MMRCA News and Discussions - Part II

[sunnyv]

If you have an account, copy the article here.

I dont have paid account

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://ceoworld.biz/ceo/2010/03/04/indian-mrca-competition-who-will-win

Indian MRCA competition, who will win?

The Indian Air Force Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Competition, commonly known as the MRCA Tender, is an ongoing competition to supply the Indian Air Force with 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft.

The air force requirement for the MMRCA is based on a maximum all-up weight of 14,000-30,000 kg. (31,000-66,000 lb.). India plans to procure 18aircraft in flyaway condition and produce 106 locally under license through technology transfer. Delivery starts within 36 months of contract signing and will be completed 48 months later.

Six aircraft were bid for this multi-billion dollar contract, which has been touted as India’s single largest defence deal ever. These represent some of the latest combataircraft being developed or fielded today.

* Dassault Rafale
* Eurofighter Typhoon
* Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper
* Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
* Saab Gripen NG
* Mikoyan MiG-35

Dassault Rafale:

The Rafale is a twin-engined, delta-wing, multirole fighter designed and built by France’s Dassault Aviation. RAFALE supportability and mission readiness capitalise on the undisputed track record of the current generation of French fighters such as the combat-proven Mirage 2000.

Powered by two Snecma M88 turbofans (prototype examples used two General Electric F404-400s), the Rafale has a top speed of over Mach 1.8 (1,900km/h) and a combat radius of 1,000nm (1,850km).

Eurofighter Typhoon:

The four nation Eurofighter Typhoon is a foreplane delta wing beyond-visual-range and close air fighter aircraft with surface attack capability. Eurofighter has high agility at supresonic speed and ’supercruise’ capability, that is it can fly at sustained speeds of over Mach 1 without the use of afterburner.

The company carrying out the development of the aircraft is Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH based in Munich and wholly owned by Alenia of Italy, British Aerospace of the UK, CASA of Spain and DASA of Germany. The company responsible for the development of the EJ200 engine is Eurojet GmbH, in Munich which is owned by Rolls Royce, Motoren und Turbinen Union, Fiat Aviazione and ITP.

The EJ200 engine has been developed by Eurojet GmbH, in Munich which is owned by Rolls-Royce, MTU Aero Engines, Fiat Aviazione and ITP.

Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper

F-16IN-Super-Viper

The F-16IN Super Viper is a unique new fighter sharing a heritage with the world’s only fifth generation fighters – the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the F-22 Raptor. Evolutionary integration of fifth generation technologies makes the F-16IN the most advanced fourth generation fighter in the world today.

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

The Super Hornet is about 25% larger than its predecessor, the F/A-18C/D but contains 42% fewer structural parts. The single seat F/A-18/E and the two seat F/A-18/F flies greater ranges, with heavier payloads, uses a more powerfulengine and provides greater survivability.

Saab Gripen NG

The JAS 39 Gripen is a fourth-generation fighter manufactured by Swedish company Saab. Designed as a swing-role type capable of performing multiple missions.

Powered by a single Volvo Aero RM12 afterburning turbofan based on the General Electric F404, the Gripen is capable of speeds of up to Mach 2 and has a maximum range of 2,800km (1,510nm).

Weapon options include a 27mm Mauser internal cannon, Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and Raytheon Paveway II laser-guided bombs. Theaircraft is also being used to support the development of MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual-range air-to-air missile.

Mikoyan MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F)

he Mikoyan MiG-35 is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology. It is classified as a 4++ generation jet fighter by its manufacturer. The MiG-35 is now classed as a medium-weightaircraft because its maximum take-off weight has increased by 30 percent which exceeds its previous criteria of classification.

With an increase to its MTOW as much as 30 percent, the MiG-35 is now considered in the medum weight class. The aircraft is codenamed “Fulcrum-F” by NATO and is considered a full-fledged multi-role platform utilizing the latest in targeting and tracking systems comparable to Westernaircraft types.

Advanced computerized avionics in control of fly by wire flight surfaces combined with thrust vectoring give the aircraft a speed range from 0 mph forward speed to supersonic, all the while maintaining the maneuverability to simultaneously evade enemy missiles while engaging numerous targets. The MiG-35 can deliver up to 12,000 lbs. of ordnance against air, ground and maritime targets with pinpoint accuracy.

Considerations: Strategic considerations may influence government’s final decision.

MiG-35

Zhuk AE AESA radar the most powerful amidst the MMRCA contenders.
Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar.
100 per cent technology transfer for the MiG-35, including the radar and all its systems.
Airframe barely improved from MiG-29
Life cycle cost of Russian fighters is traditionally high

Super Hornet

Battle-tested, frontline fighter with the US Navy
can function as refuelling tanker with external fuel tanks
US restrictions on modifications and end usage
Earlier generation design, dating back to 1980s
Heavy, 30-ton aircraft, expensive

Super Viper

Tested modern fighter, has logged over 100,000 combat missions globally
Single-engine, 19-tonne fighter, price competitive
Advanced Northrop Grumman APG-80 AESA radar
Four F-16 production lines functioning world-wide
Earlier vintage F-16s in service with Pakistan Air Force

Typhoon

Contemporary fighter, still evolving
High performance, high-end technology, including supercruise
Offering India development partnership
No end user restrictions, easy transfer of technology
EADS already helping to develop India’s LCA
No combat experience
Heavy, 25-ton aircraft, expensive
AESA radar still under development

Gripen

Can land, refuel, rearm and take off in 10 minutes
Light, single-engine, highly cost-effective
Selex Raven AESA radar with advanced swashplate technology
Willing to hand over source codes for high-tech equipment
SAAB offering an advanced version of a state-of-the-art a second generation AESA (advanced extended search array radar), The radar will come with its software source code.
Gripen is way to dependent on other countries (engine, radar, or the main weapons), what would be a problem if India face sanctions again and it could not share any techs with LCA without permission of them.
Has US components, including engines and avionics
India has never operated a Swedish fighter

Rafale

France deploys on land and aircraft carriers
IAF’s Mirage-2000 fleet creates comfort level with Dassault
Transfer of technology smooth; no end user restrictions
Only non-US fighter with deployed AESA radar
Limited combat experience
25-tonne, twin-engine aircraft, expensive

 

[Zoravar]

My pick is Rafale IF they can reduce unit costs.That said Gripen will be winning a lot of tenders in small nations like croatia because of its low unit and operating costs as many of these countries are replacing Mig-21 so Twin-engined will be too high an operating cost.

 

[Dark Sorrow]

Gripens Depart Sweden For Trials In India

Two Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripen-Ds departed Sweden on Sunday and are on their way to India as we speak for the final round of the field evaluation trials (FET) under the Indian medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition. The Gripens begin their trials at the Aircraft Systems & Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bangalore early this week. The Gripen-Ds are being flown by Saab test pilots and Swedish air force pilots.

"IAF test pilots have already undergone intensive training on the aircraft and the aircraft have already undergone the first stage of trials in Linkoping in November 2009, which included flight performance, logistics capability, weapons systems, advanced sensors and weapons firing," said Gripen India campaign head Eddy de la Motte in response to an e-mail I sent in to Saab.

Asked about whether the Gripen Demo aircraft -- on which the Gripen IN is based -- would figure in the trials at all, de la Motte said, "The Demo is a development vehicle which the IAF will have complete access to within the current parameters of development. Gripen NG capabilities have been demonstrated during the evaluation trials in November 2009 when the Indian evaluation team was in Sweden."

 

[Rahul Singh]

MMRCA Thunderbolt: $11 billion in the balance, a no-show by the Gripen fighter

The Gripen fighters that will arrive in Bangalore today for flight trials are not the Gripen NG that the IAF has been offered. Instead, two Gripen-D fighters have reached Bangalore


by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 9th Mar 2010

The high-voltage $11 billion contest to sell India 126 Medium Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MMRCA) is reaching the end of the trials phase in a blaze of potential controversy. Today, the last of the six contenders being evaluated by the Indian Air Force --- the Swedish Gripen --- will fly into Bangalore for trials. But Business Standard has learned that the fighters that will touch down are not the ones that Gripen International has offered: the JAS-39IN Gripen NG. Instead, two older-model Gripen-D fighters will arrive.

The Gripen NG, a light, agile, ultra-modern fighter built by Swedish aerospace giant Saab, has always been one of the hottest contenders in the fray. Saab’s default on the MoD’s trial directive, which lays down that the fighter that is being offered must be the one that comes for trials, will delight its rivals --- Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault, Eurofighter and MiG --- since Gripen is now vulnerable to disqualification.

The arrival of the Gripen-D instead of the Gripen NG has a simple cause: the Swedish Air Force, having opted to buy the Gripen NG, has ordered a series of improvements on the Gripen NG prototype. With those under way, Sweden’s flight certification agency, SMV, has ruled that the prototypes require additional flight-testing in Sweden before the aircraft can be sent to India.

Confirming these developments, Gripen International’s Director India, Eddy de la Motte, told Business Standard, “The Gripen NG prototype cannot come just yet to India as it is required in Sweden for testing and evaluation by the Swedish Air Force which is interested in buying the fighter. Indian pilots have not yet flown the Gripen NG, but we will make sure that they get an opportunity at the very earliest.”

Sources close to the Gripen campaign say that IAF pilots will be offered a chance to fly the Gripen NG during a visit to Sweden from 6th to 10th April. Gripen International will also ask for fresh dates for bringing the Gripen NG to India for trials.

Even without having flown the Gripen NG prototype, IAF pilots have been extremely impressed by the fighter’s capabilities. Besides superb avionics and superior flight performance, they say the Gripen NG can land on an 800-metre stretch of highway; and then refuel, rearm and take-off within 10 minutes. This allows each Gripen NG to fly far more sorties per day than any other aircraft today.

The IAF pilots who have visited the Gripen simulators in Sweden have also been impressed by its electronic warfare capabilities and by the training facilities on offer.

The Swedish MoD’s unexpected refusal to allow the Gripen NG to India for trials has blown the race wide open. From a clear front-runner in the eyes of the IAF, the Gripen NG’s very participation in trials now depends upon a decision to be taken by the IAF and the Indian MoD.

 

[Rahul Singh]

I think its game over for SAAB Gripen. How can they be so careless? Aren't they aware cancellation of eurocopter fennec deal?

 

[Armand2REP]

This rather reminds me of the LUH competition where Eurocopter was looking like the sure winner. We sent the AS350 B3 civilian version, which has exactly the same performance as the AS550 C3 military version and instead of winning, we got the whole tender scrapped. Saab can't bring the prototypes for an IAF flight test, this isn't even the weapons trials. The Gripen D is so far from what an NG is supposed to be, it is a bigger difference between a MiG-29SMT and the MiG-35. IAF pilots were supposed to be flying Gripen NG for the first time and instead of getting 10,000kg of thrust, they will only get 8000kg. Saab is really setting themselves up for a fail here. They knew when the trials were and that the prototypes needed to be ready. Blowing off the Indians is exactly what gets your bid scrapped.

 

[Rahul Singh]

DPP clearly states that only the offered version should appear in trials and leaves no room for IF & BUT. Greatest testimony to it is scrapping of eurocopter deal which was scrapped even after knowing that there were almost no immediate options. In sharp contrast M-MRCA have heavyweights who rub shoulders with each other and offers lots of options to IAF.

Gripen is sure dead, it will be rejected outright on technical ground.

 

[natarajan]

how long it will take to finalize one fighter,is there any timeframe for induction of all 126 birds

 

[Kinshuk]

Wow!! They really failed to pacify the Indians here. To begin with, they set hoardings at bus stands in Delhi, "Gripen- an independent choice", awesome, I don't know if should laugh or cry at this statement as it is the most dependent aircraft of all. And in the end SAAB pusillanimous stance by bring some alphabetic crap to India for trials. How can they be so ill prepared? Had I been there, I would have been careful and professional in my approach.

 

[Kinshuk]

how long it will take to finalize one fighter,is there any timeframe for induction of all 126 birds

Winner of the MMRCA should be announced in the month of June, (from different sources)

 

[Zoravar]

Gripen is treating us like second fiddle.We're holding competition to buy best bird,not to give manufacturers a chance to sell their wares.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Gripen never had a chance this all just might be a face saving game.

 

[Zoravar]

Gripen never had a chance this all just might be a face saving game.

Not true.They have low operating cost and high sortie rate.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

This is strange behavior especially when a new shortlist maybe coming soon??but it may also be coincidental.

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/3760

 

[Rahul Singh]

To an extent LF is true. If EF is in lead then SAAB must be knowing little more about it and probably that news is odd for SAAB. I think this could be reason for this suicidal act, however Gripen still holds advantages like LOC and low cost per fighter, so i can't guess a reason why they will give up so early that too in this manner. At least a good showdown will earn name for JAS-39NG, if not order.

 

[Armand2REP]

Not true.They have low operating cost and high sortie rate.

Says who... Saab? Gripen NG is just tech demonstrator. They don't have any data to correlate their claims.

 

[pavanvenkatesh]

Gripen never had a chance this all just might be a face saving game.

i do not think so, of all the fighters gripin has the lowest operational cost can land,refuel,rearm and take of from a small highway in ten-fifteen minutes flat!! most value for money and this capabilities has already been experienced by IAF pilots at sweden by the gripen D who were extremely impressed by the fighter’s capabilities they have only have to do some modifications and rectifications which is needed & the Sweden’s flight certification agency, SMV, has ruled that the prototypes require additional flight-testing in Sweden before the aircraft can be sent to India. so the delay moreover oncethe NG is approved by SMV the IAF pilots will get to fly this a/c each of the contestent has something unique to offer in capabilities some gr8 some good so we have nothin that significant to loose choosing any of these a/c

 

[mattster]

I keep reading reports that both in Brazil and India - the pilots who flew the Gripen were impressed with the aircraft. In fact in Brazil, the story is that the air force wants to buy the Gripen but Prez Lula wont go for it. There must be something to be said about the Gripen ??

 

[pavanvenkatesh]

I keep reading reports that both in Brazil and India - the pilots who flew the Gripen were impressed with the aircraft. In fact in Brazil, the story is that the air force wants to buy the Gripen but Prez Lula wont go for it. There must be something to be said about the Gripen ??

Exactly, the plane is simple easy to operate and economical of all the other a/c but what SAAB should be doing now is to make sure that they have the NG with all the required capabilities up and flying in the competetion ASAP before the technical evaluation is over other wise they have very little chance of making it

Ultimately i think it will come down to the commercial bidding who has to offer the most value for money and long term relationship , just to add one point looking at our current economical,political scenario i don't think we have to worry too much about sanctions or embargo's anymore from any country as world view of India has changed, we will have NSG weiver, DPP protocol is changing with more pvt players are entering defense market more MNC's have there R&D and manufacturing hubs in India so there is lot of money riding here for them, unless we do something drastic or stupid like invade another country (joking ) or something we don't have to worry about it, so i think F-16's and F/A 18 are still in the race

In brazil i heard tha the president wanted a full evaluation of all the a/c in there MRCA competetion before choosing hence there prez did not approve