One of the Obama deals
India to develop indigenous variant of AeroVironment UAVs
http://indiandefence.com/threads/india-to-develop-indigenous-variant-of-aerovironment-uavs.52635/
BEL exports stuff back to Israel (their own gear), offsets perhaps
http://indiandefence.com/threads/bel-bags-order-from-elbit.52687/
BEL’s upgraded (with IAI help), Schilka. New life in the old dawg. New LPI Xband radar, internal cooling, new engine, TI sights, FCS etc
The Rohini radar its next Gen AESA variant is in trials while this one is in production for IAF
Major kinks remain in need of ironing, but are unlikely to be deal-breakers, said sources involved in the talks, though they cautioned that it’s unlikely that the deal will be signed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Paris in April. However, by that time, some officials who are part of the negotiating process are hopeful that a statement of intent can be agreed upon by both the Indian and French governments for the contract that has been stalled for nearly three years.
The plan is for France to supply 18 fully-made fighter jets to India, with the other 108 being produced by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautica Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. There is an option for India to acquire 63 more Rafale jets.
Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer, has concerns about the carbon-fibre composite material that would be used by HAL to form the skin of the Rafale fighter. Though HAL prides itself in having mastered the use of these composites (which are also used on the indigenous Tejas fighter plane), HAL uses a manual technique. Dassault, on the other hand, uses an automated and much quicker process to manufacture super-critical carbon-fibre composite structures such as the wings of the Rafale. HAL and Dassault will now need to arrive at a consensus on how best to speedily develop carbo-composites to ensure that the time-frame for the manufacture of Rafale fighters is met. A slower process by HAL could mean that Dassault’s delivery deadlines for the Rafale will not be met.
French negotiators have indicated that that while they are obliged to train Indian engineers on the assembly of key components of the Rafale fighter, they need specific assurances to ensure that the engineers they train remain deployed and committed to the manufacture of the Rafale, again, to ensure that the jets are manufactured and delivered on time to the Indian Air Force.
The Rafale’s primary sensor, the RBE-2 Airborne Electronically Scanned Array, is manufactured in state-of-the-art laboratories in France to exceptionally rigid production and quality standards. HAL’s avionics labs, which presently work on radars for the Air Force’s Sukhoi 30 have different standards and technologies in place. French sources say HAL engineers will need a change in the work culture and the avionics labs in Bangalore will need upgrading to meet the French standards. This is, again, not seen as a deal breaker, but the French have flagged a concern that the modernization of HAL’s technology could be a time-consuming process.
Seems things are getting back on track and both sides are taking this to a conclusion.
The composite stuff is hardly an issue. HAL mastered working with titanium extensively to build the Su-30, trained its manpower to accurately work on composites for the LCA, this, utilizing machinery is not going to be harder in comparison.
Interesting to note that its HAL will be making the radar & that its Bangalore avionics labs (err where exactly?) will need an upgrade…err…of course they will.
HAL doesn’t make any AESA radar till date & its Hyderabad (not Bangalore) labs make the N011M. Its avionics labs are in Korwa (UP state) and Kasargod (Kerala).
Its actually BEL, DRDO and a bunch of private firms which make India’s AESA radars. There are currently a bunch in production and development.
Here are some modules from a two years back (both used in India’s long range AESAs for BMD and the S-band AEW&C). Apart from the new stuff being revealed (C, UHF, X Band etc)
So yeah, to make AESAs, HALs infra will have to be upgraded. No biggie even so..
Wonder why BEL wasn’t tapped for this and if GOI is deliberately diversifying its manufacturing base as with the Akash program.
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