IAF floats RFI on intermediate trainer

[Soumya1989]

The inevitable has happened. With the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd HJT-36 intermediate jet trainer delayed beyond the IAF's planned induction schedule, a global RFI has been floated requesting global OEMs to pitch their products for a possible future acquisition. The IAF currently has Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II trainers for basic training and Hawk Mk.132 trainers for advanced lead-in training. With its ageing Kirans on their way out, the IAF desperately needs new intermediate Stage-II trainers to fill the yawning gap. HAL's HJT-36 was to have joined the training fleet in June 2012, but has been delayed for a plethora of reasons, including a series of accidents and so-far insurmountable odds in proving crucial safety and recovery features in field trials.

In the RFI, the IAF has stipulated that the aircraft should be easy to fly and have good control response/agility. The flying qualities should preferably conform to Mil-F-8785C and Mil Std 1797-A. The aircraft should demonstrate the following qualities: (a) Stalling. An unmistakable natural stall warning should be available, irrespective of the configuration. (b) Spinning. The aircraft must be resistant to spin but it should be possible to perform intentional spin up to six turns to either side and recover safely thereafter. The aircraft behaviour in the spin should be predictable and consistent. (c) Aerobatics The IJT should be capable of performing loops, barrel rolls, rolls, combination manoeuvres and negative 'g' flight without adverse effects on the engine and aircraft structure. The aircraft should be capable of sustained inverted flight for at least 30 seconds at sea level at maximum take-off power.

The aircraft has also been specifically described as a counter-insurgency platform in the RFI. To that end, the IAF has also stipulated that the aircraft should be capable of carrying at least 1000 kg of external load. The aircraft should be equipped with a minimum of five hard points and each hard point on the wing should be stressed to carry at least 300 kg stores. The aircraft should be free from buffet, dutch roll, snaking and wing rock during air to ground weapon training. The aircraft should be capable of employing the following armament: (a) Gun. A light weight gun/ gun-pod with adequate ammunition for at least five seconds of firing time. (b) Rocket Pods. Reusable rocket pods. (c) Bombs. Should be able to carry at least 4x250 kg retarded or ballistic bombs. The stations should be capable of employing Carrier Bomb Light Stores (CBLS) type of dispensers for carriage of practice bombs (25 lbs and three Kg).

Given concerns over the performance of the HJT-36, the IAF has gone into great detail over the flight envelope requirements of the desired aircraft. According to the RFI, the aircraft should be safely operable accelerations of up to +7.0 g and -2.5 'g' in Normal Training Configuration* (NTC). With external stores (other than empty Drop tank) the aircraft should be cleared for operations at accelerations up to +5g and -1.5g. Service ceiling should be at least 9000m. In the NTC, the maximum speed in flight must not be less than 750 kmph CAS and the ac should not display any marked compressibility effects up to 0.75 M. The maximum sustained speed at sea level must be at least 700 kmph in NTC and 550 kmph at maximum AUW. In clean configuration, the 1'g' stalling speed must not exceed 175 kmph with all services retracted. In the NTC, the IJT should have a glide ratio of 1:12 or better.

Vendors likely to respond to the RFI by April 4 include Yakovlev, Alenia Aermachhi, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Boeing, Saab, Northrop-Grumman and Beechcraft.

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IAF floats RFI on intermediate trainer

 

[Zebra]

US defence secretary's maiden India trip to focus on key deals

Shishir Gupta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
| Updated: Apr 29, 2015 01:41 IST

...With Indian defence PSUs failing to deliver on the Sitara IJT despite red-flagging by Air Force Chief Arup Raha, the IAF has shown keen interest in Scorpion jet plane, jointly developed by Textron and AirLand Enterprises. The Sitara IJT is under development since 1997. Powered by two Honeywell engines with missile hardpoints, the two seater sub-sonic Scorpion not only fits the IJT role but can also be used for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance in war. The plane, which has been inducted into US Air Force, has a composite body with operating cost as low as $3,000 per hour compared to over $18,000 per hour for fourth generation US fighters. "If India agrees to bring Scorpion under DTTI, then the company has plans to set up a manufacturing facility in the country," said a Delhi-based American diplomat.

 

[grampiguy]

US defence secretary's maiden India trip to focus on key deals

Shishir Gupta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
| Updated: Apr 29, 2015 01:41 IST

This is one non-sensical news without any rhyme or reason. Since when has Textron Scorpion become an Intermediate Jet Trainer? It has 2 jet engines with 18KN each that makes it equal to BAE AJT Hawk category so don't peddle it in IJT category. Moreover, the price of Scorpion is about USD $20 Million which is more than BAE Hawk. One cannot have an IJT which is costlier than his AJT !!!

When I first mentioned Indian AF training regime to Australian fighters pilots i.e. BTT - Pilatus, IJT - Kiran, AJT - Hawk and LIFT- MiG-21, they thought I was joking. A combo of BTT, AJT and LIFT is enough for training pilots to fly any complicated or stealth aircraft. So it was a good feeling to read recently that Indian Air Force is finally re-looking at its training regime.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IAF-may-restructure-jet-pilot-training/articleshow/47007287.cms

Then comes this stupid news with no credible evidence or requirement !!!!!

 

[Zebra]

This is one non-sensical news without any rhyme or reason. Since when has Textron Scorpion become an Intermediate Jet Trainer? It has 2 jet engines with 18KN each that makes it equal to BAE AJT Hawk category so don't peddle it in IJT category. Moreover, the price of Scorpion is about USD $20 Million which is more than BAE Hawk. One cannot have an IJT which is costlier than his AJT !!!

When I first mentioned Indian AF training regime to Australian fighters pilots i.e. BTT - Pilatus, IJT - Kiran, AJT - Hawk and LIFT- MiG-21, they thought I was joking. A combo of BTT, AJT and LIFT is enough for training pilots to fly any complicated or stealth aircraft. So it was a good feeling to read recently that Indian Air Force is finally re-looking at its training regime.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IAF-may-restructure-jet-pilot-training/articleshow/47007287.cms

Then comes this stupid news with no credible evidence or requirement !!!!!

I am not a fan of Scorpion though.

Welcome to Aircraft Compare

 

[Zebra]

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/03/15/could-this-airplane-replace-the-a-10-warthog.aspx

Could This Airplane Replace the A-10 Warthog?

By Rich Smith | More Articles
March 15, 2015

After more than four decades in service, the A-10 Warthog is due for a replacement. So says the U.S. Air Combat Command.

What's more, ACC says it's already "thinking about" fielding such a replacement. But what might that replacement be?

Last week, we got a clue. As reported by Reuters, the Air Force has recently begun evaluating Textron's (NYSE: TXT ) Scorpion fighter jet as a potential 21st-century replacement for the 20th-century Warthog.

Quoting Air Force Gen. Herbert Carlisle, head of ACC, Reuters reports that the Air Force has done "some research" on Textron's new budget-priced Scorpion. And Carlisle thinks the plane just might be what the Air Force needs to perform close-air support in "contested environments" that could prove lethal to the A-10.

But what exactly is Scorpion, and how does it stack up against the A-10 Thunderbolt Warthog?

Introducing ScorpionTextron describes Scorpion as a modern "surveillance and strike" aircraft boasting:

• twin turbofan engines, producing 8,000 lbs. of combined thrust
• a 45,000-foot top altitude
• a top speed of 520 mph
• six hard points for carrying weapons on its wings (6,200 lbs. capacity)
• room for 3,000 lbs. more payload in an internal weapons bay
• a flyaway cost of less than $20 million -- and an hourly operations cost of about $3,000

Relative to the A-10 Warthog, Textron's Scorpion has about half as much engine power -- but also half the weight. The aircraft's range is roughly equal to the A-10's, but the Scorpion is a better "sprinter," featuring both a faster maximum speed and a slower "stall speed" -- important for flying low-and-slow on ground support missions......

.....They might even be tempted to make such a switch. Air Force figures show that, per flight hour, it costs $17,716 to operate an A-10 Warthog -- whereas Textron says Scorpion will cost just one-sixth of that, giving the Air Force a much reduced operating cost......