Flyboy77MiG-29KUB (9-47) with Kh-35s, pic taken 09/07/09 @ Zhukovskii, published today:
Wow! very nice. This was probably taken when it was conducting weapon trials for the Indian navy.
Anyone know what are those two panels that are open near the air-intakes?
Flyboy77Why buy western tanks when you’re already developing a superior one. Read up on “Object 195”.
Flyboy77RN to start purchasing MiG-29k this year, Su-33 life to be extended to 2025.
Flyboy77Someone posted this image on MP.net but the two photos don’t quite match to me.
http://paralay.iboards.ru/download/file.php?style=12&id=7698&t=1
Flyboy77Maybe it’s a new MiG-35 prototype.
Flyboy77OAK president confirms PAK-FA taxi run.
http://www.prime-tass.ru/news/0/%7B370E9B09-A8A8-4B50-A2F8-D51CC205140D%7D.uif
Flyboy77Indian Navy’s first four MiG-29K fighters arrive in knocked down condition
NEW DELHI: The first four Russian-made Mig-29K fighters to be deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, formerly the Admiral Gorshkov, when
it is inducted into the Indian Navy have been received in a knocked-down condition and will now be assembled in this country, an official said on Saturday.The jets arrived in the country Dec 4, celebrated as Navy Day.
“The four jets, in a knocked down condition, were delivered yesterday (Friday) by an AN-132 aircraft. It will be a while before the jets are assembled and start flying,” an Indian Navy official said but refused the divulge the present location of the aircraft.
The jets were purchased by the Indian Navy as part of a $1.5 billion deal signed with Russia in January 2004 for the Admiral Gorshkov. Of this $740 million was meant for the aircraft and the balance for the refitting of the carrier. The Russians have now upped the price to between $2.2 billion and $2.9 billion and negotiations on this are currently underway.
The navy will eventually be getting 12 MiG-29K single-seater aircraft and four MiG-29KUB twin-seat trainer aircraft, some in flyaway condition. The trainer version is similar to the single-seater but with a slightly reduced operational range.
The navy has named its MiG-29K squadron the “Black Panthers”. As the 45,000 tonne Kiev class aircraft carrier, is scheduled to be delivered by 2012, the jets will undertake shore-based sorties from Goa.
The contract for the jets also stipulates the procurement of hardware for pilot training and aircraft maintenance, including flight simulators and interactive ground and sea-based training systems.
The navy’s MiG-29Ks have arrester gear and stronger landing gear for carrier landings, folding wings and rust-proofing to prevent corrosion from salt water.
The aircraft features a fully digitised glass cockpit, improved engine protection against ingestion of foreign particles like birds, a multi-mode radar and increased range. The contract ensures that the navy gets the entire spectrum of services, including a full mission simulator.
The MiG-29K will provide aerial cover the carrier’s battle group, acquire air superiority and destroy sea-borne and ground-based targets with guided high-precision weapons during the day and at night and in any weather conditions.
The aircraft, the first bought by the navy after the Sea Harriers, will also be capable of playing the role of a midair refueller.
Flyboy77Finally a reliable source on all this aircraft carrier news.
First indigenous aircraft carrier to be launched next year: Navy chief
India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, the IAC, will be launched next year and commissioned in 2014, navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said at his maiden navy week press conference on Wednesday.
Admiral Verma said price negotiations for aircraft carrier Vikramaditya (formerly known as Admiral Gorshkov) were in their fourth and final stages but would not like to guess when the issue over the cost escalation would be decided.
He hinted that the second aircraft carrier (IAC-2) which is to follow will be of a different type. “We are re-looking at the design. It won’t be a copy of what we have today,” Verma said.
The keel of the 40,000 ton IAC was laid down by Defence Minister A.K. Antony at the Cochin shipyard in February this year. The first two MiG-29Ks are to be shipped from Russia in completely knocked down condition. It is to be the primary carrier-borne fighter aircraft for both the Vikramaditya and the IAC.
Verma said he had been assured by the DRDO that the LCA’s naval variant would be ready for carrier trials by 2013 and for deployment on the Gorshkov/Vikramaditya as well as the IAC. He said the navy was doing a concept study ‘for more capable carrier-borne aircraft’ for the IAC-2.
Concepts currently being examined by the Directorate of Naval Design for the IAC-2 are for a conventionally powered carrier displacing over 50,000 tons and equipped with steam catapults (rather than the ski-jump on the Gorshkov/Vikramaditya and the IAC) to launch fourth generation aircraft.
Senior naval officials denied knowledge of receiving feelers for the sale of one of two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers currently being built for the Royal Navy. A UK newspaper reported that budget cuts had forced the UK to sell off one of the 65,000 ton carriers which cost 2 billion pounds.
Officials said that the navy’s sole aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat which completes 50 years of service this year is due for another inspection by 2013 to assess the life remaining in the hull.
The former HMS Hermes was acquired from Britain in 1987 and was to serve only for five years after which she would be replaced by two indigenous aircraft carriers in the early 1990s. However, a decade-long delays in the IAC programme meant that the carrier had to serve for another two decades.
Flyboy77I’ve heard that the Admiral Kasatonov is meant to enter into service in 2013.
Flyboy77I’m sceptical of this article. The first paragraph doesn’t seem to be based on any facts but seems to simply be the writers opinion of why the Indian naval issued the RFI. Secondly “a source said” just isn’t good enough. Its these unnamed sources that have been behind most of the India’s BS defence news in the past.
In the end, if this all turns out to be true then I was right about NLCA being the reason of this RFI. It’s just another case of Indian military not supporting their indigenous projects again. 🙁
Flyboy77Well, considering the service and accident rates. They likely need two aircraft for every one in deployed on the Carrier.;)
Do other navys with air wings triple their order of aircraft to account for accidents? 😎
Flyboy77It may well be they decided to purchase the follow on MIGS anyway but not for the next carriers.
INS Vikramaditya can only hold 16 MiG-29K. Why would they order another 29 just for one carrier? Anyway the follow on order of MiGs was always said to have been for Indians indigenous carriers and would be operate alongside the Teja.
The only way I see this article being true is if the Naval Teja got canned.
Flyboy77The Ministry of Defence and industry sources indicate that the RFI, issued recently, is of a “generic” nature, looking for newer platforms and airborne technologies and what is on offer from some of the well-known manufacturers.
I wonder if these are the same sources that said that the Gripen was kicked out of the MMRCA or that Indian was going to buy the USS Enterprise. :p
I think the Russians were playing hardball on the Mig 29K options and managed to rule them out of another deal.
If you believe the article then apparently that’s not the case.
Flyboy77India, Russia to launch fifth generation fighter jets
MOSCOW: India and Russia will launch the joint fifth generation fighters by year end and have agreed to collaborate to develop heavy lift cargo helicopters and futuristic infantry combat vehicles.
The path for more hi-tech defence collaboration between Moscow and New Delhi was paved with the signing of the joint defence protocol by Defence Minister AK Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov.
The protocol extends military interaction between the two countries till 2020 and this is expected to make the path clear for inking more major defence joint ventures during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in early December.
The protocol was signed here at the end of 9th session of India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on military-technical cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) after assurances from Moscow that all pending issues like the delivery of aircraft carrier Gorshkov and nuclear submarine Nerpa would be resolved at the earliest.
The protocol provides for completion of formalities by the year end to launch the joint designing, development and production of fifth generation fighter aircraft project.
Besides the development of a state-of-the-art multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) through a joint venture along the lines of highly successful BrahMos JV, India and Russia have also agreed to jointly develop a heavy lift cargo helicopter and futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV).
A joint statement released after the meeting said that India and Russia will collaborate in up-gradation of IAF’s main strike fighter Su-30MKI, the older Mig-27 and T-72M1 battle tanks.
It said that the two sides had also worked out the production in India of Main Battle Tanks (MBT) T-90S with full technology transfer.
In his closing statement at the 9th session of IRIGC-MTC – the apex body for coordination of defence cooperation, Antony announced that both sides have agreed to extend their military interaction programme till 2020 and the concrete projects would be identified shortly for signing during Singh’s Moscow visit in December.
“On many other issues, including the Admiral Gorshkov project, we have agreed to continue discussions to find mutually acceptable solutions,” Antony said expressing confidence that all the pending issues would be resolved at the earliest.
New Delhi and Moscow have also agreed to ink an inter-government pact on after sales and product support, so far the weakest ink in defence cooperation with Moscow.
“This agreement should also be signed during the forthcoming summit,” Antony said.
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who is the co-chairman of the inter-governmental commission said, “some extra measures,” have been taken to eliminate problems, in an apparent reference to delay in delivery of the Gorshkov and nuclear powered Nerpa submarine.
The Russian Minster said, unlike ties with other countries, Indo-Russian defence ties related to hi-technology.
“Our cooperation has confidently moved from buyer-seller relationship to joint research, development and production of hi-tech weapon systems and platforms,” he said.
Describing his discussions and meetings with Kremlin top brass as “constructive, free and frank,” Antony said that the two countries now had better appreciation of each others position on various issues.
“Both sides have identified a wide range of areas for future cooperation, including joint research, development and production of defence equipment and systems,” the Indian Defence Minister said.
Flyboy77Here is another nice BS video. Eurofighter anyone. 😎
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM603eATJPs
What makes it even funnier is that most of the video is just a rip off of the movie Behind enemy lines.
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