http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1945514.cms

Rolls-Royce revs up for a HAL-mark.

Rolls-Royce revs up for a HAL-mark
AMANPREET SINGH

NEW DELHI: Rolls-Royce Corporation is seriously considering inking a JV with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to manufacture engines, components and gas turbines.

This partnership, however, is contingent on Rolls-Royce bagging an Indian defence contract to supply 197 helicopters. Together with Bell Helicopters, the company is bidding for this Indian Army contract, where it’s pitted against a Euro Copter-led consortium.

“Our engines have performed very well in the technical trials, which include heat and altitude testing. Going forward, we are looking for a partner in HAL rather than being just suppliers,” Scott Crislip, global president, helicopter & small gas turbine engines, Rolls-Royce Corporation, told ET in an interview. The roadmap of the contract is expected to be finalised by’06-end.

The company is also keen on partnering HAL for the indigenous helicopter programme — Dhruv — and has put forth multiple proposals to the Indian manufacturer. Besides, as per the drawn-up plan, it would help in marketing gas turbines manufactured through the joint venture.

HAL is one of the strategic suppliers of rolled ring forging to Rolls-Royce. Now, Rolls-Royce is looking at a complete technical transfer so as to include design, technical development, manufacturing and service, all on the six sigma principle. “Indigenous capability is extremely important in this business as the cost to capital is very high,” Mr Crislip said. Rolls-Royce already has more than 1,300 engines in operation in India. “With aviation turbine fuel (ATF) hitting an all-time high, the need for Rolls-Royce’s gas turbine engines is expected to go up manifold,” he said.

With the helicopter industry registering a growth of 7%, the maximum growth is expected from the US, South America and Asia. Mr Crislip sees the next 10-15 years as the real period of growth for the chopper business in India as people are replacing older models and looking at long-term service offerings with innovative solutions.

While the US has one commercial helicopter per 1,000 people, Japan has one per 10,000 people and India has one per 10 million. Therefore, theopportunity for growth in India is much higher, even more than China, where the skies are yet to open up. “There is a great need for helicopters in India, especially when it comes to medical aid, the police and now electronic news-gathering,” Mr Crislip said.

Rolls-Royce’s 50-year-old relationship as the supplier of aero-engines to the Indian military is likely to be further strengthened through the execution of this programme. The first phase of the programme involves delivery of 60 commercial off-the-shelf (COTs) Rolls-Royce model 250-C47S engines for the Bell 407Shen. Subsequent phases would involve local assembly and co-production of an additional 137 engines with HAL.

Why is this worth considering?

Recent report spoke of complete TOT for the 197 Bell helicopters…so it seems that includes the engines..

What the IAF expects of the MCA/MiG medium fighter, given that these programs are increasingly intertwined:

At the most basic level, the wish-list that the IAF has for a fifth generation fighter, which should ideally begin flying operationally between 2015-2020, includes comprehensive stealth, a single engine, supercruise capabilities, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) combat radar and swing-role capabilities that allow seamless switching between air-to-air and air-to-ground modes inflight. This of course is in addition to the capability to operate entirely beyond visual range (BVR) of the enemy and perform short take-offs and landings.

At the same time.

Russia To Deliver 12 Fighter Jets to India
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW

Russia’s Irkut jet maker is planning to deliver 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets to India this year and will start supplying Algeria and Malaysia from 2007 as production at the plant ramps up, the company’s director said in an interview on June 15.

”The contract has already been agreed, its signature is expected in the next few months, and this year we plan to deliver 12 fighter jets” to India, Oleg Demchenko, director of the plant in Russia’s Siberian region of Irkutsk told the Vedomosti business daily.

”In the first quarter of this year, five unassembled jets have already been delivered” to India, Demchenko said.

Irkut would also begin delivering jets to Algeria “from 2007,” he added.
Algeria agreed in March to buy up to $7.5 billion worth of Russian weaponry, including 28 Su-30 jets, Russian news agencies reported.

Also from 2007 “we will deliver nine jets to Malaysia and we will supply the remaining six out of 18 fighter jets to India” to replace 18 jets exported to India in 1997 and 1999, he added.

”We are increasing production to 32 jets per year, while in Soviet times the factory made 28. It’s a very tough production plan,” Demchenko continued.

Irkut had net profits of $84.8 million in 2005 — up from $68.4 million in 2004 — and factory executives estimate current orders have a total value of five billion dollars, Vedomosti reported.

European aircraft maker EADS has a 10 percent stake in Irkut.

Would get the IAF to 4 squadrons of MKI level.

http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=su30refuel6pg.jpg

Picture of Su-30 MKI prototype in Russia with UK manufactured buddy refuelling pod and Litening LDP

http://www.airnews.co.za/showstory.asp?id=488

Avitronics, a joint Grintek/Saab company, will be showing its range of electronic warfare systems, including the multi-sensor warning system that has been selected by Malaysia for its new Su-27 fighters and elements of which have also been selected by India for its Su-27s.
The MSWS includes an ultra-violet missile approach warning system in addition to radar and laser warning systems, and is offered for fighters, helicopters and transports.

Link appears to be dead, but this is the MAWS thing that came up earlier, perhaps the EADS-DRDO one will replace it, or even the Indo-Israeli one.

http://www.avitronics.co.za/Press/EnterIndianMarket18032003.htm

Farnborough: Business aviation in brief-25/07/06

http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/07/25/Navigation/177/208039/Farnborough+Business+aviation+in+brief.html

Indian AEW

Russia’s Beriev expects to deliver the first of three customised A-50I airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft to the Indian air force in July 2007. The Indian version incorporates Israel’s Phalcon active-array radar, replacing the Russian Vega radar used on previous versions. Beriev general director Victor Kobzev says the company has won a Russian air force order for a major upgrade of in-service A-50s. Beriev is also working on an all-new aircraft, Kobzev says.

The figure for APG 80 is too low.
AvLeak estimates ~140 km for a 1 sqm target.

I think thats more than what was previously posted on the forum. Can you write the entire portion in exact words?

Just curious

We should be hearing about deal being signed and letter of acceptence imminently – 2-3 days

This will show us the FINAL PACKAGE for the F-16 deal and may actually endup suprising a few forum members

Please quit your game of up-manship. Despite the warning you persist.