Spitfire, I don’t think they are sitting on the Mk2, it’s another matter that we don’t know about it.

Abhimanyu, to be a viable fighter it would have to be re-engined. otherwise NLCA will only be a TD and we will move on to N-PAKFA or even AMCA. however in the light of the Admiral’s comments I think that is unlikely and therefore NLCA Mk2 is a neat certainty.

I heard about the lca in the ether.

you still believe in the existence of ether ? fascinating.

so its performances and range would make the aircraft somewhere in the A-4 skyhawk-class, but with supersonic speed and advanced systems :rolleyes:

or in the rafale class with lower range and payload ? 😉 what determines class ? just range and payload ? is a porsche and (insert some passenger salon with same weight) the same class ?

djcross, not much details so far as I mentioned above.

spitfire, I think EADS has been roped in for consultancy, not BAe.

I’m in complete agreement with you on that one.

The thing that needs to be kept in mind here is:
Will the Indians be willing to pay the huge price of the F-35 (which ever model is bought)?

India has already decided to but the PAKFA/FGFA which is expected to cost just as much.

Remember how the Indian’s always sign up for buying things but take years to negotiate a lower price by which time the cost has come down anyway so they try to lower it further!

I never knew the prices came down with time, I thought it escalated over time and India ends up paying more than it originally bargained for. :rolleyes: perhaps you would provide an example or two to support this theory of yours ?
lastly, except the gorshkov affair no other negotiation was held up purely on price matters.

Will the US (who really need funds atm) be willing to lower the price of the lightning to allow India to buy any? Given the recent debacle of the old Russian Spy ring in the US (what a joke that was), would the us allow the Indian’s to buy their premier fighter knowing that the Russians would some how get a look at them and thus produce a competitive version at a cheaper price some time after?

what does russian spies in US got to do with India ? :confused:
I haven’t heard of any concern from US sources about possible tech leak to russia from India (other than from you) , mind elaborating how you came to that conclusion ? the concern about tech transfer to India in US is more about Indians getting a look rather than russians getting a look, which is a different kettle of fish altogether.

Sure the US have started selling various military systems to India (the P-8 for starters), but that’s all low risk sales, the F-35 comes in as a high risk item and I don’t think the US are willing to go down that path. So while LM might be offering it, selling it isn’t in their court, it’s down to Congress who I would be really shocked if they said yes!

I won’t call the P-8 particularly low risk but you are right that congress might block the F-35. then again, there were reports that LM’s offer was okayed by the pentagon.

at the end of the day it also depends on whether the navy wants the F-35 and I’m not sure they do. 😉

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?topicName=india&id=news/awx/2010/07/09/awx_07_09_2010_p0-239999.xml

LCA (Navy) Will Add Punch To Blue Water Vision, Adm. Nirmal Verma Says

AW: The LCA Navy was rolled out on July 6 after the project got the Cabinet Committee on Security’s nod in April 2003. How significant is this program for the Indian Navy?

CNS: The LCA (Navy) was sanctioned in March ’03 [following] the success of LCA (AF) in January 2001. They were planned as a possible replacement to our aging fleet of Sea Harriers, which have been in service since the ’80s. The vision of the Navy has always been to be an effective force, and hence LCA (Navy) shall play an important role in our future carrier operations doctrine. The LCA (Navy) design specifically caters [to] the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC1) scheduled to be delivered by Cochin Shipyard Ltd by 2014. The aircraft is expected to have state-of-art sensors and weapons and would be an integral part of our air arm. LCA (Navy) would add punch to the Navy’s blue water vision.

in addition to these, the Rotary Division has its hands full too, with orders for
-150 Dhruvs
-possibly 70+ Light Combat Helicopters
-development of LUH and then 187 LUH to be manufactured
-development of a 10 ton class helicopter

the number quoted was 65 for IAF alone and another 114 for IA.

the uk needs to stop giving india foreign aid and spend the money on its on carriers. If india can afford this, they dont need the 100’s of millions per year we are giving them!

I don’t deny your right to spout nonsense but since no one in India asks for your aid or gives a flying *** about it (it’s less than peanuts compared to what is spent by the government anyway) you should post it in some UK foreign relations thread and not troll here.
thanks.
JMT.