About logistics thing…it is a problem to have too many types..but I agree with what you said that IAF doesnt seem to be minding that so much.And thats exacltly why I dont buy the logistics commonalty argument in favour of going for the Mig-35 as the MRCA.

There are also advantages…I mean s-h-i-t happens and nobody can predict it..some problems with the Adour crops up..Jags are grounded…but Mig-27s are there.Unkil has an epileptic fit..spares cut off..Sea-Kings are grounded..but Cheetah,Chetaks ,Mi-17 are still flying.And incidents like these have happened.

Also every aircraft will have its achilles’ heel in particular situations.Jags couldnt do it in Kargil,Mig-27s and M2Ks did it.And I think having “some” types is better than having a “few” types.

Now the IAF is trying to standardise into the Heavy-Medium-Light categories.It will take a while for it to fall into place.
Heavies are Su-30MKi,[FGFA(I think)
Medium are Mig-29 upg,M2K,Mig-27s,Jags[now],later will only be MRCA.
Light is Mig-21s [now],LCA later.

What the Navy learnt from Malabar
Manu Pubby
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Posted online: Sunday, September 09, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email

USS Kitty Hawk/ Port Blair, September 8:Mid-air refueling is a standard practice for any modern air power in the world. The ability of a fighter aircraft to refuel in flight not only gives it extended range to reach out to a target but also enhances its ability to stay up in the air to protect an asset.

However, when an Indian Sea Harrier fighter “buddy refueled” from an F-18 Super Hornet in the middle of the Bay of Bengal, the commander of the largest forward deployed US Navy fleet considered it to be the highlight of the six day Malabar 07-2 war games. “These are the sort of things that require really high end skills. There is no other exercise available to develop such capabilities,” Vice Admiral William Crowder, US 7th fleet commander said, minutes after explaining that the five-nation exercises are not directed towards “any particular country.”

Forget China — the two aircraft carrier strike groups in the exercise (Viraat and Kitty Hawk), sailing just a few hours away from the Malacca straits, are competent enough to squeeze the Asian economic giant’s energy imports, Indian officers say that such skills pave the way for joint strikes and missions by the five countries against any common threat.

No surprise then that the entire war game was conducted as per standards followed in NATO missions. All Indian ships were attuned to NATO standard communication frequencies, technical terminology, command structures and were even fitted with special US equipment to connect to its CENTRIX satellite communication system. Officers confirmed that a detailed NATO standards ‘MTP’ document spelling out the standards was handed to the Indian Navy earlier in the year to prepare for the exercise.

The standardization and homework paid off. The clockwork precision with which the war games went off even managed to surprise Indian naval officers who have witnessed many bilateral exercises in the past.

“The smoothness of operations was incredible. We understand each other’s way of communication and to some extend have got an insight to the thinking each side does,” an Indian Navy Officer, who had earlier participated in the 2005 Malabar exercises said.

Interoperability apart, for the Indian Navy that is in the threshold of becoming a maritime force to reckon with, the opportunity to learn and compete with the sole superpower in the world was in the words of an officer “priceless.”

Multi-Carrier operations for instance, is something that the navy needs to work on before the induction of its two new aircraft carriers in the next seven years. “(The main skill set gained is) Multi carrier operations. Three carriers operating at the same time is something we are not used to yet,” says Vice Admiral RP Suthan, commander in chief of the eastern command.

Moreover, with China starting the construction of its indigenous aircraft carrier this year, it helped to practise pitching two carriers against each other during the exercise to hone air defence skills.

The opportunity to track and ‘destroy’ a nuclear submarine (USS Chicago) during Malabar gave the Indian Navy — more attuned to Soviet philosophy gained by the operation of a Russian nuke sub in the late 1980s — a rare close look into the tactics adopted by Western countries.

The two Indian officers onboard the Chicago too picked pointers on how to avoid detection and attack by the enemy which would come in handy when it inducts a Akula-II Russian nuclear submarine next year.

While the Indian Navy is not any match to its American counterpart in terms of technology — a “shooter” on board Kitty Hawk who is responsible for the safe catapult launch of aircraft from deck jokingly commented that the Viraat could be spotted from miles due the black smoke it emits — the exchange of skills is in no way one-sided.

With the planned acquisition of two new aircraft carriers by 2014 (Gorshkov and the Air Defence Ship), the induction of the Akula II and the launch of the indigenous ATV nuke sub next year plus the phased acquisition of an entire new line of destroyers, the Indian Navy is on its way to becoming perhaps the second most potent maritime power in the world.

And, as Vice Admiral Yoji Koda, commander of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) puts it — “Internationally, Navies understand each other.”

Link

There are pics of orange flight suited MKI.

Also the Harriers routinely trains against the No.9 Jag IM and “others”. So its shouldn’t be surprising to see that they actually know what they are doing.

Oops..:o totally forgot about that pix.Thanks GJ.

Like I’ve mentioned previously, it should be construed more as appreciation from me regarding the remarkable ingenuity, guile, and gutter cunning that would surpass that of a sewer rat exhibited by this character. He is deserving of such high praise.

Like I told the lad Joey, I do appreciate your posts that are well-researched, well-composed, and presented with great finesse, but kindly refrain from advising me until I ask for your valuable advice….Thank you. 🙂

Let us not talk about this anymore.

Regards

..and I think you are Lkwamoto.

As an aside, I had previously pointed out a professional spook on the prowl. His new avatar is Raymond. All BRfites enjoy his antics..lol.

Regards

Philip has been a moderator of BR previously,and is well respected.Plus I dont think you should be bad-mouthing somebody when he isnt here.

Actually I think Nick_76 already told you so previously.