Posted on 02/08/2007 7:57:08 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Boeing offers IAF advanced AESA radar with F-18
Feb 8, 2007, 12:30 GMT
Bangalore, Feb 8 (IANS) After offering to co-produce the F-18 Super Hornet in this country if it wins an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 combat jets, US aerospace major Boeing Thursday upped the ante by committing itself to equipping the aircraft with the latest generation radar that greatly enhances its capabilities.
And, in keeping with current 'Network-centric warfare' doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces, Boeing says the F-18 is more than equipped to put this concept into practice by coordinating operations in the air and on the ground.
'Yes, the aircraft will come with the AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array). The radar is in operation and represents the latest generation of radar technology,' Rear Admiral Jeffrey A. Wieringa said at the media briefing during the ongoing Aero India air show.
Wieringa wears the twin hats of deputy assistant secretary of the US Navy and director of the navy's international programmes office.
The AESA radar, according to the official, engages targets at very long ranges, continues to search while tracking many targets and can produce high-resolution maps from long stand-off ranges.
'The AESA radar, along with the F-18's advanced sensor technology, gives it true capability to operate in a network-centric warfare environment,' Wieringa added.
There is, however, just one catch: while the aerospace major is more than ready to co-produce the aircraft, it is not willing for technology transfer of the radar 'due to its sensitive nature', said Chris Chadwick, Vice President and General Manager for Global Strike Systems of Boeing Integrated Defence Systems that manufactures the aircraft.
'We are looking to building a lasting relationship with India and to work closely with the Indian industry in capacity building. Thus, I don't foresee AESA becoming an issue (due to the absence of technology transfer),' Chadwick added.
Toward this end, Boeing has a large presence at Aero India where, apart from the F-18, it is also showcasing the C-17 heavy-lift transport, the C130J Super Hercules medium lift transport, and the Chinook CH-47 medium lift helicopter. This apart, there is a large-scale model of the P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft that has been offered to the Indian Navy.
The F-18 currently flies with the US Navy and with the air forces and navies of seven other nations, including Australia and Spain.
Should the IAF deal comes through, India will be the first country outside the US where the F-18 will be manufactured. It will also be the first time Indian companies will be able to participate in the production of a US fighter. India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd currently manufactures the Sukhoi Su-30 and MiG-series of Russian jets, as also the British Jaguar.
The F-18 was developed from the experience gained by four separate platforms - the F-14 Tomcat air superiority fighter, the A-6 medium attack bomber, the EA-6B airborne jammer, and the S-3B airborne tanker.
'This gives the F-18 multi-role combat capability as it can be deployed for attack, air dominance, close air support, and reconnaissance, as also as an airborne refueller,' Wieringa pointed out.
Six aircraft are currently in the running for the IAF order. Apart from the F-18, these are F-16, Russian MiG-35 (an updated version of the MiG-29 the IAF operates and which was previously in the running), the French Mirage 2000-V, the Swedish Gripen, and the four-nation European Rafale.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony told reporters here Wednesday a request for proposal would be sent to the manufacturers 'at the earliest'.
However, even assuming that this happens within the next few months, it would be eight to 10 years before the first of the aircraft arrive, given the Indian bureaucratic ways.
© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service
Is this a good idea...giving them the advanced radar ???
The French and the Russians already have the tech and are also bidding their airplanes with AESA sets.
If im not mistaken,the offered radar (APG-79) will be sold to Australia when 24 SuperHornets are leased to them,which is a much smaller deal than this Indian one,if Boeing does win it.THe Indian AF has pretty much insisted on getting AESA radars with whatever platforms they buy-If the Americans don't sell,Boeing or LM can't win.The Euroweenies,Russia or even Israel stand to gain as they don't have such pretensions.AESA radars have been sold to the UAE for it's F-16 Block 60s & Singapore for it's F-15Gs.
Won't matter, it will see F-22's as background noise. Until too late.
Boeing is showcasing the C-130? Is Boeing promoting MiGs and Rafaels as well? Or does the writer not know what he is talking about.
If I recall correctly, you are very knowledgeable on the subject. If it were up to you, which plane would you pick and why?
Dont the Canadians also make an F-18 variant?
Many countries including Canada and Switzerland, and I believe Australia, operate F/A-18's. But they haven't done co-production, just straight purchase.
Canada is the largest export user of the Hornet with over 120 odd 'CF-18' variants.The Hornet has never been license production,if im not mistaken .
Really difficult to pick one airframe out of the many on offer for both operational & political factors.The political factor has become magnified over the past 2 years.In 2001,people would have scoffed if anyone said India would purchased an aircraft other than the French Mirage-2005 with only the Mig-29M for distant competition.Now the Mirage-2005 is all but dead & the American airframes & new Russian Mig-35 seem to big contenders.
A lot of people say that this deal will be enhanced to provide 180 odd aircraft so that 2 aircraft can be selected.It makes sense to buy an American jet so that GWB can be been to be vindicated for the trust he seems to have put into relations with India with the nuclear deal & all.The Russians would need their pound of flesh as well but selecting the Mig-35 would also cause the least logistical problems given that India already uses the Mig-29s.
About France being an unreliable ally & the US solid,well India's experiences suggest the opposite.The US still sells fighters & heavy duty stuff to Pakistan(which can't buy French stuff due the cost!!!).The French have been India's biggest arms suppliers outside of Russia & Israel & are rather liberal on technology & industrial partnerships.But my uneducated guess is that the European offerings will not have much of a chance for this contract as they are not really making a big pitch & the Indian defense budget is big enough to accomodate them elsewhere!!
Indian "defense" journalists-the less said about their (in)competence,the better.
Uncle Sam wont accept other Indian or European customizations ala F-18 MKI whereas the russians are more than willing to go the distance. That makes a big difference to my mind.
They certainly are not flexible,but we can't be sure because they may be willing to yield to demands just to get a foothold in the Indian market.That being said,the French & the Russians will readily go along given that they desperately need to sell their wares.
The canadian F-18 isnt a super hornet and doesnt have AESA.
Russia is not a good ally. Sure they sell with no strings attached because the have no moral compass, and want a Russia/Chinese alliance to dominate world affairs at any cost.
It's basically the same radar we sold to the United Arab Emirates in their F-16s.
Nope,it's likely to be the Raytheon APG-79,being fitted to Block-2 SuperHornets of the USN.
Pentagon plans to offer radar to India
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec212005/state20341720051220.asp
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