BlackArcherhow many Su-25s does that make that have been shot down? 5? 6?
BlackArcherSince everyone is posting their wishes for KF-X…
I would like to see the engines spread a little farther apart, add 3D thrust vectoring, eliminate the tails, incorporate a large delta wing with 6 trailing edge control surfaces and a couple or four outboard spoilers.Doing so would provide a larger weapons bay between the engines, dramatically reduce side sector RCS, provide ample internal volume for fuel and provide maneuver performance as good as any Gen 4 jet.
removing the tail might be too ambitious for the Koreans..and 3D TVC would mean having to fund the Eurojet option till completion (although Eurojet may claim its as good as ready), since no real TVC option exists for the F-414 as yet. even with the current config, maneuvering performance may not be any worse than existing 4th gen jets..
BlackArcherI have post before in this forum before…both AF (ROKAF and TNI-AU) seems in the agreement for twin engine. However the Industry (Especially KAI and from what I heard also some team from IAe) seems inclined to single engine due to their cautions on over budget for twin engine. Do remembered single engine design come later on from KAI and not from the official design team (which KAI and IAe also heavily represented), as further alternative studies. Then again both AF seems will get the last says.
KAI and IAe already talking on work sharing, where for development stages there will be 5 prototypes where KAI responsible for assembling 4 and IAe 1. At least that’s what I heard from local media. Seems the agreement so far more on development stages (those 5 prototypes). More agreement will be talked later on after the development stages.
Add:
The way I see, there is also one other factor that can be more influential. How big tech support the tech partner (more and more inclined to LM) going to support. The design team conclusion from 1st stage (design development) from what I heard already pressed that they need matured Fighters manufacture as design partner on development stages. Some speculation says that the design team prepared cannard design if they got Euro Partner and other design if they get US partner. Whether it’s true or not, it show this project need Tech Partner, which can influence the final development.Final design still has to get approval though from both ROK and Indonesian parliament, although Indonesian one will take cue from what ROK decide. In such, as like politicians all over the world, parliaments can still be swayed. Although at this moment seems the twin engine (C103) design seems got the favorite.
thanks for the reply.
And what numbers of KF-X in service is the TNI-AU looking at?
BlackArcherAnanda, what is the Indonesian AF’s view on the single-engine vs twin-engine debate for the KF-X? With 20% of the budget to be footed by Indonesia, I think that they may have a big say in what is eventually the final config of the KF-X..also, have any work share arrangements been made so far on this project? What parts will be manufactured in Indonesia and what about technology transfers?
BlackArcherSorry Next time this will not happen ..I will post the News source for my claim
m.timesofindia.com/india/Scam-wary-govt-defers-decision-on-naval-copters/articleshow/39130722.cms
wait..
but where does this link state that the IN is more interested in the NH-90 over the S-70B??
BlackArcherDo Indian Harpoons have the target recognition and re-attack capabilities of the Block 1G?
not sure djcross..the version that was to be purchased for the P-8I was the AGM-84L Block II Harpoon..they’d previously ordered the AGM-84L for the IAF’s Jaguar IM maritime strike fighters..not sure if this variant has target recognition and re-attack capabilities
BlackArcherRussia to fix Su-30MKI engine trouble.
IAF’s frontline fighter jet Sukhoi-30MKI will be modified under new specifications laid down by its Russian manufacturers to fix mid-air engine trouble in its fleet.
The move comes after the IAF faced an unusually high number of mid-air engine failures over the past two years (January 2102 onwards) and asked the Russians to rectify the problem in the fighter jet. The Tribune had highlighted this in its July 21 report. The IAF has a fleet of 200 Sukhoi aircraft and another 72 are on their way from Moscow.
The plane is the mainstay of India’s air operations to dominate the skies against possible attacks from both western and eastern frontiers.The modification will be carried out on 400 engines of the twin-engine aircraft, besides installation of some spares for emergencies. The Russians will install modified engines on the next lot of 72 jets, sources say.
The modification will primarily be carried out at HAL’s Sukhoi engine plant in Orissa. The HAL is a public sector undertaking owned by the Defence Ministry.
The modified engines will first be tested on the aircraft, before being fitted to the entire fleet. The refit will be carried out in batches over the next 18-24 months.
The Russians have assured India that the modifications will eliminate the problem of mid-air engine failure, say sources.
The Russian proposal has been accepted by the top brass of the IAF.
Some of the engines — the AL-31FP — produced by NPO Saturn of Russia have been behaving inconsistently over the past two years. Since the engines powering the jet are still being produced, there is a scope for modification.
…
BlackArcher
latest image of the twin-engined KF-X..looks far too much like a twin-engined F-35.
BlackArcherAviation Week- SoKo Joint Chiefs want 2 engines for KF-X
The South Korean armed forces have quashed an attempt by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to reduce the cost and technical challenge of the proposed KF-X fighter, with the joint chiefs of staff determining that the indigenous aircraft must have two engines.
The decision raises the stakes for KF-X, the earliest prospective fighter program for Western engine and system suppliers. With a twin-engine design, the program will be ambitious and hard to launch rather than something modest with a more assured future.
South Korea’s air force is already hedging its bets by studying the possibility of importing its next batch of fighters, judging that the KF-X is not likely to go into full-scale development, according to an air force officer quoted by the Segye newspaper in May (AW&ST June 2, p. 29).
..
But the estimate for the twin-engine aircraft is higher than the 6.5 trillion won that the finance ministry has agreed to and lower than Lockheed Martin’s estimate of more than 10 trillion won. This means that the finance ministry, never a fan of the KF-X, may oppose development. It is reluctant to pay more, says the Naeil newspaper. Finance ministry opposition to the 8.5 trillion won program may persuade enough members of parliament not to fund a 2015 launch of full-scale development, which program managers are seeking.
On the other hand, parliament is strongly influenced by its committees. The defense committee under its former chairman opposed KF-X development; now that he has left, it may recommend going ahead with the aircraft. In September, the finance ministry will propose a national budget for the parliament to decide by December.
Meanwhile, the DAPA must conclude negotiations with Indonesia and Lockheed Martin and then choose the prime contractor, which will almost certainly be KAI, since it has experience in combat aircraft development.
Indonesia paid for 20% of pre-development costs and is expected to take the same share of full development. A further 20% is to be borne by industry, including Lockheed Martin, which agreed to support the KF-X in return for South Korea last year choosing the F-35A in the F-X Phase 3 fighter competition. Technology transfer will form part of, maybe most of, Lockheed Martin’s contribution.
…
BlackArcherMy comment that I found it pointless building something that would compete with F-35 was not based on export prospects being limited or non-existent (although I think that would almost certainly be the case). I simply do not see the point in re-inventing a wheel that has already been invented by LM. Not only would would KF-X be inferior to F-35, development costs would be very large – perhaps $20 billion to $30 billion. What would be the point of spending so much on KF-X when F-35 would probably do almost everything K-FX could do at a much lower cost?
Spitfire, your estimates on the development cost for the KF-X exceeds various agency’s estimates by a factor of 2.
LM itself estimated that a twin-engined KF-X would cost about $10 billion to develop. The Korea Institute for Defense Analysis estimated a twin-engined KF-X to cost $8.3 billion to develop and a single engined KF-X to cost $6.54 billion to develop.
BlackArcherJust a page of someone’s personal opinion with no substance in fact. Lots of technical terms thrown around ( ‘federated architecture’, ‘fifth generation’ ) but with no ‘comparison’ at all.
And this made me laugh out loud
Canada is still waiting for its Sikorsky Cyclones, now six years late. That is simply inexcusable for an aircraft vendor.
Ah there we go. Enough to immediately disregard this ‘article’. Has he even seen an NH-90? Probably not… it would be against his religion.
Next week’s installment: Charles Marchetti on why the Alouette III is the best solution for the Indian Navy’s requirement.
Nobody ever mentioned that this article on the S-70B with the NH-90 was by a neutral source..just posted it as an interesting article.
and yes, 6 years delay for the CH-148 Cyclone is inexcusable, but the 5 year delay for the MRH-90 and Kiwi NH-90s is so much better, isn’t it ?!
late deliveries, numerous design defects, corrosion issues which are all attributed to poor design for a marine helicopter, higher sustainment costs that initially advertised..the list of issues that has plagued the NH-90..Germany wasn’t happy, the Dutch aren’t happy, the Aussies aren’t happy, the Kiwis aren’t happy..just name one satisfied customer for the NH-90.
“Further, operational tests and evaluations had not validated the ability of the MRH90 to satisfy any of the 11 operational capability milestones set by the army and navy,” the ANAO says, blaming the relative immaturity of the programme when deliveries began in 2007.
…
FOC for the MRH90 was originally to be declared in July 2014, but this is now not expected to be realised until April 2019.
Sign In
