Hey, this makes sense to Boeing. 😉 F15E upgrades for South Korea, Singapore etc etc…hmm.

Alternative tech like EMALS is far more reliable and possibly less expensive to maintain and operate than steam tech.

Has this had any effect on the way the RN thinks apropos the CVF? Its ambiguous, cause there are many factors here:

– Lifetime costs comparing F35B ops to F35C ops.
– Does the CVF have enough power to operate an EMALS system because it wont have a nuclear powerplant(not considering a steam launch system cause its out of production).
– Is the RN ready to let go of the Harrier-centric mindset .

From this link I suppose UK CVF will have a ski-jump and no arrestor gear. That would mean no catapult launch for the F35B as of now.

However the service life of the carrier is 50 years and that of the F35B only 20 years.

If CVF gets converted into CATOBAR type as it approaches mid-life they’d probably buy new F35C’s for catapult launch.

I was impressed with LCH’s futuristic fuselage design and high altitude specs. I’d expect LCH’s DIRCM module will demonstrate similar capability as this nullifying asymmetric warfare from shoulder fired IR missiles.

base = technical specifications/characteristics of ATR-72 and EMB 170

chillax will ya.

A one year old baby will not give you any idea how it will look at the age of 15 will it??

YF22 got refined and refined and refined over many years to yield the F22. The two dont even look similar.

All the problems for PAKFA program will bite the dust as it matures into a serial production version. Atleast wait till 2015.;)

Quality-And-Quantity

Quality over quantity.:p The Chinese will be phasing out the J-7s soon and replacing them with FC-1s/J-11s/Su-27SK/Su-30MKKs. I see the IAF’s view on Tejas as more like how the PLAAF’s handling the J-10; a small order of the initial version as a pat on the back, followed by using it as a springboard for a developing more modern, cutting-edge version that closes the gap between Indian aerospace tech and the rest of the world.

Unfortunately the Tejas program was affected by significant factors in the development phase I would imagine:

1. Changing Requirements from their airforce (adding features etc.) and productionizing realities.
2. Advances in radar technology i.e power-hungry AESA
3. Advances in weapons. India now wants to launch Nirbhay ALCM off the Tejas.

This has lead to the Mark2 variant. 99 Mark2 engines with an option for 49 more exist. Thats 148 Mark2 engines!!

For the numbers:
Airforce : 40+ Mark1
Navy: officially 50+(Mark1 and Mark2)

Mark2: total of 148 engines can be bought (another 50 planes atleast ?)

We are talking 150-170 planes atleast in service with the Indian Airforce and Navy. This is a minimum number!

Note: I am not considering the effects of a new engine venture between Snecma and GTRE for the Kaveri-2. Atleast 200-300 engine run will be needed to make the joint venture break even. Thats like an additional 50 Mark-2 Tejas?