Rafale is a bird in hand. PAK-FA is two birds in a bush.

In the big picture Rafale gains you access to western weapons systems. I’d want access to the high volume smaller number of choices than the mess of low volume choices out of Russia. The IAF has to counter the PLAAF and their recent upswing in high quality systems.

I don’t see what is high volume about Rafale. barely 30 or 40 more will be made for French and with super expensive weopons and upgrades. PAK-FA production is too last 40 years. so couple of thousands. Rafale is very risky deal. MIG-29 still in production but M2K line closed.

There are NATO agreements on technology transfer for military usage.

Do not confuse civilian technology with military technology.

Civillian technology is much more advanced than military technology. Civilian firms have huge profits so they attract better international talent. Samsung one year profit may equal to 10 year Lockheed profits. Germany already selling Siemens Machines t and team center software to UAC. it is upto Russia how to use that technology effectively in military.
I don’t think defence of EU is so important to Germany when you look its economic policies that is destroying EU and make it more depended on China/Russia etc.

http://www.dutchdefencepress.com/?p=8875
For Rheinmetall Defence, one of Germany�s largest producers of military equipment and also one of the world’s leading suppliers and operators of simulation and training systems for ground, air and naval applications, the order is worth well over 100 million Euros, including further options. Especially when you consider that over the next decade even roughly well over 550 billion Euros more will be spend by the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation to sharpens the �bears� teeth

Why is Iraq paying 4.8 billion USD for 24 AH-64E while India is paying ‘only’ 1.3 billion for 22 AH-64D? why the huge discrepancy? Why almost 3 times as much for each gunship?

we don’t even know how old is this $1.3b price incase of India. they haven’t sign it yet. it could be 5 year old figure and without a lot of support equipment.

I don’t think the cost to France is under dispute. From the article under discussion –

In January 2012, when Rafale was declared the winner, its price was quoted between $60-65 million (Rs373-Rs400 crore).

I’m fairly certain that’s the flyaway cost being referenced.

Rafale never had $60-65m fly away cost. more than a a billion Euro is sent to Dassualt each year to produce 8 to 10 Rafale. this much money is needed to get Rafale from production line. and i presume Indian production line figures will be way higher due to lack of productivity.

Did the article say that the MoD was ‘surprised’?

why did I include this quote in my first response?. they have cold feet now since price got double. wait until they know the price of Rafale primary armament like Meteor etc.

The defence ministry headed by AK Antony has developed cold feet after the cost doubled compared to the original estimate. With the general elections just months away, Antony is unsure about the fate of the deal, a defence ministry official said. “As the negotiations continue, the cost is spiralling out of hand. It is a major worry,” he said.

cost did not double just India could not estimate the right price. In year 2002 40 Rafale cost approximately $4b in SK competition. so how 12 years later it can be cheaper.

The defence ministry headed by AK Antony has developed cold feet after the cost doubled compared to the original estimate. With the general elections just months away, Antony is unsure about the fate of the deal, a defence ministry official said. “As the negotiations continue, the cost is spiralling out of hand. It is a major worry,” he said.

40 aircraft with options for another 20. Like I said, no figures available to support the 1:1.5 assertion.

they have to pay separate for that 20 aircraft option. they can only afford 40 with FMS and no offsets like Boeing/EADS can provide with 4G fighters. so you cannot compare the overall cost of deals even if they are similar.

http://www.defencereviewasia.com/articles/269/South-Korean-defence-chief-tries-to-dispel-worries-over-F-35
South Korea’s defence minister on Wednesday supported Seoul’s plan to buy Lockheed Martin’s F-35s through the U.S. foreign military sales program (FMS), vowing to get a good deal from the reduced number of stealth jets to be purchased. Kim Kwan-jin briefed ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers on the plan to buy 40 F-35s without an open bid, as they are only sold through the U.S. government’s sales conditions, which reduces Seoul’s negotiating leverage

Cost being paid for the 40 aircraft on order.

are those 40 delivered. so how you know there costs?. LCA can consistenly overrun its development cost and its low production rate and imported components will ensure it will overrun flyaway costs by wide margin.

If you want to calculate the exact difference in cost, yes. Particularly, if you have two aircraft with similar profiles, such as the Rafale and Eurofighter. But, if the question is broader – does the F-35 cost vary greatly from advanced fourth generation aircraft, a rule of thumb estimate based on the flyaway cost is good enough.

Now you are going to estimate price of F-35 when you are so far off on LCA price. Take South Korea FXX competition. they have to postpone signing for 1 year as only 1 JSF can be acquired for the price of 1.5 F-15/EF etc. and that future higher production orders in lot 10.