Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

India worried as Russia grounds MiG-29 fleet
Times of India ^ | March 13,2009 | Rajat Pandit

Posted on 03/13/2009 9:37:24 PM PDT by NoLibZone

NEW DELHI: In a move fraught with major implications for India, Russia has grounded a major chunk of its MiG-29 fleet due to structural defects. The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates over 60 MiG-29s as "all-weather air-superiority fighters".

Moreover, the Indian Navy is soon to get 16 MiG-29Ks—the fighter's naval variant designed to operate from an aircraft carrier's deck—as part of the original $1.5 billion package deal signed with Russia in 2004 for Admiral Gorshkov.

Sources said a navy team recently returned empty-handed from Russia after the delivery of its 16 MiG-29Ks was postponed because of Moscow's decision to ground its own MiG-29s. Russia apparently grounded its entire fleet of about 300 MiG-29s, codenamed 'Fulcrum' by Nato during the Cold War, after a couple of them crashed in southern Siberia in October-December due to the disintegration of their tail fins.

Subsequently, around 90 MiG-29s have so far been found unsafe to fly during ongoing checks, while 100 have been cleared to take to the skies. Incidentally, Algeria had last year returned its 15 MiG-29s to Russia, holding that their quality was poor, which was strongly contested by Moscow.

This does not augur well for India. As earlier reported by TOI, the IAF is already grappling with a huge dip in the number of its fighter squadrons, down to just 32 from the "sanctioned strength" of 39.5. The IAF hopes to reach its "desired strength" of 42 squadrons only by 2020 or so.

Another reason is that even as India haggles with Russia over its additional $2 billion demand for Gorshkov's refit, the defence ministry has cleared the navy's proposal to buy 29 additional MiG-29Ks for Rs 5,380 crore.

The procurement has been approved because both Gorshkov and the indigenous aircraft carrier, being built at the Cochin Shipyard, will operate MiG-29Ks once the two desperately needed warships are inducted into service in the next decade.

The immediate concern, however, is for the IAF, which operates three MiG-29 squadrons along the western front for air defence purposes. "We have received no word from Russia. We are continuing to fly our MiG-29s from Halwara and Jamnagar," a senior officer said.

The IAF had inducted over 70 twin-engined MiG-29s from 1986 onwards but has lost several of them in crashes, though these fighters are not as accident-prone as the single-engined MiG-21s or the recently phased out MiG-23s.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: india; navair; putin; russia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: freedumb2003

“I assume you mean unreliability of supply”

As in, the US DOS just ordered GE to stop work on the new Indian ships. India is PO’d.


21 posted on 03/14/2009 9:44:11 AM PDT by patton (America is born in Iceland, and dies in California)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: patton
As in, the US DOS just ordered GE to stop work on the new Indian ships. India is PO’d.

With good reason. WTF are we thinking?

22 posted on 03/14/2009 9:49:16 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: freedumb2003

Government thinks? If the US Government were a person, it would be involuntarily commited to a home for the insane.

Which makes it VERY difficult to sell US products outside the US.


23 posted on 03/14/2009 9:51:53 AM PDT by patton (America is born in Iceland, and dies in California)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: ROTB

Production of the F-18 stopped a few years back, so u only have second-hand jets and most folks don’t want used carrier aircraft. The Super Hornet though is on offer to India.


24 posted on 03/14/2009 11:03:42 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: jws3sticks

Those are Indian navy jets.


25 posted on 03/14/2009 11:04:45 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: freedumb2003

If there’s no supply reliability, nobody would want to test aircraft reliability.


26 posted on 03/14/2009 11:05:38 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: NoLibZone

Guess they should have picked on those surplus Scooters - Singapore did, and they are still flying.


27 posted on 03/14/2009 11:06:00 AM PDT by ASOC (This space could be employed, if I could only get a bailout...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

28 posted on 03/14/2009 3:04:45 PM PDT by magslinger (I talk to myself but sometimes I like a third opinion.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freedumb2003

That is would be nice for India to be a better counter to the West for the expanding Chinese Navy?


29 posted on 03/15/2009 3:35:43 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Obama: Carter's only chance to avoid going down in history as the worst U.S. president ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: ROTB
"Can’t we sell India the F-18?"

We offered to give them a Kitty Hawk-class carrier if they'd buy Super Hornets to fill it. That deal didn't go through, but I'd bet that they're probably talking to Boeing again about carrier fighters after this.
30 posted on 03/15/2009 10:02:25 PM PDT by DesScorp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Southack
"F-15’s and F-16’s would be a better fit...neighboring Pakistan shares much of the same terrain (e.g. long hostile distances between airports) and loves the F-16."

But they're specifically looking for aircraft carrier fighters here. Neither the Eagle or the Viper can do that job. And as far as the short legs issue, the F-16's legs are nearly as short as the baby Hornets. They both came from the lightweight fighter program. They weren't supposed to have deep-penetration range. Both have to carry drop tanks for anything over 400 miles or so, or refuel mid-air. The Hornets have built-in buddy tanking ability if India goes that route, and if they buy Super Hornets, the E/F birds have much longer legs... 900 miles unrefueled. Add drop tanks to that (or better yet, put a tanker in the area), and the Indians could reach any target in Pakistan and come home.
31 posted on 03/15/2009 10:10:25 PM PDT by DesScorp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

India worried as Russia grounds MiG-29 fleet
The Times of India | 14 Mar 2009 | Rajat Pandit
Posted on 03/13/2009 8:37:58 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2206316/posts

Russia to show MiG-35 jet fighter at Aero India 2009
RIA Novosti | 02/ 02/ 2009
Posted on 02/03/2009 9:11:04 PM PST by pobeda1945
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2177946/posts


32 posted on 03/17/2009 7:51:23 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson