Comparative detail of cost factor of the 6 MMRCA contenders

[Raj Malhotra]

As a thumb rule, any package of purchase of aircraft have around 1/3rd of the cost as ground support equipment, EW equipement, spares, limited weapons, tech transfer, capital equipment, simulators etc. the next 2/3rd is the fly away unit cost. The lifetime spares can be around the same cost as the original deal. Russian aircraft require more spares but they are cheaper while western ones less but the spares itself are costly. As per my estimate the fly away unit cost of aircraft with AESA radar & reasonable EW equipment will be as follows:-

Mig35 US$ 35 million
Su-30MKI US$ 40 million
Su-35 US$ 45 million
F-16 US$ 40-45 million
Gripen US$ 50 million
F-18 US$ 50-55 million
Rafale US$ 65-70 million
Eurofighter US$ 75-80 million

Add 1/3rd extra for package

 

[luckyy]

based on the resent deals happen :

MIG-29K cost indian navy US$ 41 million..
http://www.domain-b.com/aero/mil_avi...y_oneView.html

F-16 costing pakistan US$ 100 million..including weapons..,
http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/23/top8.htm

F-16 costing Egypt US$ 134 million..including weapons and infrastructure....
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-45045820091229

F-18 costing australia US$ 190 million..including a multiyear service contrect..
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSYD23056620070306

Eurofighter costing four nation consortum US$ 100 million....
july 2009 , four-nation placed 9.1 billion euro deal for 112 planes ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLV57899220090731

no deal ever done for rafale or GripenNG....so we have no data...

 

[luckyy]

Antony said the IAF's bid to buy 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft was at the stage of field trials of the six competing fighter aircraft and the contract is likely to cost Rs42,000 crore.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_thermal-imaging-system-for-t-72-tanks_1315522


Rs 42000cr/ $ 8.94bn for 126 aircrafts ,is this is what they are planing to spend......roughly $ 70ml/plane....inclusive of training , weapons and infrastructure...?

 

[JBH22]

Investing US planes we need to reinvent the infrastructural and logistic in place.The plane are less rugged plus with their ever long list of MOU to sign India should beware of US intentions we pay cash for that its not aid so why so many strings?
Compare the Rafale,Ef-2000 and the Teen series its obvious we are getting better TOT from EU planemakers.

 

[Yusuf]

Ok take this discussion into the MRCA thread.

 

[Daredevil]

All MRCA related posts moved into MMRCA thread. Please stick to the topic.

 

[luckyy]

18 F-16 to Oman for $3.5bn , including electronics warfare suites and APG-68(V)9 active scan radar..

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...6-sale-to.html

a whoping $190ml/plane............(could include a 10 year service contrect too ,)

 

[ashdoc]

According to THE SUNDAY INDIAN magazine , the prices for the six contenders are as follows--

JAS 39 gripen-- 50 million dollars apiece

F-16 super viper --70 million dollars apiece.

Block 2 F/A 18 Super hornet ---upwards of 60 million dollars apiece.

Rafale--80 million dollars apiece.

Eurofighter Typhoon--- 115 million dollars apiece.

Mig 35---60 million dollars apiece.

 

[luckyy]

according to Srinjoy's report, the IAF has cleared all six fighters for the next level,
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/08...-on-mmrca.html

according to the procedure , comercial bids for all six contenders will be open now ....and as per the precurment protocol , deal should go to L1 bider.

 

[Yusuf]

With the Gripen and F16s being in different class how can you decide between oranges and apples? Gripen will be the cheapest. But I don't even think its in the frame.

 

[neo29]

According to THE SUNDAY INDIAN magazine , the prices for the six contenders are as follows--

JAS 39 gripen-- 50 million dollars apiece

F-16 super viper --70 million dollars apiece.

Block 2 F/A 18 Super hornet ---upwards of 60 million dollars apiece.

Rafale--80 million dollars apiece.

Eurofighter Typhoon--- 115 million dollars apiece.

Mig 35---60 million dollars apiece.

It doesnt mention the slashed prices of EF and Rafale. Its 25% due to weakening Euro.

 

[Armand2REP]

It doesnt mention the slashed prices of EF and Rafale. Its 25% due to weakening Euro.

Certainly helps explain why the two Eurozone birds are on the short-list.

 

[Singh]

A senior IAF (Indian Air Force) told DNA, "The commercial bids of only the short-listed vendors will be opened, but the fresh price as on date needs to be known. Since the trials have caused delay, so the April 2010 deadline could not be met," adding that finally the deal would go upto around 18 billion dollars with infrastructure, training and other expenditure included.

Reliable sources have confirmed to DNA that the F/A-18 IN Super Hornet, has an underpowered engine, with both engines adding upto 180 KN (wet power) , and the thrust to weight ratio being less than 1, which doesn't meet the IAF ASQR, which should be more than one.
Said a senior IAF officer, "The .93 thrust to weight ratio of the Super Hornet speaks of the underpowered engines, plus the aircraft can only pull a maximum of 7.5 G, which is below the requirement which is 9G."

http://chhindits.blogspot.com/2010/08/xclusive-mmrca-update-f-18-has.html

 

[Yusuf]

Lucky, the other fighters were included later on to increase "competition". In fact it was a clever ploy by IAF i feel to first call for a Gripen like RFQ and then expand it to include others when there can no competition between a Gripen and an EF or Rafale. It was only that the IAF wanted to have another potent fighter in its fleet.

I think the Brit PM may have clinched the deal when as pointed by Paaj, the IAF thinks that the deal will now be worth well over 18 billion.

 

[luckyy]

Lucky, the other fighters were included later on to increase "competition". In fact it was a clever ploy by IAF i feel to first call for a Gripen like RFQ and then expand it to include others when there can no competition between a Gripen and an EF or Rafale. It was only that the IAF wanted to have another potent fighter in its fleet.

I think the Brit PM may have clinched the deal when as pointed by Paaj, the IAF thinks that the deal will now be worth well over 18 billion.

it is not IAF but the MoD & Finance Ministry will decide how much they want to spend 10bn or 18bn........once IAF submit their trail report , IAF part is over......
and as reported IAF has clreaed all six.....

 

[luckyy]

More On TimesNOW's Post On The MMRCA Selection
Srinjoy's sources tell him the air force has based its trial evaluation report (submitted on August 1) on the overarching and unstated directive that it needs select a "modern western combat aircraft". Read those first two words carefully, because they mean different things to different people in the air force, government and aircraft-manufacturer campaign offices. Anyway, by this frame of reference, according to Srinjoy's sources, the MiG-35 is out because it isn't western or modern -- the IAF definitely doesn't want to squander this opportunity buying more Russian hardware.

Significantly, according to Srinjoy's report, the IAF has cleared all six fighters for the next level, but clearly indicated its preference in an order of merit. In other words, a green light for the Rafale and Eurofighter, a yellow light for the F/A-18, and big red for the Gripen, F-16 and MiG-35. Also, it is almost certain that the final order for aircraft will be closer to 200 airplanes


http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/08/more-on-timesnows-post-on-mmrca.html

all six cleared the trails.....

mmrca tendor was not floated to select the best among the six contenders but to select the one which fullfill the IAF parameters at lowest cost..
mmrca won't going to cost more then 7bn atmost, if winner be choosen sticking to the procedural norms.... MIG-35 should win.....

 

[neo29]

Guys ... the six cleared the trials only on basic level. IAF has clearly mentioned which fighter it wants and and which it doesnt want. It has also given the reason for it.

The establishment cant opt for a fighter than IAF doesnt want just becoz its cheap. They will have to choose from the short listed ones which are EF and Rafale, and may be SH-18 if the engine issue is sorted. So its no use discussing over "all six cleared trails and lowest cost will be chosen".

 

[luckyy]

Guys ... the six cleared the trials only on basic level. IAF has clearly mentioned which fighter it wants and and which it doesnt want. It has also given the reason for it.

The establishment cant opt for a fighter than IAF doesnt want just becoz its cheap. They will have to choose from the short listed ones which are EF and Rafale, and may be SH-18 if the engine issue is sorted. So its no use discussing over "all six cleared trails and lowest cost will be chosen".

that's why this tendor proccess was initiated...to select the one which fill the slot at lowest cost.......

 

[neo29]

that's why this tendor proccess was initiated...to select the one which fill the slot at lowest cost.......

True .. but lowest cost among the fighters IAF prefers/shortlisted. Not the whole bunch.

When tender started the rule was lowest cost will be chosen but IAF has already made clear that apart from low cost additional benefits will also be counted. Establishment wants geopolitcal advantage. So the question of low cost not out of the picture but given secondary importance.

 

[luckyy]

True .. but lowest cost among the fighters IAF prefers/shortlisted. Not the whole bunch.

When tender started the rule was lowest cost will be chosen but IAF has already made clear that apart from low cost additional benefits will also be counted. Establishment wants geopolitcal advantage. So the question of low cost not out of the picture but given secondary importance.

http://www.stratpost.com/how-many-engines-for-the-mmrca

" The IAF has also said over the past year, that no aircraft would get extra credit for exceeding the SQRs. From all accounts, the IAF has been comparing the aircraft with the parameters laid down in the SQRs and not with each other. "