so they clearly have plans for the Sao Paulo to retain much of its current airgroup. Oh and they are replacing the Seaking with Seahawk as well.

    The Skyhawk with a Grifo radar, HMS, Python 4 and Derby working with an AEW Tracker Brazil will have a perfectly good budget carrier force. People forget that the Skyhawk in service were also the last to come off the line in the late 70’s.

    in reply to: Scorpene & INS Vikramaditya : Reality check #2024021
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    INS Vikramaditya (ex-Gorshkov)

    INS Vikramaditya contoversies are almost never ending, kept alive by the “experts” who skipped the basics regarding the ship, deal, progress of work and related developments, except for controversial stuffs from the loose media. Let me list some of the basics of the INS Vikramaditya deal (I won’t get surprised if FAQs like the “source” are taken up. Because, thats how ignorant people have been w.r.t the INS Vikramaditya.

    INS Vikramaditya deal & major events

    1) INS Vikramaditya deal signed in January 2004

    2) ~$740 million is for ships modification & ~$940 million (u can correct the figures if necessary)

    3) A little over $600 million will go to Sevmash for upgrading the ship. (refer http://www.sevmash.ru)

    —– Deals outside Sevmash
    ————- 8 + 1 boilers form SDB (all delivered by mid-2006)
    ————- 4 x 1,500kW Genset from Wartsilla for Electricy Generation
    ————- Underwater comm and related equipment from Keletron.
    ————- etc

    4) Gorshkov moved to Sevmash dry dock in Dec 2005 after stripping. (http://www.sevmash.ru)

    5) Maximum work to be completed, including major works like new equipment installation, deck extension, propulsion etc etc to be finished before launch.(http://www.sevmash.ru)

    6) Launch planned for November 2006 after completion of the above works. (http://www.sevmash.ru)

    7) Indian delegation visit Sevmash in June 2006. (http://www.sevmash.ru)

    8) Sevmash conveys to the Indian delegation regarding additional work involved. Indian delegation head confirms the delay due to additional work. He says its unfortunate, but hopes to see the work completion in 2 years. i.e Dec 2008 (http://www.sevmash.ru)

    9) Approx $400 million of the $600 million for Sevmash have been transferred for the work by 2006 end.

    After June 2006 visit of the Indian delegation, its most likely that the no further funds was made available to Sevmash and hence the work was halted. Its probably after the work on INS Vikramaditya was halted that Sevmash moved the workforce from the carrier to other projects.

    ——— between June 2006 and mid-2007 there is hardly much news ——

    10) mid-2007, some _____ from the Janes pullout what happened in June 2006 and gets success with their “hot” & “scoop” story and screams —–> Gorshkov modification facing major trouble. All others follows with their own theme and speculation.

    IN and media pulls out the Russians for moving the workers to other project is, but the reason behind moving workers to other projects is kept-under.

    11) Nov 2007, ex-chief scream out on additional work and price increase….. What the hell was he doing when he was in charge??? His successor screams the same in same words (refer the words printed in paper, one wonders who actually wrote for whom or who wrote it for them)

    12) Dec 2007-Jan 2008 —- Sevmash “opens up” with new images, Gorshkov with completed ski-jump is flashed…..and draught ridden online community are greeted with an almost formed STOBAR carrier.

    More pictures of the carrier arrive by 2008-end. INS Vikramaditya – in most likely service colour – is an eye candy. Truly a Beauty.

    13) Nov-Dec 2008 —- even as the media was allout with their planted story regarding Indian Navy ditching the carrier, Indian Naval Chief Sureesh Mehta held a press conference on Mumbai terrorists attacks. Noteable among the press conference was the large banner in the background.

    None of the “experts” noticed it nor its importance and the reason why not much photos are available or vedios nor any mention of it anywhere online.

    The significance was that —– the background banner had in it a large photo of INS Vikramaditya at Sevmash drydock getting ready for launch. That simple background conveyed how much IMPORTANT INS Vikramaditya was for Indian Navy. But ignorant of this, the “experts” went out on their routine.

    This is the first time that I ever saw Indian Navy doing a press conference with a ship thats was still under construction!

    14) INS Vikramaditya is launched in Dec 2008, everyone hoping to see a final price negotiation to conclude.

    15) 2009…..But, the final price not yet reached. Media as usual went with their on own baseless figures from unnamed Russian sources, where as Russian media quote these Indian media to report the same.

    Surpriing is the fact that none of the media or “experts” DARED to use the Right To Information act to get the figures regarding how much was paid to the Russians during the years for Gorshkov modification and rather kept on with their “motivated” reports. Its wonderfully a very “transparent” system!

    16) August 2009 …..

    Even 3 years after Sevmash conveyed the Indian delegation regarding the additional work and delays, the question of how much more to pay and how much already paid after the Russian demand remains unclear.

    Its a DAMN 1095 days thats been wasted due to the incompetants decision makers sitting at the top. And still all the blame is on the Russians, when in 3 years time India could have taken the decision to either keep the ship or let it go and demand the refund!

    Among the incompetants in the whole saga, the definite two who should never be cleared for their incompetance in decision making are the Ex-chief and the present Chief. 1095 wasted days since Sevmash first conveyed the delays to the Indian Delegation. What a shame!

    The list of charges against the modified ship was plenty, with some of them now having

    silenced….

    A prominent charge among that was —

    1) Simultaneous T/O & landing impaired due to the ships past STOVL status…

    http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/856/viksslots.jpg

    All this said….will the people have the courage to speak out against our own incompetancy???

    Well when it comes to STOBAR operations you pretty much have no choice but to put the take off spots on the angled deck if you want to get off the deck with any kind of reasonable load.

    The bigger Admiral Kuznetsov has the same issue and actually even with the far larger CATOBAR Nimitz class you can’t operate the waist cats during landing operations for obvious reasons.

    India won’t be operating enough aircraft off the Vikramaditya or the new Viraat for simultanious take offs and landings, they will launch aircraft then go onto a downleg before turning back into wind for landing operations.

    in reply to: PLAN Carrier Updates. #2025012
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    ok so they’ve removed some of the island,

    http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/7984/varyagaug27.jpg

    compared too

    http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/3042/varyagjuly30.jpg

    Well that is interesting! Surprising as well! They have left the exhaust stack on but it looks like those cranes are hooked up to that as well so it might well be coming off.

    Unless they have started to scrap her which makes little sense considering the work to the rest of her hull and the recent pictures of the land based Ski Jump they are either making major changes to the Island or even totally replacing it.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025315
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    Agreed. Although I can’t quantify it, my gut feeling is that overall, the Kuwaiti A-4s probably had an easier life than any ex-US F-18s which might be available, & the NZ Kahu Skyhawks.

    Further from that the report posted by Tango III on the aviation news thread is very interesting:

    http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=93109&page=3

    Looks like the USN are highly concerned about the remaing life of the legacy Hornet fleet with many in a rough state. They were looking at a SLEP to get them to 10000 hours but that is looking unlikely now.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025352
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    That disregards the flying hours per jet in peacetime service, which for the US F-18s (I don’t know about the Kuwaiti A-4s) will be far higher than the Desert Storm usage. It also does not take into account any differences in flight profiles during peacetime service, & the greater stresses of carrier take offs & landings.

    I agree its hard to pin down but we do know that the Kuwaiti Skyhawks were the last off the line in 78 and they haven’t had the carrier cycles that US legacy Hornets have had up to joining the Brazillian navy. Also except for the Gulf War I don’t think Kuwait exactly used them that heavily.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025355
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    Well Embraer has the MLU contract for the AF1 Skyhawks and it is apparently going to be similar to their F5 upgrade.

    That means something along the lines of:

    GRIFO Radar with Derby Integration
    DASH HMS system with Python 5 Integration
    Cockpit display and navigation update
    Datalink capability to AEW&C types

    If that is on the cards we are talking about one capable little jet operating off the Sao Paulo. In many ways similar and in some areas more capable then the upgrade that the Indian navy is giving to their own Sea Harriers.

    For a country on a budget you can’t sniff at what the Skyhawk gives them.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025461
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    How is that any different from the used A-4s Brazil (still) operates?

    The Brazillian Skyhawks in service are ex Kuwati examples which had a very light life operating off runways. They were retired early in the sense of airframe life then stored in dry conditions. Until Brazil got them they had never seen a carrier deck.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025499
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    As of late 2008 there were still some 647 F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornets operational in US service. In the near future, these will be gradually withdrawn. I see no reason why Brazil could not get some of those e.g. 12-24. Airframes at AMARG would provide spares, making cessation of production of pre E/F-models in 1999 largely irrelevant.

    Indeed there are 647 left in US service but the ones at AMARG are time expired or parted out to keep the remaining Hornets alive. The legacy Hornets left in service are needed until F35 comes in to fleet squadrons.

    in reply to: São Paulo #2025537
    Fedaykin
    Participant

    Meanwhile there are a whole bunch of legacy Hornets sitting in the Arizona desert, and seeing as the Brazilians operate legacy A-4 Skyhawks, and seeing as how in reporting there often isn’t made a proper distinction between Bug and Superbug (as if these were somehow the same plane …), logic might just as easily dictate Legacy Hornets (as a Super Bug deal sweetener).

    There are a whole load of worn out and spares cannibalized F/A18 sitting at AMARG but nothing suitable to be sold on.

Viewing 15 posts - 3,526 through 3,540 (of 5,046 total)