India to select one or more fighter aircraft to be built by private sector

[WolfPack86]

Officially throwing open the contest for fighter aircraft once again, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that India will select one or two fighter aircraft which will be manufactured locally by a private company under Make in India initiative. This is in addition to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the production of which is being scaled up.

India and France are in advanced stage of talks to conclude an inter-governmental agreement for the direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets. This fighter aircraft will likely be other than the Rafale.

“Under the Make in India process we may have one or two more jet fighter plants in India by the private sector,” Mr. Parrikar said on Tuesday on the sidelines of a job creation summit organised by Wadhwani Foundation.

He said that several proposals are under consideration and “through proper process we may select them to make in India.”

While emphasising that there will be at least one or two fighter jets that may be selected, Mr. Parrikar said a decision is likely to be taken by year end.

“India has the need for that number of aircraft but this does not mean increasing defence budget to cater to the purchases. This can be done by reducing defence expenditure in other areas,” he stressed.

Mr. Parrikar said his ministry is in an advanced stage of giving approval to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for setting up a second assembly line for the LCA to increase the production rate from eight to 16 aircraft per year.

The Air Force is expected to induct over 100 of the improved LCA which will feature an Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, mid-air refuelling and improved electronic warfare suite in addition to other minor improvements.

Stating that HAL has currently streamlined the assembly line for production of eight aircraft per year, Mr. Parrikar said that this will absorb between 10,000 to 20,000 people in the full ecosystem.

Even as the Rafale talks are on, Mr. Parrikar had said that it is not a replacement for the much smaller MIGs which are now being phased out. With this, companies who lost out in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contest (MMRCA) have been pitching their aircraft in anticipation of a comeback into the race.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the U.S. and Saab of Sweden have recently offered to establish manufacturing plants in India and transfer technology if their fighter aircraft were selected for the Indian Air Force.

 

[WolfPack86]

http://www.defencenews.in/article/I...r-aircraft-to-be-built-by-private-sector-2884

 

[WolfPack86]

Make in India week: Govt likely to select fighter plane manufactured by private sector, says Defence Minister Parrikar.
India is likely to select by the year-end at least one fighter aircraft that will be manufactured by the private sector under the 'Make in India' process for supply to IAF, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said.

He said that there may be one or two more jet fighter plants, either operational or in the process of being set up, in India in the next three years or so. Asked if this meant HAL will set up more plants, Parrikar said, "It is private sector which will be required to supply to the air force. We need fighters. We may encourage...there are proposals."

Parrikar said on Tuesday through "proper process", by year end "we might select few aircraft to Make in India. Which one? I don't commit. But there will be at least one, may be two also." Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the US, Saab of Sweden, Dassault Aviation of France and Eurofighter have offered to set up manufacturing bases in India along with transfer of technology if their fighter aircraft was selected for Indian Air Force.

All the companies are also in talks with Indian private firms to select a local partner. However, they are awaiting a clear signal from the government before selecting their partners. Parrikar also made it clear that 'Make in India' does not mean just assembly of equipment but manufacturing through transfer of technology.

The development comes as both India and France are in the last stage of concluding an Inter-Government Agreement on direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jet planes. The government has also decided to equip IAF, which is facing a severe fighter shortage, with indigenously developed Tejas combat aircraft.

HAL is already in the process of increasing its capacity to manufacture 16 Tejas aircraft per year.

 

[WolfPack86]

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/repor...sector-says-defence-minister-parrikar-2178718

 

[kaboom!]

Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the US, Saab of Sweden, Dassault Aviation of France and Eurofighter have offered to set up manufacturing bases in India along with transfer of technology if their fighter aircraft was selected for Indian Air Force.

I dont understand the play here!
We already have decided for
1. Tejas
2.Rafael(deal will definitely go through)
3. PAKFA(60)

So where does this next fighter aircraft come in??
@Gessler @smestarz kindly illuminate.

 

[WolfPack86]

India Likely To Select Fighter Plane Under 'Make In India' By End Of Year: Manohar Parrikar.

NEW DELHI: India is likely to select by the year-end at least one fighter aircraft that will be manufactured by the private sector under the 'Make in India' process for supply to Indian Air Force (IAF), Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said.

He said that there may be one or two more jet fighter plants, either operational or in the process of being set up, in India in the next three years or so.

Asked if this meant HAL will set up more plants, Mr Parrikar said, "It is private sector which will be required to supply to the air force. We need fighters. We may encourage...there are proposals."


Mr Parrikar said yesterday through "proper process", by year end "we might select few aircraft to Make in India. Which one? I don't commit. But there will be at least one, may be two also."
Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the US, Saab of Sweden, Dassault Aviation of France and Eurofighter have offered to set up manufacturing bases in India along with transfer of technology if their fighter aircraft was selected for Indian Air Force.

All the companies are also in talks with Indian private firms to select a local partner. However, they are awaiting a clear signal from the government before selecting their partners.

Mr Parrikar also made it clear that 'Make in India' does not mean just assembly of equipment but manufacturing through transfer of technology.

The development comes as both India and France are in the last stage of concluding an Inter-Government Agreement on direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jet planes.

The government has also decided to equip IAF, which is facing a severe fighter shortage, with indigenously developed Tejas combat aircraft.

HAL is already in the process of increasing its capacity to manufacture 16 Tejas aircraft per year.

 

[Bahamut]

Most probably MiG 35 or Gripen .Cheap ,easy to build and maintain and no problem ToT.

 

[tharikiran]

I have a doubt over Gripen and US products. US companies involved will have to take permission...for TOT

 

[Superdefender]

Had I been appointed Defence Minister now, I would have immediately cancalled all 36 Rafale deal.

 

[Superdefender]

Had I been appointed Defence Minister now, I would have immediately cancalled all 36 Rafale deal.

 

[Srinivas_K]

F18 I think !


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[bose]

L M F-16
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[rohit b3]

Omg, not again. I guess this IAF will get its 126 Rafales after all :/
It will be a headache maintaining Su-30MKI + Tejas + Rafale + Jaguars + FGFA + Mig29 + Mirage2000 + AMCA(till 2030) ..all at the same time :/
If they go for another jet, then add that to the list. :|

 

[Ved]

Need not be fighter jets. May be military transport or some reconaissance planes or some combat drones.

 

[Srinivas_K]

these fighter jets are for export, India is a cheaper place for export.

If India can increase LCA numbers per year we can export them to countries all around the world.

 

[smestarz]

I dont understand the play here!
We already have decided for
1. Tejas
2.Rafael(deal will definitely go through)
3. PAKFA(60)

So where does this next fighter aircraft come in??
@Gessler @smestarz kindly illuminate.

The only plane that is confirmed we are buying and ordered is Tejas.
Rafale deal may not go through, mainly due to price being too high, and signing the deal will also ensure that the present political party in govt may remain out of power for decade or two.

PAKFA/FGFa will take sometime but it will be the unfair edge that India will want if to go up against China which has similar planes as we field, and thus FGFA will be something that can be a winner.

the Govt wants private companies involvement,. Already Tejas Mk1 A is in production, Naval LCA is under development and hence there seems to be a chance that maybe Naval LCA and/or Tejas Mk3 will be offered to private industry for co-development / production.

With ordering of Tejas to make up the numbers, the requirement of new plane will be reduced, and hence the MiG-21 replacements will be maybe Tejas Mk1 and the new plane. Else Tejas 1A and alter by Tejas Mk2 and hence there is no chance to order new planes as adding more squadrons will be only adding to the cost of operations

 

[Superdefender]

these fighter jets are for export, India is a cheaper place for export.

If India can increase LCA numbers per year we can export them to countries all around the world.

Which fighters are you talking about?? Please name those.

 

[Srinivas_K]

Which fighters are you talking about?? Please name those.

The one that will be selected by GOI under make in India.

I think it will be a US fighter jet. Mainly for export and other purposes.

 

[Superdefender]

The one that will be selected by GOI under make in India.

I think it will be a US fighter jet. Mainly for export and other purposes.

Yeah, I too support it if this is only for export to nearby US allies countries. But if US persist to use it in IAF, GOI then should back away from it.

 

[Harinath]

I dont understand the play here!
We already have decided for
1. Tejas
2.Rafael(deal will definitely go through)
3. PAKFA(60)

So where does this next fighter aircraft come in??
@Gessler @smestarz kindly illuminate.

Yes, u are right mate,
what is going on I do not understand. We already have an offer from Russian offer of full TOT of FGFA for 3 billion dollar, cant we work on it, Look at the list of the planes that we have( Su-30MKI + Jaguars + Mig29 + Mirage2000) and 3 to 5 more types are almost getting in(Tejas 1 and 2, rafale, AMCA FGFA) India still need one or two more types of planes?

If we look at US they want this issue to be sorted out by having a common platform for all types of planes F-35 B, C etc.... Why arent we heading that way?

Why dont we develop or go to a consultant and have our air superior Tejas, naval Tejas, Bomber Tejas, special ops Tejas etc or something like this. Why they want to complicate the fleet maintenance.

I really doubt if there is any other country in the world with such various types of planes in their forces.

Still my advice is scrap Rafales and optimize su 30 for all versions(I believe that SU 30 is already very good plane in all roles) and have AMCA and Tejas MK 2. whatever plane but platform must be common that will save us millions which we can spend on R&D.


Am I right?