Indian

The choppers may be civilian spec as this way, spares can be guaranteed in the future as they will not come under any “military sanctions”

Hey, anyone check out the babe standing on the extreme left of the pic? I would like to take a closer inspection of her ski jumps……

Isn’t that a typical rule for Pakistan? Pilots delivered by Airforce. Planes/choppers owned and commanded by army…

Yeah, all choppers are army, Air Force only has 12 aloutte 3s distrubuted among 6 bases for local SAR

http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/Fotos/bell/412HPCoc.jpg

cockpit image of bell 412

Does not look very “60s” to me, or is it that anything Pakistani has to be inferior, hey Airpower!? 😀

Flight International 10 Aug 2004

Pakistan is to further accelerate the modernisation of its military aircraft fleet, with the USA pledging an additional $150 million in foreign military financing (FMF).

US manufacturers expect the funds, adding to $300 million already promised for fiscal year 2005, could pay for fighter upgrades and additional helicopters. Pakistan is finalising a priority list for US defence equipment using at least $1.65 billion in FMF funds over five years.

Pakistan already has decided on several purchases, including 26 Bell 412s, 40 Bell 407s, 20 used Bell AH-1 Cobras and six used Lockheed Martin C-130Bs. Deliveries of the Bell 412s began last month and work on refurbishing C-130Bs is under way.

But industry sources say Pakistan has not yet issued a letter of request for a proposed mid-life upgrade of 18 Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs. Sources say Pakistan should decide on a configuration within the next several weeks, launching the licensing process.

The air force is spending about $75 million on the C-130s, leaving another $75 million for F-16 upgrades in the forthcoming year. Pakistan is also considering acquiring additional used F-16A/Bs and possibly new-generation F-16s.

The army is poised to spend almost $300 million over five years on its new 407 and 412 fleets and enhancements to its Cobra fleet. Sources say the army also has floated a requirement for additional attack and utility helicopters capable of operating at relatively high altitudes, perhaps funded by the additional $150 million.

Enstrom and Schweizer also expect a requirement for additional army and air force training helicopters. The navy is considering a purchase of six additional Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions. The US Navy is retiring about 80 P-3Cs over the next two years.

Easy dude, according to the FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL report, India cannot even fund its orginal SU-30MKI purcchase, how on earth is it even THINKING of more jets……

——————————————————————————–

Flight International 03 Aug 2004

Rival MiG-29 bid from RSK receives warmer response as New Delhi looks to acquire 125 fighters for the air force

India has rejected a joint proposal by Sukhoi and NPK Irkut to develop a single-seat, reduced-weight version of the Su-30MKI multirole fighter, says Sukhoi general director Mikhail Pogosyan. The concept had been offered in response to a request for proposals for the Indian air force’s planned acquisition of 125 new fighters.

The bid was submitted after India rejected an earlier offer from Sukhoi and KnAAPO to supply the Su-35 to replace the air force’s ageing MiG-21FL strike aircraft. A rival MiG-29 bid from Russia’s RSK MiG has received a warmer response and remains in consideration as an alternative to Dassault’s Mirage 2000H, says Pogosyan. Other aircraft types expected to contest the deal include the Saab/BAESystems Gripen.

Meanwhile, Irkut has completed delivery of Su-30MKI kits to India, and the first batch of three locally assembled aircraft will be delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics from December 2004, says Irkut president Aleksei Fiodorov. Irkut will deliver a further 10 Su-30MKIs to India from its IAPO plant in Irkutsk by year-end, boosting India’s Su-30K/MKI fleet to 50.

Russia and India are renegotiating an earlier deal that covered the delivery of 18 Su-30K interceptors from 1997-9. These were to have been upgraded to the full Su-30MKI standard, but an agreement could be reached to limit this modernisation to only replacement of their N-001 Mech radars with the N-011M Bars system and the addition of a glass cockpit and improved avionics.

Sukhoi will export 40 combat aircraft this year, securing business worth $2 billion, says Pogosyan. Sales will pick up in 2006-7, when the Russian air force resumes taking delivery of fighter aircraft, including the Su-34 and Su-35, he says.

Pakistan got 26 very capable 412s for no cost while, please correct me if I am wrong, but did not the Indian Army reject the Dhruv as being unsuitable for its requirments?

Pakistan is slowly making her army more air mobile and mechinsied while its opponants lag behind…..

Cool! PAF Mirages and F-6s engaging F-15s 30 years ago!