6 tankers have been ordered, 4 delivered.

the size of refueling capable a/c *today* is about 40 su30 and
a unknown number of jags & m2k. all told in next 10 yrs we are
going to get 140 su30, 39 new Jags (8 delivered), maybe some Mig27upg , LCA etc
for a total of around 500 AAR capable a/c….only Bisons and older Mig27s wont get it.

To support that number imo about 50 tankers needed. another
6 Phalcons to add to initial order would be necessary. each Midas
cost about $100 mil I think…so thats $5bil for Midas and $2 bil for extra phalcons at todays prices.

so where are the T/R modules for APAR, AMSAR and SAMPSON being sourced from eh ? a UK company is supplying the SAMPSON radar (Vaiar posted their link in navy thread I think), india has produced a small experimental 64 element array (Harry got a photo of it) and so I would think has countries like china and taiwan.

we are not talking of a line for producting Pentiums here but for a few hundred or thousand modules you’d only need a small scientific fab not a intel foundry.

yes please delete your post Post Sameer. its not a ****ing contest.

the UK-iceland-greenland-newfoundland route would have been
safer with shorter overwater legs and more emergency airports.
but I guess they feel confident in the planes(2 engines) and the
AAR support to fly direct over the ‘pond’.

I also wish they had visited UK or Netherlands — the plane spotters would have nabbed some good pix. PACOM website might have a few pix near the end of exercise.

the 052C and rumoured 051C by PLAN have ensured that IN has get into the AAW wagon – fast.

the P17A (4th ship of the class) is the first possible entry point for Aster30 & a PA radar. the first two ships are already fitting out with Shtil and the third ship is probably nearing the point of hull launch. Similarly as of Jan04 they were building hull of P15A first ship though superstructure details hadnt been finalized yet..maybe an outside chance of P15A getting aster.

as per VSoms post on br:
They have a long complicated route … which goes something like this … Ambala-Jamnagar-Qatar-Egypt-Italy-Portugal-the Azores-Canada East (forget name of base)- Northbay (Canada)-Edmonton-Alaska …

(no Hawaii)

also:
They’ve actually been doing at least 2 refuellings every leg … This is to ensure that the Jags are topped up in case they have to divert to a diversionary airfield … One of the Jags that came into Italy had a cabin pressure problem but decided to press ahead albeit at a lower altitude …

I recall video footage of french jaguar firing a AS30L during the first gulf war. the target was marked with a cross on a black&white display. so it looks like a guided weapon.