F-18 Advanced Super Hornet

Kshithij

DharmaYoddha
Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,242
Likes
1,961
EMALS / E-2D for IAC2
Folding wings
Advanced wide area display
CFTs
Reasonable costs



Exactly, any licence products hope for Rafale is dependent now on IN selecting Rafale, which would open the way for IAF to add some orders too. But IN has to look at it's own benefits and the F18SH is more suitable to our carriers, comes at lower costs and offers the clearly more important strategic advantage, with EMALS and coops with USN.
Why are you discussing aircrafts for INS Vishal which has just begun construction? It is a new system and is being designed in a modular manner. It will take some time to complete - 2025. Why would anyone order for planes before 2021-2 for it? We don't even know what problems will be encountered while construction etc.
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
We will have 45 Mig-29K aircraft which are enough for both the carriers
Theoretically yes, but practically you need to operate those fighters in rotation to keep them in service and maintained for the full service life. Not to mention that parts of the 45 will be used at INS Hans for shore based training. So there is no going around more new fighters and Migs doesn't seem to fit INs needs, nor are they catapult capable, which seems to be a "desired" / not officially required capability.
 

Kshithij

DharmaYoddha
Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,242
Likes
1,961
Theoretically yes, but practically you need to operate those fighters in rotation to keep them in service and maintained for the full service life. Not to mention that parts of the 45 will be used at INS Hans for shore based training. So there is no going around more new fighters and Migs doesn't seem to fit INs needs, nor are they catapult capable, which seems to be a "desired" / not officially required capability.
What is your suggestion for the requirements of the current Vikrant & Vikramaditya carrier of India by 2020? Which aircraft should India buy?
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
Why are you discussing aircrafts for INS Vishal which has just begun construction? It is a new system and is being designed in a modular manner. It will take some time to complete - 2025. Why would anyone order for planes before 2021-2 for it? We don't even know what problems will be encountered while construction etc.
It's not about ordering aircrafts for that carrier, but getting access to catapult technology, which the US denied us for IAC1. And with China getting their on their own, it must be the highest priority for IN, to get the US government to approve EMALS to us, if that takes F18SH, that's a necessary step, if there is another way, also good. But we need catapults for the future!
 

Kshithij

DharmaYoddha
Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,242
Likes
1,961
It's not about ordering aircrafts for that carrier, but getting access to catapult technology, which the US denied us for IAC1. And with China getting their on their own, it must be the highest priority for IN, to get the US government to approve EMALS to us, if that takes F18SH, that's a necessary step, if there is another way, also good. But we need catapults for the future!
Why do you think we can't make steam catapult on our own if USA is deliberately trying to overcharge India by forcing to buy arbitrary weapons? If possible, research on EMALs in India and make it available for IAC-2 and if not, use steam catapult.

IAC-1 could have used steam catapult system if India really wanted. EMALS didn't even exist when IAC construction was planned by Vajpayee. Moreover, EMALS is unsustainable for a small carrier of 45k tons like IAC-1. EMALS require lot of electricity for fast recharge
 

sthf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
2,271
Likes
5,327
Country flag
EMALS / E-2D for IAC2
They are mutually exclusive with each other not with SH.

Folding wings
Irrelevant from Indian perspective. Neither can operate from INS Vikrant or INS Vikramaditya. INS Vishal will be designed from the scratch to operate either.

Advanced wide area display
Not exactly a deal maker.

The ones on Rafales exists, have for a long time unlike SH.

Reasonable costs
No evidence that supports this claim.

Exactly, any licence products hope for Rafale is dependent now on IN selecting Rafale, which would open the way for IAF to add some orders too. But IN has to look at it's own benefits and the F18SH is more suitable to our carriers, comes at lower costs and offers the clearly more important strategic advantage, wi
Commonality with IAF and local assembly with TOT trumps negligible if any advantages offered by SH. Rafales can customised to carry Indian or third party systems unlike SH. Nuclear role is another such factor.

Strategic relations with US are there with or without SH.
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
They are mutually exclusive with each other not with SH.
That depends on the US and if they link EMALS with F18, just as F35 with F16, or how the Russians linked the carrier with Mig 29K and Ka31.


Irrelevant from Indian perspective.
Lol sure, it doesn't matter if the fighter fit on the lift, or if the increased width reduce the number of aircrafts that can be parked at the deck.

The ones on Rafales exists, have for a long time unlike SH.
Not really, Rafale flight tested CFT prototypes, that wasn't fully integrated and since their capacity was low, they only are useful to add fuel alongside external tanks or in A2A roles. The F18 CFTs offer enough fuel to replace external tanks and therfore free hardpoints and are funded as part of the block 3 upgrade.

No evidence that supports this claim.
=>
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/...r-option-for-india.76249/page-43#post-1384221

IAF Rafales came around 20 millions more each in flyaway condition and the Rafale M should be more costly too.
 

sthf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
2,271
Likes
5,327
Country flag
That depends on the US and if they link EMALS with F18, just as F35 with F16, or how the Russians linked the carrier with Mig 29K and Ka31.
Do you have a source that backs up this claim of yours?

Lol sure, it doesn't matter if the fighter fit on the lift, or if the increased width reduce the number of aircrafts that can be parked at the deck.
Dude don't be a jackass and quote whatever you have replied to in its entirety. It doesn't matter because the AC (INS Vishal) on which these things go will be designed to accommodate them. Do you have a source that says otherwise?

Not really, Rafale flight tested CFT prototypes, that wasn't fully integrated and since their capacity was low, they only are useful to add fuel alongside external tanks or in A2A roles. The F18 CFTs offer enough fuel to replace external tanks and therfore free hardpoints and are funded as part of the block 3 upgrade.
:bs: SH CFTs carry just 3500 pounds or nearly 1500 litres of fuel. No sane navy will shoot them off a carrier without external fuel. Rafale CFTs can/may carry 2300 litres of fuel. Both will have to carry external fuel in order to do anything meaningful. Difference is that Rafale will carry more fuel and has more hard points.

Now let's do see the cost difference.

US Navy, the primary user will buy 80 SH for $7.1 billion i.e. ~$88 million each. Go through the source below to see how much Pentagon plans to spend on the programme each year.

https://news.usni.org/2017/06/13/na...per-hornets-in-fydp-to-ease-fighter-shortfall

India bought Rafale at nearly $102 million each. So for a $15 million difference or $900 million for the complete programme in the costs, Indian Navy gets compatibility and shared training with IAF, customization and possible local assembly.

Yep, SH deal seems like a winner to me.:dude:


That is every single one of your claims down the gutter.
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
It doesn't matter because the AC (INS Vishal) on which these things go will be designed to accommodate them. Do you have a source that says otherwise?
You even get the basics wrong in your denial, because these fighters are meant for Vikramaditya and Vikrant, because the initial plan to develop NLCA was scrapped. Both carriers are suppose to carry a mix of Mig 29K and the new fighter.

US Navy, the primary user will buy 80 SH for $7.1 billion i.e. ~$88 million each.
No they don't, because that cost includes Growers that are more costly that the standard version, so instead of making speculations, you simply could take the figures Boeing itself gives.

The funny thing is, that you asked questions and when you got the answers, can't do anything but get into denial. Why bother to ask if you don't want the reality anyway?
 

Kshithij

DharmaYoddha
Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,242
Likes
1,961
That depends on the US and if they link EMALS with F18, just as F35 with F16, or how the Russians linked the carrier with Mig 29K and Ka31.
I need 2 source:
1) F35 link with F16 linking by USA
2) MiG29k with Ka31 linking by Russia
 

sthf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
2,271
Likes
5,327
Country flag
You even get the basics wrong in your denial, because these fighters are meant for Vikramaditya and Vikrant, because the initial plan to develop NLCA was scrapped. Both carriers are suppose to carry a mix of Mig 29K and the new fighter.
For once in your life stop making asinine claims. If you want I can make a list of the aforementioned asinine claims you made in the past few posts but I prefer to spare you the humiliation.

No, Rafales or SH are not going to be a part the existing carriers'. Neither of them are going to fit in the lifts. Dassault however is attempting to change that by trying to implement some kind of removable wing tips according to some rumours. Don't know anything about Boeing.

No, "NLCA" has not be "cancelled". IN realized quite early that MK1 won't have enough thrust to fulfill it's role which is why it initiated the MK2 programme, IAF simply weaseled it's way into the programme. None of this is a secret and has been discussed multiple times on this very forum.

No they don't, because that cost includes Growers that are more costly that the standard version, so instead of making speculations, you simply could take the figures Boeing itself gives.
Who the fu*k cares what Boeing says. I am going to listen to buyer which is US Navy. Link I gave you had the detailed road map about SH procurement, number of units to be procured each year and costs.

Who said that IN would not be interested in Growlers and why would you discount it from Indian procurement plans?

As I said, don't be a jackass and spare me the BS.

The funny thing is, that you asked questions and when you got the answers, can't do anything but get into denial. Why bother to ask if
See, once again you are being a jackass. Passing your own clumsy half assed opinions as facts and crying denial denial when backed into a corner.

If you still want to play, I am game. Shall we start from the beginning?
 

HariPrasad-1

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2016
Messages
9,598
Likes
21,066
Country flag
Why not the SU-35?






Fuel Cost Winner: Sukhoi
Range Winner: Sukhoi
Altitude Winner: Sukhoi
Rate of Climb Winner: Sukhoi
Max. Speed Winner: Sukhoi
Takeoff Field Length Winner: Boeing
Landing Field Length Winner: Sukhoi
Thrust per Engine Winner: Boeing
Payload Winner: Sukhoi

F-18 - $55 million. SU-35 $40-$60 million.
F 18 has unparallel reliability. May be it is light weigh to suite the the Indian aircraft carrier.
 

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
No, Rafales or SH are not going to be a part the existing carriers'. Neither of them are going to fit in the lifts. Dassault however is attempting to change that by trying to implement some kind of removable wing tips according to some rumours. Don't know anything about Boeing.
The SH have built-in folding wings for carrier operations. Also, Being VP said that the SH can operate from both catapult system to ski-jump system.


Who the fu*k cares what Boeing says. I am going to listen to buyer which is US Navy. Link I gave you had the detailed road map about SH procurement, number of units to be procured each year and costs.

Who said that IN would not be interested in Growlers and why would you discount it from Indian procurement plans?

As I said, don't be a jackass and spare me the BS.

See, once again you are being a jackass. Passing your own clumsy half assed opinions as facts and crying denial denial when backed into a corner.

If you still want to play, I am game. Shall we start from the beginning?
Relax. We're having a good academic discussion here. No need for colorful language. Let's just say we agree to disagree.
 

sthf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
2,271
Likes
5,327
Country flag
The SH have built-in folding wings for carrier operations. Also, Being VP said that the SH can operate from both catapult system to ski-jump system.
SH is too big for INS Vikramaditya despite the folding wings, so is Rafale. Wingspan with folded wings is 9.94 meters.

http://www.airvectors.net/avhorn_2.html

The hangar will have a 30-tonne 18.91 by 9.96- metre lift located amidships left of the island superstructure and a 20-tonne 18.91 by 8.65-metre lift behind the superstructure and in front of the arrester wires.

http://www.indiastrategic.in/topstories05.htm
As for the ski jump capability we are yet to see these claims turning into something concrete. Defence industry has a habit of boasting about stuff which doesn't exists. No exceptions.

Relax. We're having a good academic discussion here. No need for colorful language. Let's just say we agree to disagree.
I welcome academic discussion but not pig headedness. If you loose an argument, don't be a toddler, move on. It happens. This is just an internet forum, nothing more nothing less. Don't waste my time by obnoxiously flinging feces.
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
No, Rafales or SH are not going to be a part the existing carriers'
=>

Indian Navy Rules out Tejas Fighter Jet on New Aircraft Carrier

The Indian Navy will not deploy a naval version of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft Tejas aboard its new class of aircraft carriers, Admiral Sunil Lanba, chief of naval staff, told local media on December 3. The admiral cited the aircraft’s weight as one of the reasons and said that the Indian Navy is looking at alternative models.

“As far as the carrier-based aircraft is concerned, we need it in a time line of the induction of the aircraft carrier. We have the MiG 29K, which operates from Vikramaditya and will operate from IAC [indigenous aircraft carrier] Vikrant,” the admiral said. (INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier. INS Vikramaditya is a modified Kiev-class aircraft entering service with the Indian Navy in 2013.)

We were also hoping to operate the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft-Tejas) from these two aircraft carriers,” the admiral continued. “Unfortunately, the LCA is not being able to meet the carrier’s required capability. That is why we need an alternative aircraft to operate from these two aircraft carriers,” he added...
https://thediplomat.com/2016/12/indian-navy-rules-out-tejas-fighter-jet-on-new-aircraft-carrier/

=>
RFP for 57 multi-role combat fighter jets likely by mid-2018: Indian Navy

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today said a request for proposal (RFP) is likely to be issued by mid-2018 for the procurement of 57 multi-role combat fighter jets for the Navy's aircraft carrier.

"Hopefully we will be able to issue the RFP by middle of next year," he said.

Four aircraft manufacturers have shown interest in the project.

The Navy chief also said the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC I) will be ready by 2020 and the Navy was looking for deck based combat capable fighter aircraft for it.

He said the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas developed byHindustan Aeronautics Ltd. cannot operate from deck and that is why the Navy was looking for other options.

"I need a deck based combat capable fighter by 2020 for IAC I. In present state, LCA Navy cannot be operated from deck," he said...
https://m.economictimes.com/news/de...2018-indian-navy/amp_articleshow/61884897.cms

So when you don't even know for which carriers these fighters are meant for, it's not surprising that you make false conclusions.

Dassault however is attempting to change that by trying to implement some kind of removable wing tips according to some rumours. Don't know anything about Boeing.
The F18SH has folding wings and therfore can reduce it's wingspan slightly below 10m and Boeing reportedly aims on fitting the fighter in an angled way to fit on the lifts.
Dassaults only option is to remove the missiles and the wing tips, every time the fighter has to be parked, or placed on the lift and fit it back again, every time if it needs to take off. All that, to get the wingspan down to a similar level that the folded F18SH will have. So at max, they can offer similar wingspan, with an unpractical procedure for proper carrier operations, which means that the F18 is more suitable by size for our carriers.

Who the fu*k cares what Boeing says. I am going to listen to buyer which is US Navy.
Anybody that wants official figures without making false calculations, but you don't listen and prefer to make conclusions instead. As I already explained, your "calculation" includes 2 types of costs and that's why you get to a higher price. If you want US government confirmation, you can also Google for MoD budgets, that shows the flyaway costs for standard F18s and Growlers too, but you will see the same result.
But at the end of the day it doesn't matter, because even your false calulations showed that the F18SH is cheaper and that's significant in a tender, that should select shortlisted fighters in L1 and L2.
 

WolfPack86

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
10,506
Likes
16,951
Country flag
Mr Sancho which is cheaper F-18 advanced super hornet or Rafale M. Hal and Boeing have reached agreement to build F-18 advanced super hornet in India is it possible for Navy for fast track process of procurement of fighter jets under new defence policy which was formed in 2016.
 
Last edited:

Kshithij

DharmaYoddha
Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,242
Likes
1,961
Mr Sancho which is cheaper F-18 advanced super hornet or Rafale M. Hal and Boeing have reached agreement to build F-18 advanced super hornet in India is it possible for Navy for fast track process of procurement of fighter jets under new defence policy which was formed in 2016.
India is buying only for IAC-1 and not for IAC-2 as of now. IAC 2 has to be first laid down, then released before planes are ordered and equipments fitted. That will be 2021-22.

IAC-1 has STOBAR ski jump with 200m runway which can't be used for flying F18 or Rafale M. These need a catapult launcher.
 

Sancho

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
1,831
Likes
1,035
Mr Sancho which is cheaper F-18 advanced super hornet or Rafale M. Hal and Boeing have reached agreement to build F-18 advanced super hornet in India is it possible for Navy for fast track process of procurement of fighter jets under new defence policy which was formed in 2016.
The F18 Block 3 is clearly cheaper, and should come between 73 and 78 million USD according to the report I posted before. So when you take the flyaway cost for IAFs Rafales for comparison and add a bit for the costlier naval version, you are at least 20 millions more expensive, most likely more.

USN gets Block 3s from 2019 onwards, so if we would get fighters from their production line, the fighters could come in fast, while HALs MKI line could be diverted around 2019/20 as well and it depends on how fast the line could be modified to assemble F18s if that would be the plan?

Btw, just Sancho please
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top