MountainI’d check those facts a sphere, your certainly wrong on Pakistan and most likely Thailand
MountainWith nothing but the utmost respect, lets not be in denial. The article indicates exactly how the WVR engagements were set up … 1v1, 1v2, 2v2 etc. It spells out the ranges of simulated missile shots and how there were no restrictions on use of the radar in terms of tracking ranges and it categorically outlines the belief of the man who LED the IAF contingent that there was a 12-0 “scoreline.” There can be no end to details of every engagement but this was fairly specific information which I was able to gather and report. I have corroborated this account from others as well, but these are sources I do not wish to identify. The person who told me this is not a media veteran and has never been tasked with spewing out propaganda. Nor is he capable of doing so. If it makes anyone feel better, the IAF did take “hits” in the BVR engagements.
I’m no journo but surely for any balanced article one tries to get both sides of the story right? Can you see why quite a few people are sceptical of the claims made?
1) You never actually qoute the IAF commander any specfics yet you include them in your article, so one is left to wonder why you failed to attribute the 12-0 quote to the IAF commander. Is it because he did not say it or did not want to go on record
2) Both the IAF and RAF deny the main implication of your article, in fact the RAF contridict it completely
3) You never, not once, seemed to have got any comment or opposing view from the RAF, which does indicate some sort of laziness at best, or agenda at worst
4) A quick look at your twitter feed looks like the PR department of the IAF.
Hope you do not get too offended (this time) by the questions
Thanks
MountainI would think that a Brazilian F-5EM would do well against an unmodernised F-16A – but are there any still flying?
Good point, I think the Venuzualens may have a few knocking about, which ironically, would make a F-5M V F-16A (Unmodernised) actually a possibility….
MountainDoD awards Pakistan AH-1Z contract
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Bell Helicopter a USD581 million contract that includes the delivery of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to Pakistan.
The contract, which was announced by the DoD on 26 August but awarded the day before, covers the manufacture and delivery of 15 Lot 12 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters, 19 Lot 12 AH-1Zs, one Lot 13 UH-1Y, and 21 auxiliary fuel kits for the US Marine Corps (USMC) and government of Pakistan.
Pakistan requested the sale of 15 AH-1Z helicopters in April, and this announcement is the first official confirmation that a deal has been signed. While the notification does not say how many of the 15 helicopters have been signed for at this stage, it states that 10% (USD57.9 million) of the overall contract value covers the sale to the government of Pakistan. This suggests that this is an initial deal for the first two helicopters only, with contracts for the remaining 13 (plus spares and support) to follow.
According to the DoD, these initial helicopters will be delivered by the end of August 2018. The original US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notification of Pakistan’s request included 1,000 AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-surface missiles for “a precision-strike, enhanced-survivability aircraft that can operate at high altitudes. By acquiring this [AH-1Z and Hellfire II] capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency [NWA], the Federally Administered Tribal Areas [FATAs], and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day and night environments”.
The contract notification is the latest development in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to bolster its rotary-winged attack capabilities. As well as procuring the 15 AH-1Zs to bolster and eventually replace its existing 32 AH-1F Cobra platforms, Pakistan has also evaluated the Chinese CHAIG WZ-10 attack helicopters, which has included flying them operationally on counter-terrorism missions, and is rumoured to be interested in the Russian-built Mil Mi-28NE ‘Havoc’ as well. On 19 August it was announced that Pakistan and Russia had signed a formal agreement for the procurement of four Mi-35 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters, with more likely to follow.
http://www.janes.com/article/53825/dod-awards-pakistan-ah-1z-contract
MountainDepends on the F-5E & the F-16. There are a number of upgrades out there. Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, Chile & Switzerland all had different upgrades, for example. And whatever radar is fitted, it has no more than half the size of the antenna on an F-16. There’s no way round that: it’s limited by the nose. Consider the variants of the Italian Grifo radar: the Grifo F one fitted to F-5Es has an antenna 56×37 cm. The model offered for F-16 (but not bought) was 74×48 cm, & had well over twice the power. The radars on upgraded F-5Es can’t necessarily make full use of the capabilities of BVR missiles (depends on the missile range), because of range limits imposed by antenna size.
Nor have F-16s stood still. Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands & Norway all had their F-16s thoroughly modernised at the end of the 1990s, & Jordan, Portugal & Pakistan have followed suit. Late model F-16s don’t have the same avionics as early models, & the USAF has a range of models, up to Block 52 IIRC, which went through a programme to bring avionics up to a common standard matching Block 52.
Radars & the like have not necessarily been replaced on F-16s but they’re not the same as when originally installed. An APG-68 radar upgraded to APG-68(v)9 is far more potent than when new.
Good points Swerve, not to even start mentioning the face a new F-16 will have a very good go at jamming the F-5 from distance before the merge. Hanging on a decent AIDEWS system on a plane like an F-5 would be difficult from a weight/power/space angle too…
MountainACM leading from the front, flying combat missions in a single seat F-16A MLU. Note combat webbing and side arm.
MountainGreat pic Alpha Bravo. Brings back some great memories. Loved the fact the PAF were prepared to go to war in the FT-5 and use every available asset to hand.
A relative once told me that if you could learn to fly in an FT-5, F-16s were just like playing a video game in comparison…
MountainPakistan AH-1Z Viper contract awarded to Bell
http://www.sputniknews.com/military/20150818/1025859873.html
MountainGreat move by PAF. TAF are operating modernised glass cockpit T-38s so useful two squadrons of advanced trainers for PAF, makes sense considering the amount of NATO standard training Pakistan is now doing. Search for Swedish, Turkish, European and American high end fighters also new info!
Turkey gifts 34 T-38 Trainers to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: In a gesture of goodwill, Turkey has decided to provide 34 jet trainers to Pakistan as a gift. The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twin-engine supersonic jet trainer and it was the world’s first supersonic trainer and also the most produced.
The T-38 remains in service as of 2015 in air forces throughout the world. The decision was conveyed by Turkish Commander of Air Force General Abidin Unal to his counterpart in Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman when they met recently.
It is likely the planes would be handed over to Pakistan before the end of the year. Highly placed sources of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) told The News here other day that the supply of 34 planes will reduce financial burden on the PAF and the planes will cater to PAF needs at least for the next 10 years.
T-38M is a modernised Turkish Air Force T-38A with full glass cockpit and avionics, upgraded by Turkish Aerospace Industries under the project. The US Air Force is using T-38M extensively and about 50,000 pilots have got training on this type of plane. One plane costs US $5.879 million as it is a US made machine that is being used world over including Nasa.
The sources said that Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman would go to Turkey to receive the gift from the Turkish Air Force. The sources said that Pakistan would keep upgrading its JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter plane which is attracting buyers world over.
Pakistan has also initiated search for the most sophisticated multi-role fifth generation plane and for the purpose Sweden, American, Turkish and some European planes are being examined. India is acquiring planes of fifth generation although it has reduced its order from 126 to 36 and that deal too is facing snags. It is expected that Pakistan would also acquire fifth generation fighter-bomber planes for its air force, the sources added.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-335269-Turkey-to-gift-Pakistan-34-jet-trainers
MountainI guess in the light of recent fiascos this is not suprising at all…. I think the RAF are very keen on getting one more tail too!
IAF clears proposal to buy three C 17; Boeing says only one plane left to sell
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force appears to have taken too long to push through a Rs 8,100 crore proposal to buy three new Boeing C-17 transport aircraft. The American manufacturer simply does not have that many aircraft to sell anymore, having pledged four of the last five C-17s in its production line to Qatar.
After months of efforts, the air force, at a Services Capital Acquisition Plan meeting on July 31, managed to push through the proposal to add three aircraft to its existing NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force appears to have taken too long to push through a Rs 8,100 crore proposal to buy three new Boeing C-17 transport aircraft. The American manufacturer simply does not have that many aircraft to sell anymore, having pledged four of the last five C-17s in its production line to Qatar.
After months of efforts, the air force, at a Services Capital Acquisition Plan meeting on July 31, managed to push through the proposal to add three aircraft to its existing fleet of 10 Boeing C-17s that were ordered in 2011. Officials said the proposal is likely to be taken up by the high powered Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) shortly.
However, Boeing officials have gone on record to say that after signing the contract with Qatar the company is left with just one C-17 for sale. With its production facility for the aircraft at Long Beach in shut-down mode, the company has already halted the production line.
Boeing had five C-17 aircraft to sell when the air force first moved the proposal in April, as ET had first reported.
Officials said the air force could get committed aircraft from US inventory or retracted orders of a third country, but the chances of this happening are slim. A solution cannot be ruled out, they said, given that the deal is being processed under the Foreign Military Sales pact.
In April, the air force had impressed upon the government the need to induct three more of the very heavy transport aircraft because the planes have been involved in several rescue operations, including aid to earthquake hit Nepal, since their induction in 2013.
As per the 2011 contract, which was worth $4.7 billion, India had an option clause to purchase six additional C-17s over its order of ten. However, a paucity of funds never saw the follow-on order being processed.
MountainI’ll take the bait…
Over the last 10 years, India has learnt the hard way what it means to design/test/manufacture a light combat aircraft. They pushed through many technical hiccups during design/test and now they have to push through the economical hiccup of production at scale. Unsurprisingly, the seller and the buyer have different interests. When money becomes an issue, plans tend to change.
Now, leaving aside politics and the logic of running multiple programs, there is nothing to suggest that Tejas MkI is not going ahead, and hence once available there is no reason apart from your own bias to think that it would be shielded from frontline service (please define what “proper” frontline service means exactly).
As for the exact intent of the HAL letter, well, it doesn’t really make sense to me unless they’ve promised to build the best of the best for an affordable price… because that’ll work for sure, but I digress! Maybe this can be seen in the context (payback) of Parrikar’s semi-announcement of a Mig-21 replacement shunning HAL?
One thing that everyone can agree on is that this is a mess.
They have produced one plane for induction so far. It is planned to be based in southern India far away from any hostile border and that with just one unit dedicated to training, leaving just enough planes for one more unit. Not exactly a glowing endorsment of the aircraft is it?
MountainWhat an incredible mess!
In addition to this, the new Rafale negotiations have stalled… The IAF must become desperate.
“However, the IAF and ADA point to HAL’s poor record of adhering to manufacturing schedules. They say HAL, which is more than a year late in building the Tejas Mark I, is unlikely to build and deliver 40 Tejas Mark I by 2019. So far, the Tejas line has built just one fighter. “
MountainWhat an incredible mess!
In addition to this, the new Rafale negotiations have stalled… The IAF must become desperate.
LCA will never see proper frontline service in any version I think.
Wonder what spin the usual posters will put on this…
MountainAs I understand it Iran has some pretty capable pilots, the accident rate is predominantly down to them operating a VERY old fleet of aircraft.
Interesting point. Without exposure to the latest fighter technology, foreign air exercises, possibly fewer flight hours and higher learning institutions, how do the Iranian pilots maintain proffessionalism?
MountainMr. Snowstorm, the very reason the 1.44 is being put on static display @ MAKS is to demonstrate to the Russian public what the beloved USSR of Voldermort Putin could achieve even when the chips were down.
I think you would agree it was a considerable achievement for the early 1990s and certainly a league apart from the Eurocanards (and bettered only by the ATF contenders).
Also, it is not an unreasonable supposition that the latest incarnation of the “1970s” legacy Su-27, the Su-35S, would give the Eurocanards (or any 4G+++ fighter), a very tough time indeed.
Mountain, quit the tedious trolling will ya – or it’ll get you tali-banned.
I’ll take that under advisement Jo, especially when you mix the message with a quasi-racial comment….
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