Lockheed Martin to pitch F-35 for our Indigenous aircraft carrier

[Rahul Singh]

I think crusader is forcefully saying that F-35 is the best. What happend to the world class tag of the F-35, is it being just propagated that F-35 will be the most advanced jet fighter in the world. If it is so,why would U.S. allow INDIA to get its hand on F-35.

Especially when it had denied on all occasions any sell of F-22 to any of its allies without caring about of billions of dollars of earning .

 

[civfanatic]

Because it is clearly the best option available..

That doesn't explain anything about why you care so much about it.

If F-35 is so godly and superior, why would the Indian Navy even bother with an RFI? Why not just place a direct order?

If F-35 is so superior, why are you trying so hard to convince us that it is? Shouldn't it be obvious? But then again, how can you judge an aircraft's "superiority" when it isn't even complete?

If it makes you feel any better, the F-35 will not be the only factor influencing the Indo-US relationship, nor will it even be a major one. India and U.S. will move closer to each other this decade regardless of whether India purchases any American toys. The economical and political benefits of having the world's sole superpower on our side are obviously huge, and the GoI will not let up on that opportunity.

 

[Crusader53]

That doesn't explain anything about why you care so much about it.

If F-35 is so godly and superior, why would the Indian Navy even bother with an RFI? Why not just place a direct order?

If F-35 is so superior, why are you trying so hard to convince us that it is? Shouldn't it be obvious? But then again, how can you judge an aircraft's "superiority" when it isn't even complete?

If it makes you feel any better, the F-35 will not be the only factor influencing the Indo-US relationship, nor will it even be a major one. India and U.S. will move closer to each other this decade regardless of whether India purchases any American toys. The economical and political benefits of having the world's sole superpower on our side are obviously huge, and the GoI will not let up on that opportunity.

Would you care to list the countries that would refuse the F-35 if offered to them. Plus, a list of experts that claim the F-35 will not be Superior to anything flying bar the F-22. As I am all ears.......

 

[civfanatic]

Would you care to list the countries that would refuse the F-35 if offered to them.

How should I know, the F-35 isn't in service with anyone yet. No one has had the chance to refuse it because no one has even seen the final product!

 

[Crusader53]

How should I know, the F-35 isn't in service with anyone yet. No one has had the chance to refuse it because no one has even seen the final product!

Funny, no JSF Partner has left the Program. Nor, has any country selected another type in place of the F-35 when it was contention. As a matter of fact the UK, Spain, and Italy. Which, are three of the four Eurofighter (i.e. Typhoon) Partners. Are instead going to orders F-35's while production of the Typhoon is terminated.


BTW The end product will start reaching Squadrons very shortly..........

 

[sob]

I do not understand why are we so skeptical of F 35. For a country which has produced F 117 F 22 , which are stealth fighters and have been in operation for considerable time, one can safely say that the stealth technology works and has been updated considerably by Lockheed from the days of F 117.

We do not have anything remotely close to this technology till 2020, which I will emphasise, will still not be a technology with all the wrinkles ironed out.

If we extend this to a scenariof of a IN CBG with stealth F 35s and an amphibious brigade, then we can only imagine the assets Pakistan will have to shift from their Western Border to it's coastal border.

 

[civfanatic]

Funny, no JSF Partner has left the Program. Nor, has any country selected another type in place of the F-35 when it was contention. As a matter of fact the UK, Spain, and Italy. Which, are three of the four Eurofighter (i.e. Typhoon) Partners. Are instead going to orders F-35's while production of the Typhoon is terminated.

You should know that every JSF partner has no other choice but the F-35 for a fifth-generation fighter; they cannot buy from any other market for political reasons and I am assuming it is unfeasible for most JSF partners to start their own stealth programs, though some European countries might still do this (especially Sweden and France, and maybe Germany).

India, on the other hand, has more options. We have our own fifth-generation fighter in the pipeline, the FGFA, which we will share copyright to, and we have the option of buying from almost every defense market in the world, hence why the Indian Navy issued an RFI to multiple vendors.

If the IN decides that the F-35 is the best choice, then they will choose it. But that is at least 5 years down the road, i.e. pure speculation.

As I said before, it is better to watch the MMRCA results, and try to discern the future composition of the IAF/IN air arm from that. If an American fighter wins MMRCA, you can count on the F-35 joining the IN.

 

[Crusader53]

You should know that every JSF partner has no other choice but the F-35 for a fifth-generation fighter; they cannot buy from any other market for political reasons and I am assuming it is unfeasible for most JSF partners to start their own stealth programs, though some European countries might still do this (especially Sweden and France, and maybe Germany).

India, on the other hand, has more options. We have our own fifth-generation fighter in the pipeline, the FGFA, which we will share copyright to, and we have the option of buying from almost every defense market in the world, hence why the Indian Navy issued an RFI to multiple vendors.

If the IN decides that the F-35 is the best choice, then they will choose it. But that is at least 5 years down the road, i.e. pure speculation.

As I said before, it is better to watch the MMRCA results, and try to discern the future composition of the IAF/IN air arm from that. If an American fighter wins MMRCA, you can count on the F-35 joining the IN.

I think you just refuse to admit that the F-35 is the Best Multi-Role Fighter available Plain and Simple. Mainly because of your prejudice toward American Hardware.

 

[tarunraju]

Sorry, you logic hardly makes sense. First the US is not going to sell the Super Hornet to Pakistan. (its lucky to get F-16's) Plus, the F-35C is vast superior to a any 4.5 Generation Fighter.


As a matter of fact the best that Pakistan will have in the next 10-15 years would be a small number of F-16's and J-10's. Which, the F-35C could take on with ease.

Your reasoning makes no sense. Pakistan could get F-16 only since India got 4+ generation Su-30 MKI, which tilted the strategic balance too much in favour of India, in South Asia. If India buys a 5th generation aircraft from the US, then the US will be all the more obliged to give Pakistan 4.5 generation SuperHornet. Since it will take a little longer than this for India to get 5th generation fighters from Russia for Indian Air Force, a 4.5 gen SuperHornet to PAF will challenge IAF in territorial air conflicts. F-35C will be a sitting duck.

On the other hand, India can save tons of money by sticking to MiG-29K, and accomplish the same objectives of giving Indian Navy an air muscle that's more than enough for the Indian Ocean. That objective doesn't really require F-35C, unless PLAN gets a carrier fleet with a 5th generation carrier aircraft.

 

[Armand2REP]

Would you care to list the countries that would refuse the F-35 if offered to them. Plus, a list of experts that claim the F-35 will not be Superior to anything flying bar the F-22. As I am all ears.......

Denmark and Netherlands have already dumped it. Norway has deferred purchase by two years so they can wiggle their way out of it when the time comes. Italy and the UK have cut 190 aircraft from their buy schedule. Israel broke their agreement for F-35s by not freezing settlements. Turkey has been warned aiding Iran will cost them "advanced weapons" sales if they do not comply. The future of F-35B is at the top of the list for the US to cut. USAF is conducting F-16 life extension reviews they hadn't planned and the debt commission has proposed buying more F-16s and F-18s for a scaled back F-35 buy. Not to mention LockMart's cost estimates do not include all of these cuts which will scale the price up significantly. Also not forgetting the CPFH is more than the F-16 it was supposed to replace. F-35 is vastly inferior to F-22 but will end up costing near as much.

 

[Pandora]

Actully F 35c is the best IAC 2 OR 3 CAN HAVE IN FUTURE. Navalised FGFA is going to be huge to say 40T compare to 25T F35c and aircraft carriers are usually for aircrafts that are effective,light and need reasonable displacement area .
Now if indian navy really looking at the future in respective of PLAN carriers the F 35C Going to provide the much needed edge over their J14 ..

 

[Tshering22]

FGFA itself is going to be 25 tons dude. Where'd you get that 40T figure from? Besides, knowing IN's trend if FGFA can be navalized in sometime, Navy would go for anything 100% foreign. Especially after the strip show US conducted on our transport and recon aircraft. IN is fiercely indigenous obsessed unlike the corrupt Army and indecisive IAF and would do their nut to get what has some amount of domestic control; even if it means waiting a couple of year extra.

Think about it; JSF would be free from orders only post 2020 after all ally states have got them. This means that while Vikramaditya and Vikrant II operate MiG-29Ks and Tejas (45 total), IAC-2 can still wait. AND 2017-18 is only an initial estimate if we don't consider the trademark Sarkari delays that we have in almost every project of ours. This means even if IAC-2 gets delayed by a modest 2 years, we are still in a position to wait for navalized FGFA fighter during that time instead of ordering F-35s and creating a situation like Arjuns vs T-90.

 

[Crusader53]

Your reasoning makes no sense. Pakistan could get F-16 only since India got 4+ generation Su-30 MKI, which tilted the strategic balance too much in favour of India, in South Asia. If India buys a 5th generation aircraft from the US, then the US will be all the more obliged to give Pakistan 4.5 generation SuperHornet. Since it will take a little longer than this for India to get 5th generation fighters from Russia for Indian Air Force, a 4.5 gen SuperHornet to PAF will challenge IAF in territorial air conflicts. F-35C will be a sitting duck.

On the other hand, India can save tons of money by sticking to MiG-29K, and accomplish the same objectives of giving Indian Navy an air muscle that's more than enough for the Indian Ocean. That objective doesn't really require F-35C, unless PLAN gets a carrier fleet with a 5th generation carrier aircraft.

Sorry, Pakistan will not get the F-35 under any conditions. An China is planning on a 5th* Generation Fighter for its forthcoming Carriers.

*China refers to its next Generation Fighters as 4th Generation. Unlike the West which refers to such types a 5th Generation

 

[Crusader53]

Actully F 35c is the best IAC 2 OR 3 CAN HAVE IN FUTURE. Navalised FGFA is going to be huge to say 40T compare to 25T F35c and aircraft carriers are usually for aircrafts that are effective,light and need reasonable displacement area .
Now if indian navy really looking at the future in respective of PLAN carriers the F 35C Going to provide the much needed edge over their J14 ..

The Russians have just admited that they don't have the funds for a New Aircraft Carrier. So, the Program will be delayed at very least 10 years. Plus, Russia would also have to fund the development of the Naval PAK-FA at that stage. Thereby increasing the overall cost of the Program. Really, doesn't sound good. Unless India is willing to pick up the "lion" share of the cost for the development of the Naval PAK-FA.

 

[Parthy]

F-35 program achieves overall flight test target

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program team has reached its 2010 goal of 394 test flights jointly established by the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office and Lockheed Martin.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information
, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.

Since the first flight of the F-35 on December 15, 2006, the program has logged a total of 531 flights, expanding the performance envelope of the three F-35 variants and testing the mission systems.

In November, the program completed 60 flights against a plan of 51. Both the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) and the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants exceeded their monthly flight targets. The F-35C carrier variant (CV) jet fell just two flights short of its plan.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.


http://www.brahmand.com/news/F-35-program-achieves-overall-flight-test-target/5822/1/14.html

 

[debasree]

IN already ordered 45 MiG-29Ks, which is enough to equip both the Vikramaditya and IAC-1.

If we do buy F-35s (unlikely) it will be for IAC-2 only.

and dnnt forget the naval lca ,i think which will be used for back up.

 

[ace009]

Actually the Rafale marine is the natural choice for IAC-2. However, F-35 will be great for IAC-3.

 

[Crusader53]

Actually the Rafale marine is the natural choice for IAC-2. However, F-35 will be great for IAC-3.

India already has way to many types that perform the same mission. Plus, the F-35 is way more capable than any of them. Including the Rafale.....


Respectfully

 

[p2prada]

India already has way to many types that perform the same mission. Plus, the F-35 is way more capable than any of them. Including the Rafale.....


Respectfully

The primary reason for IAF going for different types is because HAL can develop the experience in working on different types of aircraft.

The F-35 has, once again, been rejected officially by MoD. So, there's no need for dragging this into the discussion anymore.

Only the Navy is open for F-35 inductions and the Naval MRCA may undergo a similar kind of trial as the IAF MRCA. The F-35 may compete with Rafale and Super Hornet. So, let the best girl win.

 

[ace009]

The primary reason for IAF going for different types is because HAL can develop the experience in working on different types of aircraft.

The F-35 has, once again, been rejected officially by MoD. So, there's no need for dragging this into the discussion anymore.

Only the Navy is open for F-35 inductions and the Naval MRCA may undergo a similar kind of trial as the IAF MRCA. The F-35 may compete with Rafale and Super Hornet. So, let the best girl win.

Catfight? Yeeeeeeh!