Posted on 02/08/2007 7:57:08 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
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
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.