Posted on 08/10/2010 2:58:11 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
MiG-35 stalls in Indian fighter tender contract
Russia's MiG-35 multirole fighter aircraft has failed to make the short-list in a $10 billion international tender for 126 combat aircraft for the Indian air force, according to Indian media reports quoted by Kommersant daily.
The favorites to win the tender are the French Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon, Indian media say.
Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the holding company for most of the Russian aircraft industry, and its fighter subsidiary MiG, have not officially confirmed the reports.
"The official results of the tender have not yet been announced," said UAC's Press Secretary Konstantin Lantratov.
"The MiG-35 is not leaving the tender, and I have no official information about this," said UAC First Vice-President Mikhail Pogosyan.
A MiG source quoted by Kommersant said it was too early to say what the Indians had decided.
"The envelopes with the commercial proposals should be studied by the tender commission only this week," the source said.
Several sources quoted by the paper listed a raft of problems around the MiG-35 program, including a lack of financing to support it. One source said the lack of state funding to support the program had been noted by UAC President Aleksei Fyodorov as long ago as the end of 2008, but the issue was not resolved.
The MiG-35 is said to be a cheaper aircraft than its rivals but is said to have problems with engine life.
"Time between overhauls should be at least 2000 hours and overall life 4000 hours, but the RD-33 doesn't meet these parameters now," said one source.
India already operates the early model MiG-29A fighter aircraft and is taking delivery of the MiG-29K naval fighter, which it will operate from a Russian-built aircraft carrier which is currently under refit.
The selection of two favored aircraft for the Indian tender follows a long trials process, which also involved Sweden's SAAB Gripen, America's Lockheed Martin with the F-16, and Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet, as well as the Russian MiG-35.
MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti)
Sukhoi,
just how good is the LCA actually? Can it really come close to the Gripen?
The LCA in its current form comes close to the Gripen-A/B in performance but that Gripen variant has been in service for over a decade. So overall the LCA has been a bit of a disappointment. But in its role as an indigenious project and one meant to replace the Mig-21/23, it still has relevance.
The next one to be eliminated (quickly) is the so called Super-Viper (so many 'supers' in this tender). The F-16IN ticks the right places in terms of the original requirements (e.g. single engine, light, multi-role), but it also simply cannot compete with some of the bigger boys in the game (e.g. Rafale, Typhoon). Add the fact that Vipers are also flying around in Pakistan, and the chances of the F-16 go down to zero!
After that the next plane to be eliminated will be the Gripen NG. Sad really, because it is the plane that SHOULD win. Like the F-16, it meets the original specifications before the heavier twin-engined fighters were let into the rodeo. It is more advanced than the F-16, can carry the same weapons (in some cases better weapons, like the Meteor BVRAAM), and has certain key flexibilities (e.g. can use roads as runways) and advantages (supercruise ability in a2a mode). It is also free from the political strings that may plague US fighters (which countries like Pakistan know all too well). It also fits the niche originally envisioned quite well, and its engine can be used for the Tejas. Also, in terms of transfer of technology, the transfer would be nigh total! Add to this the dangling carrot of the Gripen NG being able to be converted to a carrier-capable version (the Sea Gripen concept). It has a small RCS, a good AESA, and is overall a really great plane. However, there is a possibility of the US nixing it (some components in the NG require US approval), an improved Tejas may have some overlap with it, and in terms of political sway, simply put, Sweden doesn't have the same big d!c7 that the US and Europe have. It should win. It will not.
Then you have the SuperBug next to go. It is a nice fighter, and it brings a very capable ground attack functionality that India would want. It is also a very technologically capable fighter, with a proven AESA, room for further growth and development (e.g. the stealthier version with a stealthy pod for carrying missiles; as well as improvements in engine capability and sensors), and in the region it would make sense against China because nations like Australia, and ofcourse the USN, operate the same plane. Add political influence (the growing US-India ties), and the SuperBug gains further prominence. It also does not suffer from the problem afflicting the F-16IN ...which is Pakistan using the Viper. However, it shares the political strings problem that the Viper faces ...the US has, in the past, shown a tendency to cut off supplies and equipment should the State Department and/or White House not like something. No country wants crucial parts put on hold because some person sitting 15,000 miles away does not want it to go to war with someone else! Also, while the SuperBug is an excellent platform, it is simply (sorry) not as good as the EuroFighter Typhoon or the Dassault Rafale.
Which brings those two Eurocanards. I've always felt this was a Eurocanard fight, and if the EC that was supposed to win (the Gripen NG) did not win, then one of the remaining two (Rafale and Typhoon) would. Now, they both are very good in terms of technology. Their weapons are also more or less the same (both can have the ramjet Meteor BVRAAM that outclasses the AMRAAM in both range and terminal kinetics, both have long-range stealthy cruise missiles, etc). They are capable in both air and ground. Both are quite desperate for sales ( France because no one has bought the Rafale yet apart from its own forces ...although Brazil may; and for the EADS consortium because their finances are mucky and the UK is even trying to offload some of theirs to Oman). The transfer of technology will also be far more, and far more interesting, than anything the US would allow itself to do. My favorite though has to be the Rafale. It has a couple of interesting aspects to it, and it is a better air to ground platform (and for the matter, while it used to be said that the Typhoon was better a2a, according to various reports the Rafale has been trouncing the Typhoon a2a. Either way, both will easily trounce the SuperHornet and/or Viper, MiG, and Gripen). Also, considering that the main foe for India is China (the current fleet India has is already MORE than enough for Pakistan), the better more capable workhorse makes more sense. The best of the bunch are the Rafale and the Typhoon.
One of them will win.
thanks for the analysis ... you’re good ...
Graz’ie.
Thanks for the ping! Your input was informative.
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