Posted on 03/21/2005 11:27:08 AM PST by CarrotAndStick
OJHAR, India: The private sector will now play a key role in the manufacture of the hi-tech Sukhoi-30 fighter at the HAL, the company's chairman A K Baweja announced on Monday.
Baweja was addressing mediapersons after a ceremony where two technologically-upgraded Sukhois were delivered to the IAF. He said that in the future, 30 per cent of the work involved in making the fighter jets will be assigned to private industries. "It will provide a good opportunity for these industries to get involved in the field of aerospace and simultaneously generate employment," Baweja said.
The Sukhoi 30MKI is a twin-engined, multi role fighter which can be simultaneously operated as a interceptor, bomber and trainer. It is equipped with all-weather day and night flying capabilities and can carry eight tones of weapons, including air-to-air, air-to-surface missiles and mid course guided aerial bombs and rockets. It can fly upto 3,000 kms without refuelling. The aircraft is fitted with indigenously developed equipment like mission and radar computers, radar warning and a communication systems.
So when can the USAF and USN do some exercises with the IAF? I'm curious how the old F-15 holds up against the new Sukhois.
Hmmm, Israel must be getting ready for something big; perhaps another all-out Middle East War against the Arabs. Look out Damascus, your time is almost up.
Psstt....India, not Israel
Already been done. Technically, the IAF won 'Cope Thunder', but what is unclear is whether the USAF was really trying to win the engagements or if they were really trying to win new F/A-22 fighters by 'losing' these training excercises.
Then again, the IAF was only flying their Su-20K, not the more technically advanced Su-30MKI, so we still don't really know the capabilities of either force.
Next time we use American rules. Their aircract get attacked while they're still on the ground.
Should be Su-30K, not Su-20K.
Here you see the SU-30 doing the impressive "Ostrich Maneuver" Designers at Sukhoi explain that this maneuver is but one of many reasons the US cannot compete against them. Says Monty P. the British spokesman for the company: "Oy, It's a combination 'ead in the sand, cartwheel thing. What? oh no no no, it's not dead, only pining for the fjords."
I assume they do these in a variety of scenarios, some with AWACS on both sides (I assume the IAF still have their 2-3 Russian Bariev A-50s, supposedly better than E-3s) some without, etc. I've heard good things about the Su-30MK's and think well of the Sukhoi team generally so I'd like to see more exercises.
Considering the recently Pakistani purchase, though, the Indians probably would want to see how they do against F-16's. ;)
Which reminds me, what are the differences between the "stock" Su-30MK and the IAF version?
There already was an exercise last year of USAF F-15s vs. the Indians. The Indians "won."
I haven't talked to anyone directly associated with the exercise but based on what I've heard about the exercise, and people I have talked to people in the defense community, I think the exercise was rigged for the Indians to win; 1) It makes the Indians look good 2) It makes the F-15 look bad and helps the USAF's chances of keeping the F-22 alive.
And yes, the USAF does have a reputation for being that weaselly, especially among the other services.
I thought they were Japanese rules...
everything I've read indicates the same. The USA wasn't allowe AWACS, among other things. If we had use of them, even with the F-15, it would have been no contest. We would have taken them out beyond their own radar range.
I think we were also outnumbered in the scenario. 2-3 to 1.
Could you run down how those war games went again? What rules were decided on?
that too. Sounds like the Air Force was desperate for the F-22. Not that it is a bad aircraft, I think its amazing. But I also don't think that rigging the excercise like they did would have precluded Congress from approving funding for it, either.
You hit the bulls-eye
OOPs!!! He!He!
At any rate, India and Israel have tied the knot during the past 2 years, and India sent troops to Israel to learn from them. They both have a common enemy ~~ Islam!
The F-15 was a great plane – state of the art – thirty years ago. Upgrades only go so far.
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