I wonder why it’s so big of a deal, it’s not like the world doesn’t know the ships are being built given the IN’s relative openness.
Even the PLAN allows photographers to basically document all the major shipyards and the ships progress every few months.

Over enthusiastic police treats every spotter as a spy. Couple that with useless PR departments.

On the AIP option……signs of delay, technical difficulties and finally never ending loop of development cycle is faintly written on the wall from the statements from DRDO of going it alone on this “new” AIP. I would say join the Russians in JV so that a ToT can be had.

The last two scorpenes will receive Indian AIPs.
http://bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=20500

Jonesy … I recall you being skeptical that the Vikramaditya/Gorshkov would ever join the Indian Navy in the years past. Anyway, it finally has. Should anyone be interested in some details of the ship .. this note comes from an official Indian Navy communication:

Vishnu Som from NDTV ? Can we have a heads up on your next documentary ? The one you did on Rafale was sweet 🙂

Found a lot of conflicting information……

Try harder. A better place to look would be all the Pak-fa threads on this forum, there is hardly any english language Pak-Fa information repository better than this one. Anything that has been disclosed about the Pak-Fa program ever has been documented in the multiple threads over here with links and quotes and english translations.

First upgraded M2K flies in France.
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dassault-flies-first-upgraded-indian-mirage-391427/

As part of the USD 2.4 billion, the upgrades of Mirage 2000 fighter jet would include-

1- New avionics, including an advanced navigation system, mission computers, Mil 1553 B data with Digibus, a pulse doppler radar that can find objects out to 70 nautical miles.

2-Two displays and an advanced head-down display in a glass cockpit.

3- Electronic warfare systems, including new radar warning receivers with instantaneous wide-bank receivers, an integrated missile warning receiver with continuous time-to-impact information, and new jammers and countermeasure systems.

4- Increased fuel capacity

5- Four Derby beyond-visual-range missiles

6- Two short-to-medium-range Python V missiles

7- Long-range smart munitions

8- Full mission simulators

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-mirage-2000-the-backbone-of-iaf-to-get-a-usd-2-4396094-PHO.html

This is the first time I am hearing about Derby and Python integration on Mirage-2000. All the weapon, HMDS and LDP integration has to be carried out by HAL, crystal maze standoff missile integration across the Mirage-2000 fleet is confirmed.

Well, India needs to do something??? How is the LCA progressing??? (haven’t followed it lately)

IAF chief says that the IOC will happen by year end. Production to follow there onwards (first deliveries expected April to June).

Guskov could have meant average power per module, peak power has not been disclosed and the modules are so compact that 2K TRMs could easily be accommodated giving 10kW

Wouldn’t impulse power mean peak power ?

DRDO (a) failed to make a useable engine for Tejas without foreign TOT (b) failed to come to terms with SNECMA for TOT. How can DRDO and GTRE now fast track the program?

The original aim for Kaveri GTX-35 was around 52/81KN (flat rated). There were three core prototypes C1 to C3 that had to be made and 9 prototypes K1 to K9. K10 was to be the final production variant prototype and around 150Kgs lighter than K-9 prototype. Currently Kaveri project has failed to reach it’s wet thrust objective. The present under performing engine would be pushed through the entire flight certification process and put into production as K9+ standard. A non afterburning version of K9+ standard would be used for AURA. Beyond K9+ it becomes a bit murky, apparently back when there was still a chance of Kaveri making it to the Tejas in an MLU, K-10 prototype was to be made with the help of Snecma, with Snecma’s input in LP turbine and Indian input in HP turbine, which makes it a bit complicated, because one of the reasons for under performance was the low operating temperatures in the HP turbine due to lack of single crystal blade technology. From what I have been told, the resultant engine would have plateaued in terms of growth potential due to the design limitations. Meanwhile, some laboratory examples of single crystal blades start showing up, how good are they is still unknown. Come 2013, in comes a new engine design tender (unspecified project designation), again asking for cooperation in LP stage while GTRE does the HP stage, but this appears to be a totally new engine with 75/110KN thrust and a clean sheet design. So here’s my guess what’s going on :-

K9+ standard is what is being flight certified currently and would be put into production soon ~ 2015-16
K10 standard is what will be achieved later (to what end?)
The new engine would power AMCA.
Of course the new engine might be the K10 standard, but then it would be hardly related to the older Kaveri.