Indian1973India has a secret force of F-16s too 😉 – the RSAF F-16s are going to be a regular visitor to Kalaikunda.
Indian1973I think the comparison was between F-16 Block52 not the Block60.
In A2A mode , the F-16 could fly without the CFTs I suppose which would give it a
similar loiter time as the Mirage. Both can be supported by refuelers (for those nations than have refuelers). if it comes to a CFT equipped F-16 coming across a drop-tanked Mirage , the Mirage will drop its tanks and gain an advantage.
AIM9X can be countered with Python5
AIM120D can be countered by Meteor.
as I said, the low wing loading of Mirage and superior top speed gives it advantages
the higher and faster it goes. It can launch BVR aams at high energy and escape the
countershots at top speed if its used wisely.
how does the Block52’s radar & ECM stack up against the RDY2 and ICMSmk3 ?
also whats the T:W ratio of a F-16 Block52 (no CFT) but full internal fuel and a M2K-9
with full internal fuel ?
Indian1973with Ukraine in the western fold, I am sure a few of their Flankers are already inside a shed at Lockheed being analyzed carefully. Mig29 they purchased a whole lot from Moldova.
Indian1973Mirages have the advantage the higher and faster the combat is due to delta wing and no big fixed CFTs. does the Block52 always have its CFT installed or it may be removed for A2A work ?
Indian1973I dont think VL Mica compares favourably with Shtil on any parameter. typically AAMs have a short burn time to reach max speed and then inertia while the bigger Shtil probably has more of a active burn time to chase down hard manouvering targets.
VL Mica can at best compete with Barak. IN is reported to be interested in a Barak-2 with capability to defeat supersonic missiles.
Indian1973clash of swords again 🙂 Kalaikunda is a Mig27 base in west bengal now being upgraded with additonal housing etc. to host multi-national exercises.
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=290645
Indo-US joint fighter exercise in November
NEW DELHI, APR 6 (PTI)
Indian Air Forces frontline Sukhoi, Mirage 2000 and upgraded Mig Bisons would cross swords with the United States Air Force F-16 fighting falcons in the second series of joint fighter exercises in November this year.
The pilots of the two air forces would match their skills in close range as well as beyond visual range combats over Kalikunda airbase in West Bengal. In their first test of wits, the Indian pilots had got the better of their American counterparts in Gwalior last year.
But the contest that time had been between the US F-15’s and the Indian SU-30’s and Bisons. And the US air force this time are bringing in their Fighting Falcons that too of Batch 50-52’s, the latest upgrades series.
According to top IAF officials, 8 to 12 American F-16’s would be taking part in the exercise ‘Cope Thunder Three’ and India, besides the Su-30MKI and SU-30K, would field the Mig-27s, Mirage 2000 and Mig Bisons.
The US officials have been very keen to have a closer look at India’s just acquired SU-30MKI. In the past, New Delhi has spurned invitations for the frontline fighters to visit America for taking part in multi-nation air exercises.
Indian1973is the air intake redesign going to help
(a) RCS reduction
(b) more/less air into the engine
(c) some aerodynamic issue resolution ?
Indian1973I think someone published all the details and photos after last years Defexpo in delhi.
will try to locate….
from BR:
Note: The Indian Army has decided to upgrade it’s ZSU-23-4 air defence systems. Defence News reported that Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) were awarded a contract, worth US $104 million, to upgrade 48 Indian Army ZSU-23-4 air defence systems. The Chairman of BEL, Y Gopala Rao, stated that the trials are being conducted on two upgraded prototypes and the remaining 46 systems will be upgraded by 2005. IAI is expected to assist BEL with the system integration. Defence News reported that the upgraded systems will feature a solid-state radar and computers, electro-optical fire control systems, a new engine and overhauling of all subsystems. The upgraded systems must be able to operate despite enemy jamming, must be able to pick up targets more than 15 km away, and must function in temperatures between 35º Celsius and minus 40º Celsius. The gun must be able to shoot down targets flying up to 450 miles per hour up to 1500 meters and out to 2500 meters. The purpose of the upgrade would be to extend the life of the air defence system by 15 years.
ps. the bofors L-70 and ZSU-23-2 are also being upgraded. some stuff like
thernal imager and LRF could be sourced from Israel again.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/events/images/IB-BELGunUpgrades.jpg
Indian1973India must respect Pakistans defence needs whatever they may be. Nobody can tell Pakistan what they should or should not buy with their own money.
But the USA must stop giving out free arms to narco-terrorist regimes worldwide. Its much more destabilizing than commercial sales that people like Russia or France do, because prices put a natural brake on quantity. The US on the other hand walks around with a blank chequebook and a gigantic arsenal of arms both used and new that it uses as a stick to ‘contain’ future rivals and ‘balance’ regions.
Indian1973seen on TV last night. one Mig21 FL(?) sqdn will be decommed this year. how many FL
sqdns are in active service ? how many -U trainers still in service ?
the Bison upg pgm will terminate middle of this year, they had reached around 90-100 done in Nov of 2004.
Indian1973sealord, US has put sanctions on the civilian part of the indian nuclear industry (power generation) since mid-1970s which has severely hampered our efforts to evolve a viable nuclear power industry. They tried their best to scuttle the supply of 1000MW reactors from russia. They have also hidden sanctions in place against the space program since by definition anything can be dual-use if one is so inclined. a Ninja warrior can kill with a toothpick or a paper dart so they too can be termed weapons of mass destruction. Now the US is opposing strongly the Iran-India gas pipeline and wants india to sign up for turkmenistan pipeline instead.
as to china it has supplied nukes and missiles to pak a nation that has repeatedly demonstrated a tendency to take huge risks in their ceaseless quest to ‘hurt’ india. Its a cheap and low-footprint way for causing trouble in india’s backyard. PRC will ‘fight’ India down to the last pakistani 😉 they have already established 4 naval bases on Myanmar coast and are angling for another one in Gwader at mouth of persian gulf (though US seems to have nipped that in the bud).
Sure they wont go into open war – too expensive, messy, could backfire badly…but the intent is to slow India’s progress up the ladder as much as feasible…so they can consolidate their own positions and grab free meat off the table.
jmt.
Indian1973Rip, Indias primary long and medium term strategic rival is PRC, and then the US. Pak is a sideshow of a puppet they both prop up to keep Indian minds ‘engaged’ and away from extra regional issues.
however the tides have changed permanently and if you look at the division of the budget lately, the armys share is coming down the navy and AF are going up. India now has vital trade interests and sea lanes stretching to brazil and venezuela in the west and australia in the east…minerals, oil, agri produce, the stuff that keeps economies humming. arrangements will have to be made to protect all these linkages to the world economy.
I am quite disappointed they are considering only light birds for MRCA. something like
the SU34 armed with suitably advanced ground mapping and surveillance radar would
be the best option to have more potent strike teeth wrt PRC. like the MKI, much of the avionics could be non-russian and the radar could perhaps be sourced from Israel.
When the PRC Flanker threat is dealt with head-on, there will be more than enough
combat power to *crush* anything smaller and a good base to start planning how to
deal with future US adventures in the region…which will come as sure as night follows day.
I dont see any signs yet that US is prepared to ‘accomodate’ India into various power broker bodies peacefully and without extracting heavy ‘concessions’, so the only mode of entry left is kicking the door down at some point.
Power is never given for free, it is taken.
Indian1973it is pertinent to note before anyone goes off buying the farm that Pak doesnt have
enough money to even run its formal education system, so they have just taken another $100 mil loan to improve matters in punjab province – always the hotbed of extremist madrassas and ‘teachers’
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en77651&F_catID=&f_type=source
😀
I guess the madrassas werent producing enough good F-16 pilots 😉
Indian1973a fun movie is “hot shots” which does a funny take on Top Gun. I like where
they cook a sausage in the flames of the tailpipe. didnt they do one on Rambo
also ?
Indian1973Press Trust of India: not very clear what exercises they were doing dockside, perhaps
just transferring fuel.
Six killed, 100 injured in fire aboard Pak navy’s oil tanker
Mar 10, 2005 09:27:00 PM
Islamabad, Mar 10 (PTI) Six people were killed and around 100 injured when a massive fire broke out aboard an oil tanker belonging to Pakistani navy in the southern port city of Karachi today.
The fire on the oil tanker MB Morgan left six people dead and around hundred injured, the Navy spokesman said.
He said the blaze in the tanker broke out after a gas leakage started during naval exercises, adding 55 of the injured had serious burns.
The spokesperson said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident to determine the cause of the fire, adding preliminary reports suggest the fire was caused by accident and was not a sabotage.
Earlier, the private Geo TV reported that some 35 injured were operated upon and several others were shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the naval hospital where they had been admitted for treatment.
Ambulances were rushed to the site and helicopters were also seen removing the injured, most of them sailors, to the naval hospital, the TV report said.
The naval authorities blocked the road leading to the dockyard and journalists were not allowed to visit the area, it said.
The spokesman said the situation was brought under control by naval authorities after a couple of hours. PTI
Specs of the ship:
DAWN
PNS Moawin the Ex HMS Poolster Class from the Dutch Navy.
Displacement
16,800 tons full load
Speed
21 Kts
Complement
200 sailors and 15 Officers
Cargo Capacity
10,300 tons
Guns
Vulcan Phalanx CIWS
Radars
Navigational, Decca 2459, Decca 1229C
Sonar
CWE 10, Hull mounted, active search
Helicopters
Sea King
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