EADS proposes armed variant of Airbus A319 for Indian Navy

Flight Global ^ | Brendan Sobie

[sukhoi-30mki]

EADS proposes maritime variant of Airbus A319 with bomb bay doors for India

By Brendan Sobie in Singapore

Airbus, Boeing, IAI, Ilyushin and Lockheed Martin bid for reconnaissance aircraft deal

EADS plans to develop a new variant of the Airbus A319/A320 to compete with the Boeing P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) on offer to India.

Industry sources say the Indian navy is evaluating a proposal, led by EADS Casa and based on the A319, for its eight-aircraft maritime reconnaissance requirement.

Other proposals received by India include an export variant of the US Navy’s P-8A, dubbed the P-8I, from Boeing; a new solution based on the Dassault Falcon 900 from Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI); an improved version of the Il-38 from Ilyushin, and a refurbished P-3 from Lockheed Martin.

EADS sources say the A319 proposal is similar to a maritime solution first proposed to Italy and Germany in 2003, which had a bomb-bay and missile hardpoints housed in canoe fairings. But for India, which wants an aircraft to detect and attack submarines, the bomb bay has been moved to the cargo bay and the missile hardpoints moved to the wings.

To further reduce non-recurring engineering costs, EADS Casa’s FITS mission system is being proposed for India instead of the tailor-made system offered to Italy and Germany.

“It is using part of the development for the Germans and Italians, but the concept has changed a bit. For the Germans and Italians it was a purpose-built aircraft. In the case of India, it’s a derivative aircraft,” says an EADS source.

Several other countries – including Australia, Canada and France – have expressed interest in the aircraft proposed to India and will likely be offered a similar solution based on an A320, because they require more range and endurance. However, few are expected to launch competitions for new anti-submarine warfare aircraft in the near future, the source adds.

EADS anticipates most P-3 operators will not begin to look for replacements for at least five and perhaps 10 or even 15 years. Consequently, it expects several maritime surveillance competitions will be held between 2010-20.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[Paleo Conservative]

If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.

[COEXERJ145]

Once again EADS has to steal an idea from Boeing.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Well in this business,it pays well to be unscrupulous.Anyway,The P-8A seems to have had a headstart in the mentioned markets(India,Italy,Australia) & Boeing seems to be doling out incentives by the dozen.The only chance Airbus will have is with increased tech transfer or indegnious participation.

[phantomworker]

I thought the P8-I was already a done deal and India was already starting to design it? Guess not:

Post from April, 2006

[spetznaz]

With India nothing is a done deal until the deal is done (and even then shockers could occur). Look at the 126 fighter aircraft deal that had the Mirage-2000 as the leading contender to such an extent that it was almost a 'done deal.' Now that aircraft is not even PART of the competition after being cancelled (the Rafale kind of took its place). The P8 MMA seems like the leading contender, but we'll see what happens once Airbus is approved to start offering technology transfers up the wazoo.

[Dave Elias]

"Once again EADS has to steal an idea from Boeing."

Not really...If anything Boeing stole the idea from BAe with their Nimrod.

Don't forget BAe are (albeit in a roundabout way) partners with EADS.

[Vectorian]

'Once again EADS has to steal an idea from Boeing.'

LOL! That's a bit rich when Boeing 'stole' both the idea of the jet engine and the jet airliner from Britain! :D

http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/200.html

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/Cosford/exhibitions/comet/index.cfm

[Vectorian]

'Don't forget BAe are (albeit in a roundabout way) partners with EADS.'

BAE are selling up and getting out of EADS:

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/04/reports-analysis-bae-in-talks-to-sell-its-20-stake-in-eads-airbus-updated/index.php

Northrop Grumman still seem to like them however as they are basing their KC-30 refuller on an Airbus for sale to the US military:

http://www.is.northropgrumman.com/kc30/commercial/design.shtml

[Oztrich Boy]

"Once again EADS has to steal an idea from Boeing."

Not really...If anything Boeing stole the idea from BAe with their Nimrod.

Actually Vickers were proposng a MR VC-10 in the late 50s

[Dave Elias]

Actually Vickers were proposng a MR VC-10 in the late 50s

Notwithstanding the fact that the VC-10 (and a fine bird it was too) didn't go into production until the early 60s, Vickers are also part of BAe, so this revelation of your's merely strengthens my point.