Posted on 01/28/2014 12:20:25 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
New Delhi: India is set to become the first country since World War Two to buy a military aircraft from Japan, helping Prime Minister Shinzo Abe end a ban on weapons exports that has kept his country's defence contractors out of foreign markets.
The two countries are in broad agreement on a deal for the ShinMaywa Industries amphibious aircraft, which could amount to as much as $1.65 billion, Indian officials said on Tuesday.
However, several details need to be worked out and negotiations will resume in March on joint production of the plane in India and other issues.
New Delhi is likely to buy at least 15 of the planes, which are priced at about $110 million each, the Officials said.
"Its a strategic imperative for both sides, and it has been cleared at the highest levels of the two governments," said an Indian military source.
For the moment, a stripped-down civilian version of the US-2i search and rescue plane is being offered to India, to get around Japan's self-imposed ban on arms exports. A friend or foe identification system will be removed from the aircraft, another defence official said.
The two countries are discussing assembling the aircraft in India, giving India access to Japanese military technology, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.
The plane has a range of over 4,500 km (2,800 miles), which will give it reach far into Southeast Asia from the base where the aircraft are likely to be located, in the Andaman and Nicobar island chain that is near the western tip of Indonesia.
The two governments have set up a joint working group that will meet in March to consider plans to either set up a plant in India to assemble it under licence by an Indian state manufacturer.
(Excerpt) Read more at ndtv.com ...
What American company is hurt most by this purchase?
Don’t think so.
I don’t think any American aviation companies build
large seaplanes anymore. Not since the late 50’s early ‘60’s. Closest direct competitor would be a Russian Beriev.
The old HU-16 Albatross , still being updated and in use .
The way BO is devastating American industry, we may soon be joining them. The Japanese have some awesome military technology. In a previous life, I worked for one of their companies which produces it.
I wouldn’t fly on one of these. salt water stress corrosion cracking has pretty much made these old birds unusable for
revenue pax service.
Dornier?
Seaplanes look like seaplanes. That is all.
What a gorgeous seaplane!
I’ve always considered seaplanes to be as dangerous as choppers, but apparently they are safer than regular airplanes, fatality-wise.
Good for Japan !
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