:rolleyes: Gripen is cost efficient and that is all that been said.

.. in one of the most biased and uninformed way.

Was a flat nozzle for berkut, as shown above, was considered seriously or is it just fan art ?

http://vpk-news.ru/articles/8228

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An interview with Chief Engineer and Director of Rybinsk Scientific and Technical Center.

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The engine of the second phase has been made already!

the ratio of max. thrust to mass significantly surpasses the ones created by the other countparts.

The name of the “engine for the PAK FA of the first stage,” says that should be the engine of the second stage. Is not it?
– It’s true. Bookmark it done. The engine is made. In all major characteristics, it will surpass the “117 product”, in particular for higher traction and less weight. The ratio of the mass of the engine thrust is characterized by its important to dvigatelisty concept – specific gravity. Number not name, have no right. Let me just say that it will be significantly higher than that created by overseas counterparts, and the technical configuration of the motor to change substantially.

Is Sukhoi planning on a Christmans gift 😀

I’d say the term ‘strategic’ is more wide-reaching than military tech and encompasses the general economic sphere. EF will win (imho) because the consortium will offer the broadest offsets in conjunction with lower life-cycle costs (as evidenced by the M2K upgrade costs), irrespective of ‘fly away cost’.

However, the Indian govt. will be keen to foster closer economic ties with the EU powerhouse that is Germany, and the Germans will be keen to reciprocate given the EU’s current economic and financial woes. Remember, there is a dearth of German industrial, hi-tech capital goods both civilian, dual use & military the Indians would love to get to grips with. Therein lies your ‘strategic-economic partnership’, clearly where the EU (principally Germany) is preferred over the US.

When it comes to international trade among large economies, $10 billion USD spread over several years is not really a game changer. Indian imports from Germany were already 10 billion last year, the overall trade being 15 billion and expected to cross 20 billion next year. Look down a decade from now and MMRCA is no more than a bucket in the swimming pool.

MMRCA won’t be the first license production plane to be built by HAL and over the years they have absorbed significant amount of technology. Now as things stand, both Rafale and EF can get away by offering 50% of a plane’s cost as offsets, namely wings, fuselage, fuel tanks, landing gears, hydraulics, actuators, MFD’s and fulfill the offset quota. They can also offer common production technologies from other products in their consortium. What would India gain strategically from the stuff that it either already makes or has JV’s in place for, or is on the verge of a breaking through in? Instead a strategic value is placed on the “wanted technologies” to encourage the vendors to offer technologies to India that India lacks.

GaN is ‘plug n play’ and isn’t really a mysterious ‘black art’ like, say, 5G fighter engines (which the Russians will provide significant know-how anyways).

I think it’s really a no-brainer.

Was just quoting an example. It could be any technology, from necessary metallurgy for 155mm guns to electro optical sensors, anything which India lacks.

Btw when are the HELINA tests supposed to happen ? Has the alternate mm wave radar seeker for aircraft launch HELINA entered testing phase ?

Depends on what cost the MoD Big Wigs are looking at. With CAG hanging over them like the sword of Democles they may be pressured to go for the L1 bidder, which could well be the Rafale.

In any case the L1 bidder would be selected. L1 bid is going to be calculated on the basis of life cycle costs as well as the offsets.

doesn’t that leave the rafale as the only option ? I doubt that Typhoon developments could be ready in a such small time frame. Typhoon AESA radar is not even flying even in a test bed right now if I am not mistaken…And regarding AtG weapon integration I can’t say that important milestones as been cleared (or in the verge to be reached) despite the communication effort.

If IAF were not satisfied with the timeline of EF development schedule, it would never have been shortlisted.

What about engine technology, radar technology, electro-optical technologies, weapons? Against the deepest cooperation, still some of the most sensitive technologies importing from Russia as you know thats what I mean…

Engine manufacturing will most likely be transferred in stages, EO sensors and computing will definitely be purchased directly from Russian manufacturers, probably upgraded in a decade with technologies developed for AMCA, some weapons may be developed jointly, some brought from Russia and some home grown.