A few comments:
A) Congratulations to SAAB and Brasil, the Gripen E is a perfect substitute for the F-5E and AMX. Anything bigger would mean slashing the number of flying hours, that or addressing the main problem of the FAB, too much personnel.
B) In one day SAAB signed the conversion of 60 Gripen C´s to E´s for the Flygvapnet and was chosen by the FAB! Hell, i could ear (in my office in Lisbon) the party going on in Lynkoping…
C) This FAB deal almost certainly is a prequel for more Gripen acquisitions by Brasil. The entire AMX and F-5E fleets will be gone by 2023/25, and the Swedish aircraft is the natural candidate to fill the entire FAB fast jet sqn´s fleet.
D) The Sea Gripen just went from a “not a chance in hell of being built” to “not probable, but…”
E) Between the Flygvapnet, the FAB and the Schweizer Luftwaffe, the Gripen production line has orders till 2026. Taking point C) above, there´s a very, very real chance that the production line might go very near 2030. Anyone expecting that the Western manned combat jet market would turn into a monopoly can say goodbye to that theory for the foreseable future.
F) The Swedish single engine, 7/8 ton combat jet is eating what once was the Mirage family market. In a way this aircraft is “spiritually” very similar to the “old” Mirage´s.

I agree with your points that this deal is simply huge for SAAB and the Gripen’s future. They are now an attractive proposition even for European nations that were mostly not too sure about the viability of the Gripen E/F program thanks to lack of a single large order and hence swinging towards the F-35. The Swedish commitment followed by the Brazilian deal have swung the odds into SAAB’s favour for a successful Gripen E/F program.

The addition of a customer with the attendant drop in new upgrades/capabilities development cost for each customer will ensure that even current users may be able to affordably add capabilities to the C/D models. That will make the small group of existing users quite happy.

I however disagree with your perception that the Sea Gripen’s chances of being built are now “not probable, but..”..IMO, they are now “probably, maybe if..” where in you fill the constraints into the blanks. The best chance that Embraer has of actually being involved in the design and development and testing of a fighter (before they look at a next generation fighter possibly) are likely with the Sea Gripen. They can be involved from the get-go, frame the requirements and actually own the IP alongwith SAAB.

So this was one busy week with 3 major deal announcements..the 24 T-50IQs for Iraq, the 36 Gripen E/Fs for Brazil and the Typhoon being eliminated by the Emiratis..

congratulations to Saab for this win. And good news for the FAB..finally the competition ends..

But anyway, I’m happy for the Iraqis. Congratulations to the IrAF for getting a modern light fighter/trainer.

today the contract for 24 T50IQ aircraft were signed.

The aircraft is a modified version of the FA-50 light fighter.

Delivery will be from 2015-2017.

The flyaway price of the aircraft is $1.1Bn ($45M per airframe).

The training and support contract for 20 years is for $1Bn.

The price that the Iraqis paid for the aircraft indicates that they did not buy the FA-50 with the “standard” Elta EL2032 radar (which is made in Israel and Iraq automatically rejects). This explains some of the price difference to a “standard” FA-50.

If they will get it with a new AESA radar, it would potentially have higher power requirements, and operating in high ambient temperatures in Iraq, the Iraqis would also want an aircraft with higher thrust (IMHO!). So I expect that there is a good chance that the Iraqis will buy an uprated engine with the aircraft (EJ200 / F414).

Would the Iraqi planes have 9 hardpoints and strengthened wings?

Would they have JHMCS / Sniper added in the price (and match the F16s)?

what armaments would the Koreans supply (apart from the ammo the Iraqis are getting from the US for their F16s).

I don’t think they could get an AESA radar on the FA-50. the US had prevented South Korea from getting AESA radars for its own FA-50s, so where is the question of doing it specifically for a batch of 24 T-50IQs for Iraq? The logic was that the US didn’t want the FA-50 from becoming an F-16 competitor.

I’m guessing if it has a radar, it will be the Elta EL/M-2032 or a Selex radar (any mechanically scanned type?) or the original APG-67, but definitely not AESA. Radar integration is no joke and does require extensive testing. Nothing suggests that additional development time or money is being spent for any of this.

Also, an uprated engine requires tests, and that would push the deliveries out from April 2016 (first delivery) to a year or two down the road. Again, very unlikely.

Most likely the spec is very similar to the FA-50 being supplied to the RoKAF with some minor changes but definitely not big changes to the radar or engine, which would drive up costs and push delivery timelines to the right.

IAF retires the MiG-21FL from service. A very large chunk of IAF pilots will have passed through the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and will have fond memories of this venerable fighter that has served the IAF so well over the decades..

IAF retires the last MiG-21FL fighters

The Indian air force has retired the last of its MiG-21FL fighters from operational service. Four of the type, belonging to its Kalaikunda-based operational conversion unit in West Bengal, made a final box formation flypast at the site on 11 December.

India’s MiG-21FLs were inducted between 1966 and 1974, and despite their age had amassed an average of roughly 9,000 flight hours per year. Operational conversion activities are being assumed using the service’s BAE Systems Hawk 132 trainers.

Approximately 260 MiG-21s remain in operational service in India, with the air force’s Bis-model examples scheduled for retirement in 2016. However, its upgraded MiG-21 Bisons are due to be flown for another decade.

..

According to the Indian air force, around 80% of its current fighter aircrew have flown the FL variant during their career, while 90% have flown at least one version of the MiG-21 at some point.

More details on the MOFTU.
MiG Operational Flying Training Unit

India may acquire upto 15 Shin Meiwa US-2 amphibians..may well be the first Japanese defence deal with India.

India to acquire 15 US-2i aircraft from Japan after defence minister’s visit

India’s plan to acquire at least 15 US-2i amphibious aircraft for its Navy from Japan is expected to fructify when the defence minister of Japan arrives in India next month.

Speaking to FE, a senior officer said, “Soon after the Emperor of Japan’s visit is over, Itsunori Onodera, the defence minister of Japan, will visit India to explore the potential for cooperation between the defence and aviation industries between the two countries, as well as to figure out the mechanism and modalities for the acquisition of the aircraft by the Indian Navy.” Also, Onodera will also be seeking confirmation from India on cooperation in dealing with the issue of piracy in the Indian Ocean.
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IN commissions 1st Dhruv ALH squadron for the Southern Command in Kochi.

article

Kochi: Indian Navy today commissioned the first ALH Dhruv Helicopter Squadron at Southern Command, Kochi. The squadron is named Indian Naval Air Squadron INAS 322 Guardians. Intensive Flying and Trials Unit for Advanced Light Helicopters, IFTU (ALH), had been set up at INS Garuda, Kochi on 20 Feb 03 with the first landing of Advanced Light Helicopter. The unit’s task was to ensure smooth induction of the new aircraft and lay down guidelines for training and operational exploitation of the ALH. On completion of IFTU, two ALH Flights were formed which were later merged to form a single Flight.

Addressing the commissioning ceremony parade, Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command. said that in the Navy, Dhruv helicopters has transformed into an advanced search and rescue (SAR) helicopter also used for missions like heliborne operations, and armed patrol with night vision devices. “Such machines in the inventory have become imperative for the Navy given the scenario of low intensity maritime operations (LIMO) and coastal security construct,” said the Admiral.

Smt Mona Sinha named the squadron as INAS 322 and unveiled the commissioning plaque. Commander Ravi Sivasankar, the first Commanding Officer of the Squadron recited the invocation and read out the commissioning warrant. The squadron credo is “Search Fearlessly, Rescue Valiantly” signifying their primary role of SAR.

Vice Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command under whose administrative control INAS 322 would function, in his address said that, the versatile aircraft would soon be cleared for night SAR role, one of the few helicopters in the world to have that capability over sea. He also expressed satisfaction that the ALH would beef up the coast security architecture.

MiG-29K fighters to be based at INS Dega on the Eastern coast as well..

ToI article

“The intention is to have air capabilities on both the Western and Eastern seaboards due to the growing security needs of the country. The first MiG 29K squadron has already been positioned on the Western seaboard at Goa and the next squadron will be based at INS Dega soon,” the Naval chief told newspersons after the induction of the Hawk Mk 132 advanced jet trainer aircraft here on Wednesday, adding that some of the aircraft from the Goa squadron were last month sent to Vizag for training.

While the frontline fighter MiG 29K will be operated from the deck of INS Vikramaditya, which is to be commissioned on November 16 and will be based on the West Coast, the Naval chief pointed out that the vessel would operate on the Eastern seaboard as well as and when required.

However, the Navy plans to set up the base of aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which is expected to be inducted into the Navy by 2017, at Visakhapatnam, he added.

According to Admiral Joshi, naval aviation is poised for a major leap thanks to the new carriers that the Navy inducting. “The high performance supersonic jets of the future would require a trainer that qualifies a trainee pilot suitably and therefore the Hawk AJT has been inducted here. The first four aircraft have been inducted and remaining will be joining the present lot soon. All the 17 Hawk Mk 132 fighters will be based at INS Dega,” he said.

Elaborating on the Navy’s acquisition of supersonic jets to cater to future needs, the Admiral said, the future generation trainer fleet would comprise high performance supersonic jets alongside MiG 29K. “We have urged HAL to expertise the productionization of light combat aircraft for Navy. The Navy is very anxiously and eagerly looking forward to operate indigenous fighters on the decks of our vessels,” he said.

Admiral Joshi said that another significant air capability that has been added to the Navy is the Boeing P-8I, a long range multi-mission maritime reconnaissance aircraft, that has again been vested with ENC. “The first aircraft is here and the induction trials are in progress. Another two P-8I aircraft will hopefully be inducted by the end of this year. The remaining aircraft will join the fleet next year. The sensor and weapon fit on the board is comparable to the best. The P-8I has been inducted concurrently in the Indian Navy and the US Navy. The country now has the most contemporary of weapons and equipment fits,” he said.

Replying to a question about India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant, the Navy chief said it was launched in 2010 and subsequent activities like outfitting, installation of various systems and sub systems were being presently carried out at the Port City.

“The most important is the installation of the nuclear reactor for its propulsion plant and the nuclear power plant of the submarine attained criticality on August 10 this year. That was a significant milestone in the country’s naval history as for the first time ever a nuclear propelled submarine plant attained criticality. Between the time it attains criticality and commences operations, a set of activities are in progress. A majority of the submarine’s harbor trials have been completed successfully and we hope to commence sea trials soon, after which it will be commissioned,” Admiral Joshi explained.

While refusing to divulge the cause of the blaze at INS Sindhurakshak in Mumbai earlier this year, the Navy chief said that specific lessons to be learnt would only become apparent once the Navy has been able to complete the board of inquiry, which is still underway. He pointed out that subsequent to the tragedy, the Navy had put all its units through a thorough process of `safety standout’ for a few days.

“None of the assets were operated and a very thorough safety audit was carried out in all the submarines. There are no outstanding issues. Once the Indian Navy comes to know what specifically went wrong with INS Sindhurakshak, it will decide on what measures to be taken specifically after the completion of the board of inquiry,” he explained.