Posted on 01/24/2007 1:23:00 AM PST by bruinbirdman
Eurofighter faces new challenger
Putin to lead business delegation
Russia will pitch its new combat jet for a $9 billion (£4.5 billion) Indian defence contract, adding to fierce competition among European companies for one of the largest orders by any air force.
Sergei Ivanov, the Defence Minister, said that Russia would submit the MiG-35, an advanced version of the MiG-29, to the tender for 126 light fighter aircraft as the Indian Air Force seeks to upgrade its ageing fleet of Russian-made MiG-21s and British Jaguars.
Indias military, the worlds third-largest with 1.3 million active personnel, plans to buy new fighters and trainer jets, submarines, radar equipment and weaponry as it upgrades its defence capabilities after decades of neglect.
Mr Ivanov, speaking in Bangalore before a two-day visit to India by President Putin, said: These aircraft [MIG-35s] are equipped with superb engines and can easily be manufactured and maintained in India.
The ministers declaration puts Russia up against bids expected from Lockheed Martin, of the United States, Dassault Aviation, of France, Gripen-SAAB, of Sweden, Boeing, of the US, and the Eurofighter consortium, in which BAE Systems has a 33 per cent stake. It also sets the tone for Mr Putins visit tomorrow, which is expected to focus on maintaining Russias position as the largest supplier of arms to India and countering the growing influence of America, Indias new ally after a landmark nuclear treaty.
Russia is the source of more than 70 per cent of Indias military hardware, having sold the country arms worth about $10 billion over the past five years, but delivery problems and currency exchange complications have forced India to buy from other nations, including Britain, the US, France and Israel. India and Russia have traditionally close military and diplomatic ties, but these have been threatened since the US agreed last year to allow India access to civilian nuclear technology after decades of isolation.
Mr Putin, who is to be guest of honour at Indias annual Republic Day parade on Friday, will bring a delegation of businessmen and ministers in an effort to win contracts in Indias burgeoning energy sector. He told the Press Trust of India: We intend to help India directly in construction of atomic energy facilities for peaceful use.
M. V. Rajasekharan, the Indian Planning Minister, said that Mr Putins visit would take bilateral relations between the two time-tested friends to new heights.
Mr Ivanov said that very substantial agreements would be signed during Mr Putins trip. These are thought to include a co-operation agreement for making multipurpose transport aircraft and collaboration in production of the fifth-generation fighter being developed by Sukhoi, the Russian manufacturer.
For me to poop on!
MIG-35
RULE: Articles about aircraft must include a pic! :-)
In an age of stealth aircraft, the MIG-35 is about as unstealthy as a WWII warbird.
Lots of folks here felate themselves over Russian technology. The Fulcrum was thought to be superior to the F-15, turned out to be propaganda. Yes it has better speed and climbing ability, but is aviontics and weapon systems were crappola and it had a history of maintenance faliures and poor quality which kept it out of the pantheon of great fighter jets. The Russian did'nt get that the days of the dogfight were over. But hate America crowd and defense industry whores kept feeding us the line that Russian technology was superior to our own.
Look like the EF2000 Eurofighter. Same box-like intake.
They said that in the skies of Vietnam as well.
That's not the aircraft in question.That picture is of the "5th generation" Mig 1.44 programme which started in the Soviet era for a new air superiority fighter.That programme used Mig-35 designation for a short period.
The designation has now been given to a heavily modified variant of the Mig-29 with thrust vectoring engines,great internal fuel & probably an electronically scanned array radar.
In an age of stealth aircraft, the MIG-35 is about as unstealthy as a WWII warbird.==
In the meter bandwidth any airplane is unstealthy. The most of russian anti-aitcraft radars are in meter bandwidth.
Russian equipment is garbage when put up against the west in real no holds barred battle. Raptor food.
Do what? Your statement implies that low observable technology can be obviated by a simple change in amplitude and phasing?
So, when a B2 flies over Iraq, all the soviet era-radars light it up?
Somebody better tell the USAF they spent $500B or so for nothing.
If'n I could felate myself over Russian technology I would never leave the house.
So, when a B2 flies over Iraq, all the soviet era-radars light it up? ==
Iraq do not have such radars. But if B-52 flies somewhere near russian border it will be easily targeted.
Somebody better tell the USAF they spent $500B or so for nothing.==
It is the fact that Ufimtsev' stealth theory works only for millimeter band. That is the reason why Soviet Union didn't build the stealth based on his theory. Ufimtsev is the russian mathematitian and developed that theory in 1950th. That theory wasn't even classified in USSR so United States got it easily.
Russian equipment is garbage when put up against the west in real no holds barred battle.==
Why then they so much bitching about those "garbage" TOR missiles?
Because it makes the civilized worlds job that much harder if the islamonazi's need to have their nuclear program taken out.
Any of'em for rent?
This is the first thing Indians will consider when faced with US ally - Pakistan.
But if it is "garbage" as you said, how can it make the job "much harder". Can you have it both ways?
Because anything thats a surface to air missile even vietnam era missiles are still a threat to any flying aircraft. Russian equipment is crude compared to western standards thats just a cold hard fact,and it will be defeated if needed.
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