I’m not sure that RDY-3 is a downgrade… RC-400 has the small array, but the backend may be the same…

Thales website has the same material for both RC-400 and later the RDY-3. Its the same radar, rebranded to avoid confusion. It is a downgrade from RDY (as originally planned), with less simpler hardware and much lower TWT, to reduce costs. In 1997-1999, RC-400 was being marketed as offering most of the functionalities of the RDY (though the latter would remain better), almost 80% of the range in its best version. At much less cost (each RC-400 was expected to be around $1 Million) each.

so the RDY-3 is like the Elta 2032 where the array size can be altered based on the size of the fighter’s radome?

Yes, its modular. As mentioned, the most powerful variant of the circa 1997-1999 RC-400 was around 80% of the range of the RDY. But remember, RDY2 offers around 15% more range than the RDY. So RDY-2 will outrange RDY-3, and is a more advanced radar, even though if RDY-3 has been kept up to date. However, RDY-3 is still a modern set.

French AF, planned to upgrade Mirage 2000Ds with RDY-3. Its reasonable against the threats IAF faces, and will offer a range of A2G modes as well.

What about the back end processing, the various modes, etc. ? Same as the RDY-2 ? How does its peak and average power compare to that of the RDY-2 ?

Less sophisticated hardware, RDY has better receiver, and less average power. Kept simpler for light fighters and to significantly reduce cost.

Modes will be the same, as the same software driven functionality will be available across the RDY family.

RDY-2 is a development of the RDY, customized for and supposedly, partly paid for by the UAE, for their Mirage 2000-5 MK-2 variants (referred to as the Dash-9). They also carry Elettronica jammers, not a Thales fit.

The RDY and RDY-2 are pretty complex sets with dual TWTs & are fairly expensive

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Portfolio/Documents/rdy3-product-brochure-june2006_pdf/?LangType=2057
http://www.thalesgroup.com/Portfolio/Documents/brochure_rdy-2_june2005_pdf/?LangType=2057

Incidentally, which is why, at $40 M plus per upgrade, I doubt the RDY-3 would be selected versus the RDY-2. But let us see.
Some links mention RDY-3 though Dassault and Thales have not stated the specifics of the deal.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=7238964&c=AIR&s=TOP

The A&C link also mentions the latest variant of the ICMS. Thats the very capable ICMS MK4.

A good deal for France, however I wouldn’t say its as good as deal for India too…But anyway…

In terms of improving France’s chances for the MMRCA deal, maybe, maybe not, some people might consider France will walk away with the MMRCA deal now that India has gone ahead with the Mirage upgrade…I wouldn’t put any bets on that.

I remember when the other contenders were still in the MMRCA competition when India selected the GE F414 engines for their Tejas aircraft, many, many members were adament the Americans were going to walk away with the deal with their F/A-18, like, seriously sure, the likes of Scooter & Co were a million percent sure it was a done deal. But got a bit of a shock.

Yea the MMRCA is always been treated separate from other deals, mixing them up might not work. I think this is EFs to win, and Dassault is a bit wary about it as well. eg comments on offsets etc

Yup I’ve seen those, both rebuttals are by journalists – Pushpinder Singh and Vishnu Som.
I’m pretty sure Pushpinder’s sources are the IAF and Vishnu was present at Red Flag so some of his sources must also be IAF.
The IAF officially chose not to respond to this.
Okay minor point, I just wondered if subsequently an official rebuttal had been made – not trying to score points, I assure you.

Y,

We could call it quasi-official, but its definitely from the IAF or Govt. There is virtually no deviation in the points & manner in which they were made by both PS and VS. There was a third report, independent of both these guys, which had much the same details as those in PSs account & also extra, to a level which, frankly, none of these journos really track, which I cant seem to find online. Many of the details were verifiable as well.

That if you can remain conscious in the face of that utter and totally ugly front. Rafale, EF, X-35 even and X-32. And its just toooo bad.

actually its $100 mil, for the last batch of 42. But IMO that is still very reasonable, as the earlier orders were a steal.

Consider – these are many $millions extra, and the deal hasnt been signed yet AFAIK, it will be placed over & above the 230 ordered, of which 190 are to be delivered by 2014. The extra 40 order above the original 190 means it may stretch to 2016 for 230 aircraft, whereupon the last batch of 42 begin delivery. And Pillai at Aero India said the last fighters are of a special configuration and will be also modified for Brahmos. And we also have several reports saying the Super30 upgrade will be applied to the last batch, at HAL, with D&D complete by 2016 and carry the Brahmos, implying both are one and the same (see article below).

Add everything up and it could well be that despite media complaints etc- these are the Super 30 airframes. Hence the extra cost. Antony says $2.3 Bn budgeted. Thats an incremental cost of $54Mn per aircraft. Add that to the fact that Su-30 MKIs ex import are around $60Mn, whereas earlier HAL Sukhois can be around $45Mn+, and you have numbers around your $100M figure.

Originally, I had thought the Super 30 “upgrade” would apply to the oldest fighters first. But then, adding Brahmos means strengthening the fighters fuselage and doing some structures work. Which could mean it’d take more time to zero hour the earlier planes and strengthen for Brahmos as well. Basically, the Super 30 upgrade may be done on the fighters at assembly at HAL & the first batch which needs upgrade, next.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/Fierce+fighter/1/99261.html

Incidentally Vayu is also said to have noted something similar.

I can’t believe you said that.
IMHO there should be a fugly contest poll with this freak MiG, F-16 block60, and X-32

Nothing can compare with the F-32, thats in a class by itself. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking when they made that montrosity.

No doubt the hump has ruined the classical lines of the MiG-29, arguably one of the most beautiful yet menacing looking fighters designed ever.

But the basic fighter has received a huge jump in capability.

The issue is not of prices for the base airframe, IMO. For a Su-30 MKI class aircraft, even $60M is still reasonable.

The issue with Russian eqpt usually has been with spares. For the MKI, its been mostly ok but for tyres, which for some reason Russian industry cannot produce in enough number for customer requirements. Even the Venezuelans are pretty upset about the tyres bit I read. The bizarre part is the Sukhoi guys insisted that tyres f.e. be imported from Russia (if you look at the overall MKI deal, the TOT is comprehensive & even nitrogen filled tyres are not the most complex thing) but are unable to meet customer needs on a consistent basis. Now, the IAF is getting past this by stockpiling, ordering even further in advance, etc but in an era where many AFs are moving to PBL contracts with OEMs, the need to maintain a large inventory of tyres etc for peacetime ops itself would grate on a user.

So there was a brief talk by some of the Indian avionics houses sometime back, at a public event, and I made some quick notes.

An interesting thing, LRDE scientist was asked by some indian delegate, how many radar programs do you have going on right now…he said, at least a dozen, in fact more!! 😮

Out of this around six products are in series production at BEL.

On AWACS – next ones will be more powerful. They are looking at Phalcon style 360 coverage, but with a better radome design.