Posted on 07/14/2016 6:36:55 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
India’s Ministry of Defence has sought to buy four strategic Tu-22M3 bombers and other latest high-tech weaponry from Russia, Interfax reported. This was expressed in the official stand of the ‘Make in India’ Programme at the INNOPROM International Industrial Exhibition in Yekaterinburg.
Interfax reported that, in addition to the bombers, the Indian Air Force is also seeking to purchase 80 Mi-17 helicopters and six Il-76 airplanes, in which the Israeli radar system, the ‘Falcon,’ can be installed.
The Indian Defence Ministry is also keen to acquire modern missile systems, and would like to buy twelve S-400 ‘Triumf’ anti-aircraft missile systems.
At the official ‘Make in India’ stand, officials indicated a desire to lease two nuclear submarines of the Akula-2 (‘Akula’ means Shark) class, with the option to purchase them after the completion of their lease terms.
RIA Novosti had earlier reported that Russia would soon be able to deliver a second nuclear submarine of the Project 971 Shchuka-B (‘Schuka’ means pike) to India, after the relevant contract is signed.The first such submarine, named the ‘Chakra’, was delivered to the Indian Navy under lease in 2012.
At the Indian stand in the Yekaterinburg exhibition, officials said India was planning to produce over 1,000 T-90S tanks and 200 Ka-226 helicopters under the ‘Make in India’ programme.
The BrahMos cruise missiles, which are being developed in India with the participation of the Russian company NPO Mashinostroyeniya, are currently being successfully tested. The export version of the Russian anti-ship missile P-800 Oniks – the ‘Yakhont’ – has been used as the base to develop the new missile.
First published in Russian by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Imagine an American, Russian and Indian alliance.
Starting to worry more about China and less about “made in India” requirements.
Are these planes going to be Made in India or did something get lost in translation?
I’d like to know why they aren’t buying warplanes from us!
We don’t sell bombers. Russian stuff is cheaper and cheap is good.
India has been dealing with Russia/Soviets for decades. Huge majority of India’s military weapons come from Russia.
It’s better to have a reliable supplier.
Those who suggest that India would be well-served by buying US systems are correct, but there are considerations. US stuff is more expensive to buy and to maintain, and is more complex as well. Russian stuff tends to be designed with an eye towards operating in austere environments. Case in point, the cockpit of the US-built MH-53 and the roughly comparable Russian Mi-26:
“I’d like to know why they aren’t buying warplanes from us!”
The Tupolev Tu-22M is equivalent of the B1 and is sometimes called the B1-ski. The B1 has been out of production for what,20 or 25 years? So we’d be unable to supply a plane like that without major startup cost which are too high for only 4 planes.
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a plane that isn’t comparable to a US made transport because it can land on a dirt runway and the C-130 cannot.
So, in these two cases we don’t make an equivalent plane
That said, it is still a good question
Robin egg blue background on instrument panels. The glare must be terrible.
When you said C-130, did you really mean C-17? AFAIK, the 130 can land almost anywhere.
The C-17 can operate on unpaved runways.
The range of this bombers?
It actually has a rear-facing gun. Kinda thought those weren’t done anymore on jet aircraft.
I doubt seriously if the Tu22M3s supplied by Russia will be new build airframes since it has been out of production for a while. More likely pulled from storage/service and returned to Tupolev for reconditioning/update. Similar to the modern Tu-142; all rebuilds from Cold War era Tu-95s. Same rationale as for new build B-1s, too expensive to start production for an order of only 4 aircraft.
BTW, the C-130, C-17, and C-5 have all been landed on dirt runways. If I recall correctly, the C-5 only did it once to satisfy contracted performance requirements. (Desert sand did damage to low mounted engines.) However, the C-130 and C-17 can and have been landed on dirt runways numerous times. Just check YouTube for videos.
The way things are going we may need to buy some Mi-26s from the Russians. These long dragged out wars are wearing out our CH-53s.
Don’t know. Was just responding to post about C-17.
The B-1-ski is the Tu-160. The Tu-22M is a smaller aircraft than the B-1B or the Tu-160, but larger than a tactical figher/bomber such as an F-15E, F-111, or F-14 "bombcat." I don't think the U.S. has made a bomber in the Tu-22M class since the B-47.
Tu-160:
Comparison of the Tu-160, Tu-22M, and Australian F-111C:
Thanks for the clarification.
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