The UK is retiring the SHAR and has been for ages, see the navy forum. The rumour is that the Indians are looking into buying the aircraft, but that they may have the ability to fire AMRAAM removed, or even the Blue Vixen radar deactivated, which has to make one wonder what the point is.

If India is buying 10 F/A2 SHAR from the UK they will more than likely be from the new build F/A2 rather then the refurbed ones which by all accounts are knackered! This deal does look likely now considering it has been mentioned by the UK parliment.

Whilst the avionics differ greatly from the SHAR that the Indian navy operate the airframe are very similar. Considering that the Indian navy has lost a number of airframes and intend to keep the SHAR operating well into the next decade these 10 airframes will be welcomed.

Recently India opened its own facility for servicing the SHAR allowing them to stop sending SHAR back to the UK for overhall. On top of this Indian navy SHAR have recently been going through an upgrade introducing new avionics, missiles and Israeli radar. With their own overhall facility it is more than likely they will put the surplus UK airframes through an overhall similar to the one being applied to SHAR already in service with the Indian navy stripping out much of the avionics fitted to the UK sourced SHAR.

These 10 surplus airframes once they have been overhalled will more than likely no longer have Blue Vixen and AMRAAM capability but rather a fit similar to Indian navy SHAR. For Indian this is about getting fresh SHAR airframes rather than inducting the F/A2.

Hope this clears things up for people.

There has been lots of discussion about the technology transfer issues. I may not have been paying attention, but which bits are America being difficult about ? It can’t be the weapons control system or any of the other things mentioned in the attached quote from the BAE website, which they say they are producing;

Its mainly a sofware issue, the UK wants to be able to integrate new weapon systems without having to refer to America for changes in the avionics software.

The main reason America has given for this is security but the reason is more likely economic. If the UK can integrate weapons themselves then European companies like EADS will be able to offer an alternative weapons package to buyers of the F-35, cutting American companies out of a potential sale.

China’s HTY-7 ejection seat in 2006 Singapore airshow. China is the one of the 4 countries is able to produce aviation ejection seat in the world.

There are certainly more than four coutries that can make or have made ejector seats.

Off the top of my head here are some:

UK
USA
Russia
China
France
Czech Republic
Sweden

there are numerous more but it should be pointed out that these are often licenced built versions.

what replacement do us airforce have for b52 ??

Ah now thats the 64 million dollar question…

The first attempt to replace the B52 was with the XB-70 which was cancelled, the next attempt was the B1a which was also cancelled.

On from that the B1b which entered service was pushed as a B52 replacement, the B1b will leave service long before the B52. Finally the B2 was also pushed as a B52 replacement but it is way to expensive a replacement for the B52.

In the end even with all the maintenance issues inherant with operating aircraft made in the 1960’s powered by 8 old TF33 turbofans the USAF have found that it is still the cheapest way to put a lot of bombs on target. The USAF found that even fitting four new turbofans to the B52h allowing better fuel efficiancy, greater load, greater range and lower maintenance costs would be more expensive than retaining the currant engines.

In an AFM report last year the head of Pakistan’s airforce stated that on the short to medium term the priority was obtaining more F16 and inducting the JF-17. The JF-17 being especially critical as it will give them a BVR capability. In the long term he stated that obtaining the J-10 was the goal.

A fine video! its sad to think that the Rhinos days are numbered, I espescially liked the high speed flyby. The video reminded me of the fact that the Luftwaffe didn’t invest in the upgrades required to make their J79s smokeless!

It also turns my mind back to a warm childhood memory of when I visited the Fleet air arm museum at Yeovil and sat in the Phantom cockpit. So many dials and switches! to an eight year old I felt like a real fighter pilot.

If he said that then it’s an honest indication of the Darings’ capability. He is just one person, but coming from him it means a lot more.

It was a fascinating opportunity to talk to someone directly involved with the Sachsen. We discussed many things about the F124 and her future upgrades, he did feel that the Radar fitted to the Sachsen had several advantages over the American Aegis system. I was surprised that he felt that the t45 would be better in the AAW role but I think his argument boiled down to the fact that the t45 would benefit from being a slightly newer and larger design, I also get a feeling that he would of prefered the ASTER missile system (I should point out he also made clear that they are delighted with the perfomance of the currant missile fit). One the most interesting features he demonstrated was the Windows based automated control system which allowed him control over any system within the ship from the bridge. The control system is also hooked up to cameras allowing him to check on any compartment except the toilets!

A final amusing note is the fact that the crew of the Sachsen ran a bar in one of the helicopter hangers with tables set up on the heli deck. I had a lovely glass of Lager. 😀

P.S. Well done on hitting 1000 posts SeaLordLawrence.