https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=16&v=HvDz4MrYXNc India's authorised requirement is a total of 42 fighters Squadrons. Even after MoD's planned fighter acquisitions by 2030 is completed, IAF will still be short of 108 fighters in total. 18 fighters constitute a squadron. IAF had vacancies for 621 officers. China's military budget now is an estimated $250 billion to $300 billion a year on its armed forces. Since China has both bigger budget and military industrial base, the three Indian armed services must agree to adopt integrated operations plan for contingency scenarios. The importance of Indian Army is greater when one needs boots on the ground. Air power is the primary tool to achieve tactical gains. The essence of Air power is effective targeting which depends on accurate, actionable, and real-time intelligence. Besides acquiring actionable real-time intelligence and facilitating targeting, you also need to provide the superior kinetic weapons means for the destruction of targets. At the same time, IAF must transfer its light helicopters to Indian Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and focus on creating combat search-n-rescue (CSAR) capabilities. In the past, the Indian Army took the lead in any land battle with air-support, however, unlike China (which lacks modern fighter jet engines to carry out high-altitude, offensive ops), India's Air power arm is the most ready to play a decisive role in any offensive & defensive 'integrated' future conflict with China. India needs affordable strike fighters, but that can survive inside well-defended enemy airspace. Russian fighter jets with IAF are good dog-fighters, but American fighters and AMRAAM combo of PAF excel with network-centric (data-link sharing target info) AWACS support. F-16 has been in service for 44 years, as it had less wing load and higher weight to thrust. PAF have 18 F-16 Block 52. It faces obsolescence by 2030 but is getting spares from US. Also, PAF F-16 has access to surveillance pod as it is now owned by Turkey. Turkey has long had one of the largest F-16 fleets in the world and because they belonged to NATO, the Turks had to achieve high standards of pilot training. "All fighter aircraft that performed well against a competent opponent had several characteristics in common: a) relatively low cost, b) easy maintenance, c) small size and low weight, d) comparatively good aerodynamic performance, the acceleration to the speed of sound is considered an important performance metric & is dependent upon its high-speed drag problem, e) good situational awareness with passive sensors is more useful than stealth". US air combat doctrine emphasizes maintaining a high-energy state, besides BVR missile attacks. Fighter maneuvers leveraging thrust-vectoring drain an aircraft's energy very rapidly, leaving it in a low-energy state vulnerable to follow-on attacks. This was allegedly a downside exploited by U.S. F-15 jets in a Red Flag exercise against thrust-vectoring Indian Air Force Su-30MKI jets in 2008. The recent air-operations in a potentially dangerous environment with more advanced aircraft and ground air defence systems, together with the number of air forces which want to enhance their air superiority capabilities with the acquisition of modern platforms or retrofitting of in-service combat aircraft, is revitalizing the interest towards air-to-air missiles as future threats emerge. However, data sensor fusing, including the helmet mounted display systems, and the capability of these weapon systems to be part of the network is essential to the success of air superiority and defence operations. In October 1997, Volvo confirmed that Saab, General Electric, Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) and Boeing led talks on the X-31 VECTOR program. The Rockwell-MBB X-31 was an experimental highly-agile or super-maneuverable aircraft from US-American - German co-production learned from Rockwell's Super Normal Kinetic Enhancement (Snake) . The aircraft on the basis of TKF-90. Germany wanted to use the test flights in order to obtain the thrust vector technology in the Euro Fighter and Sweden in the JAS 39 (to catch up with Russia). The US Navy had the F-18 in mind, on an application in the Air Force (F-15/16) has been speculated.
"Turning in a tight turn has absolutely nothing to do concerning maneuverability. A comparison of roll is the most important attribute an airplane must posse in being more maneuverable than another one." During the 1980s, the ageing, less agile interceptor aircraft were replaced by dedicated air-to-air fighter aircraft. The argument for having a large fighter aircraft is that physics makes larger aircraft more capable. Assuming that a smaller aircraft and a larger aircraft have a very similar lift to drag ratio, cruise at the same Mach number and have the same specific fuel consumption, the larger fighter will have about 40 percent better range. An inevitable consequence of the physics of flight is that long range aerial combat demands larger airframes and two engines. These fighters shoot missiles and fire guns because they are designed to engage enemy fighters within visual range during combat operations. This close-range combat is referred to as combat aircraft dog-fighting operations. Dedicated air-to-air fighters include the US F-14 Tomcat, the British F3 Tornado, and the Russian MiG-29 FULCRUM. During the 1990s, dual-purpose aircraft that can drop bombs as well as dogfight were seen in increasing numbers. These are known as fighter-bombers or strike fighters. The best fighter-bombers in service include the US F/A-18 Hornet and the Russian Su-27 Flanker aircraft. F-15E internal gun is under its right wing which creates an imbalance whenever 220 kg bombs are dropped above 30,000 feet. Ironically, its being used as missile truck (dropping from lower altitudes) due to its powerful f100 engines & advanced electronic jammers. The F-14A and F-15A were both designed with lessons from the Vietnam War. When we see turn rates, rate of climb and avionics, the F-16 was utterly superior to the MiG-23MF and even to the MiG-23MLD, however the F-16 had a vital weakness from 1974 to 1992, this weakness was it never had BVR missiles until the first AIM-120 and AIM-7s were deployed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. If we are to believe the Russian sources we have to see that in 1983, the MiG-23ML was armed with a better radar and R-24s of longer range almost matching the F-15s capabilities, and the F-16s in 1982 could not match the R-23T with an AIM-9L. The MiG-23MLD was considered in some parameters almost an equal to the F-16 but it never was considered superior, just that it closed the gap between the third and fourth generation. One of the MiG-23`s excellent characteristics was the use of Head Up Display radar imagery. From 1979-81, Israeli F-15s would claim several Syrian Air Force fighters during operations over Lebanon. The high point of Israeli F-15i operations would come in 1982, with the massive air battle over the Bekaa Valley. Flying top cover for the massive ground strike below, F-15i with extensive jamming and AWACs support claimed upwards of 80 aircraft in the two-day long battle for no losses of their own. (Mitsubishi licence-build U.S. F-15J Kai upgraded to "Super" JSI standard ) F-2 Support Fighter F-15J and its upgrade F-15J Kai (Eagle) are identical to F-15C/D aside from the ECM, radar warning system, and nuclear equipment. The AN/ALQ-135 Internal Countermeasures System is replaced by the indigenous J/ALQ-8 and the AN/ALR-56 Radar Warning Receiver is replaced by the J/APR-4. The engine is the Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan, produced under license by Japan. F-2 was so expensive that japan only obtained 94 examples of planned acquisition of 144. F2 has a defective AESA radar due to design error which is too expensive to rectify. Japan has also been forced to develop its own fly-by-wire software by the US Government's refusal to release the F-16s computer source codes. The F-2 program was controversial because the unit cost, which includes development costs, is roughly four times that of a Block 50/52 F-16, which does not include development costs. Japan owns about 200 F-15J (based on the F-15C/D, produced under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), of which 98 F-15J fighters will undergo JSI (Japanese Super Interceptor) modernization process from 2023. The system upgrades will not only dramatically improve the capabilities of this weapons system but will also significantly enhance its air-to-surface capability. This also aligns with the Japan's existing plans to only replace around half of its F-15J fleet with F-35s and continue flying the upgraded F-2 multi-role fighters for the foreseeable future.
The upgrade package notably lacks any mention of other features like wide-panel cockpit displays, heads-up-displays, and IRST sensors; as they could possibly be sourced from Mitsubishi. The F-15C/D upgrade into Advanced Eagle 2040C would be most useful applied to F-15s updated to the so-called "Golden Eagle" standard, which fits a new AN/APG-63(V)3 active synthetically scanned array (AESA) air-to-air radar to the fighters. The relatively small number of F-22s in service makes it more likely the F-22 would be outnumbered in any future fight. But there are hundreds of F-15s still in service. Boeing's solution: Make the F-15 a missile truck with more than a dozen AMRAAM missiles. The Advanced Eagle upgrade consists of four so-called "quad pack" hardpoints on the wings, each capable of carrying four AMRAAM missiles for a total of 16. Unlike with USAF F-16 fleet, F-15E is being equipped with AN/APG-82(v)1 [formerly, called AN/APG-63(v)4] and F-15C/D with AN/APG-63-(V)3
Very low-level for combat aircrafts means 150 feet above ground, while sea-skimming can mean 5 metres above water. For aircraft that cannot go faster than the speed of sound, a short inlet works quite well but for a supersonic aircraft, the inlet must slow the flow down to subsonic speeds before the air reaches the compressor. While the inlet does no work on the flow, inlet performance has a strong influence on engine net thrust. Air inlet that uses flat-hinged 'splitter plates' (or a central-cone) been the norm for supersonic fighters. Alternatively, forward swept intake design also keep boundary layer air away from the inlet and to slow supersonic air entering the inlet to supersonic speeds. The idea is to provide uniform airflow through the entire intake opening without the air from the aircraft's surface mixing with the boundary layer air which can have both different velocity and flow direction. Airflow mis-match can lead to large drops in engine efficiency and thrust instability due to spillage drag. Air intake ramp at an acute angle deflects the intake air from the longitudinal direction. The lip is sharpened to minimize the performance losses from shock waves that occur during supersonic flight. Return of canard fins stabilizersThe Wright Brothers began experimenting with the "canard" or foreplane configuration around 1900. Their first kite included a front surface for pitch control and they adopted this configuration for their first Flyer. They were aware that Otto Lilienthal had been killed in a glider with an aft tail, due to a lack of pitch control. They expected a foreplane to be a better control surface, in addition to being visible to the pilot in flight. After 1911, few canard types would be produced for many decades. First flown in 1927, the experimental Focke-Wulf F 19 "Ente" (duck) was more successful. Two examples were built and although one crashed for unrelated reasons, the second example continued flying until 1931. Just after the end of World War II in Europe in 1945, appeared the lightweight MiG-8 "Utka" test aircraft. But it was not until 1967 that the Swedish Saab 37 Viggen became the first canard aircraft to enter production. This spurred many designers, and canard surfaces sprouted on a number of designs derived from the popular Dassault Mirage delta-winged jet fighter. The development of fly-by-wire and artificial stability produced a new generation of modern canard designs. However, canard aircraft have poor stealth characteristics because they present large, angular surfaces that tend to reflect radar signals forwards. Canards used in J-20 are not found on the US F-22 and F-35 and the Russian Su-57 stealth fighters. J-20 canard's reflected radar signals are very very well blended with its main wing's reflected radar signals, and due to their high swept angle, the first high radar cross-section spike of J-20 actually located at around 50 degrees boresight. This mean it is very easy for J-20 pilots to keep enemy adversary within their stealthy sector. Add to the fact that J-20 has very big antenna aperture, it can be highly lethal in BVR combat. J-20 is aimed at larger area airspace denial rather than an air superiority fighter per se. A senior designer said that the J-20 multi capacities would be used at the most crucial moments during a war and will depend on its production numbers and deployment scale. With China’s J-20 fighters in development, as well as the sheer numbers of third-generation fighters, forming its main strategic combat force, along with early warning aircraft, electromagnetic interference systems and airborne warning and control systems, China will have a clear advantage over Japan in any potential air battle. If the J-20 is equipped with China’s fourth generation active electronically scanned array radar, and this equals the APG-77 with which the F-22 is equipped, the aircraft will be able to detect an F-35A head on at a distance of 50 km, whereas a F-35A will only be able to detect a J-20 head on at a distance of 20-40 km, giving the J-20 the advantage. Perhaps the J-20 as a secondary role is meant a stealthy strike aircraft like the F-117 which was very successful bomb delivering strike fighter. "Euro-canards" is a general term used for the group of European-developed fighter jets, like Eurofighter Typhoon, SAAB Gripen and Dassault Rafale. An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors (accelerometers) and rotation sensors (gyroscopes) to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the need for external references. It is used on vehicles such as ships, aircraft, submarines, guided missiles, and spacecraft. Outsmarting the know-how denials imposed by the West under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) developed in India are steadily finding a confirmed seat onboard multiple military platforms. The Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad today seems to have graduated in all the major technology areas of navigation, including sensors, SATNAV (satellite navigation) receivers, navigational aids, algorithms\schemes for different applications and infrastructure development. In the process, India has elevated its status on par with a handful of nations possessing a wide spectrum of sensor technologies. Turkey has long had one of the largest F-16 fleets in the world, with about 240 F-16s currently in service. Because they belonged to NATO, the Turks had to achieve high standards of pilot training, especially the number of flight hours per pilot per year and the number of pilots per aircraft. Turkey lost (through dismissal or resignation) 274 combat pilots. This reduced the ratio of pilots per F-16 from 1.25 to .8. This pilots per aircraft ratio is important because aircraft can fly more frequently per day than one pilot can handle. F-16 Block 70 Fighting Falcon or 'Super Viper' is a lightweight, daytime, multi-role jet fighter aircraft. The F-16 disproved the adages that bigger size and more expensive systems were better, that sophisticated systems rarely worked; by using the Energy-maneuverability positioning advantage theory. It has 25% lower wing load and higher weight to thrust ratio than Mig-25 Foxbat. F-16 can climb to an altitude of only 50,000 feet, whereas the Mig-25 interceptor can fly at 65,000 feet. It was designed exclusively for air combat maneuvering and added technological upgrades over the years have increased its weight and reduced its main purpose. This involves replacing the mechanical radar with AN/APG-82(v)1 [formerly, called AN/APG-63(v)4] AESA radar, an upgraded cockpit, a Sniper targeting pod, a Link 16 digital data link and upgraded navigation gear. F-16s design would face obsolescence beyond 2030. The production is scheduled to halt in 2017 after 44 years. Originally designed as a successor of the F-5 and a cheaper alternative to the heavier F-15, F-16s were mainly used for air defense. F-16 was designed to be widely exported to US’s third world allies and has hundreds in storage, available for sale on the used warplane market. This fighter was born in response to LWF (Light-Weight Fighter) program, for a small and agile fighter: the USAF needed a small, cheap, maneuverable airplane to flank the F-15 Eagle, its air superiority fighter, to face the small Soviet fighters, such as the MiG-21 in close combat. TFX to implode into one of the most infamous debacles in Pentagon’s history due to technical problems, cost overruns, and schedule slippages. The result was the super-costly single-mission (deep strike), single service, swing-wing F-111. Planes were delivered without mission essential avionics and sat on the runway for two years awaiting parts. Production rates were slowed, and total production quantities were reduced from 1,500 to 500. That cutback would have worked materially to wreck tactical fighter aviation in the Air Force, had it not been for the intervention of a brilliant iconoclastic band of military officers and civilians, who became known in the Pentagon and industry as the Fighter Mafia. The latest F-16V configuration integrates Northrop Grumman-developed new advanced APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam radar, which was concluded in August 2014. It also includes a new cockpit Center Pedestal Display; a modernized mission computer; a high-capacity Ethernet data bus; and several other mission system enhancements. However, the F-16V has the lowest service life. F-16V Block 70 is similar to the F-16E Block 60 “Desert Eagle” the UAE has been using since 2005. The Israeli version of the F-16 is in the same class as the Desert Eagle and uses a lot of Israeli developed tech. The most advanced F-16 is still the Israeli F-16I, which is optimized for bombing. The F-16I is equipped with a more advanced radar (the APG-68X) and has an excellent navigation system, which allows it to fly on the deck, at night or in any weather, without working the pilot to death. Israeli f-16I has advanced jamming and avionics systems, but are largely tasked with ground attack. The F-16I can carry enough fuel to hit targets 1,600 kms away. Electronic countermeasures are carried, as is a powerful computer system, which records the details of each sortie in great detail. Israel has received 102 new F-16I fighter-bombers already and added to this are another 125 older F-16s upgraded to the F-16I standard. There are actually six major mods, identified by block number (32, 40, 42, 50, 52, 60), plus the Israeli F-16I, which is a major modification of the Block 52. The new cockpit features a 15cm x 20cm/6x8 inch flat screen display that replaces dozens of gages and switches. The F-16D is a two seat trainer version of F-16Cs. The various block mods included a large variety of new components (five engines, four sets of avionics, five generations of electronic warfare gear, five radars and many other mechanical, software, cockpit and electrical mods.) Some nations, like South Korea, build the F-16 under license. The other special version (the Block 60), for the UAE, is called the F-16E. It costs $5.6 million to train F-16 pilots. It costs $22,000 per flight hour for ground missions. The F-16C was originally designed for a service life of 4,000 hours in the air, but advances in engineering, materials, and maintenance techniques have extended that to over 8,000 hours. It has a readiness rate of 70%. F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 4,500 fighters to 28 international customers, including the Pakistan Air Force (including 18 Advanced F-16C/D Block 52+). They have launched a new pitch that include moving F-16 production to India for a heavily modernized spinoff dubbed the F-21. The F-16s, with Pakistan since 1980, have been used against India in the past. Pakistan also said that Islamabad retains the right to use "anything and everything" in its self-defence. Pakistan's F-16 programme is an important part of the broader US-Pakistan bilateral relationship. The F-16s have been a big worry for India since they were first given to Pakistan as a reward for assistance in the first Afghan war. The last skirmish between India and Pakistan on 29 February 2019, where PAF used F-16s to bring down a MiG-21 flown by Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/us-defends-f-16-jet-fleet-to-pak-to-deal-with-clear-terrorist-threats-3383279 F-16 internal-mounted reconnaissance pod was sold from Denmark's Terma to Turkey's Aselsan. Terma has also developed wing-pylons containing UV-sensors AAR-60-(V)2 MILDS and ALQ-2 Electronic Warfare (EW) systems for 30 Danish F-16s. While Belgian F-16s have UV-sensors AAR-60-(V)2 MILDS-F MAWS developed by Airbus brand called Hensoldt (now includes Cassidian). MQ-16 Lawn Dart & QF-16 Jet Converted Unmanned Flight During a high-intensity war with a near peer, adversary like China, around 100 aircraft could be lost in a single day of combat. The US Air Force is eying a fleet of 1,000 drone wingmen in its airpower — without breaking the bank. The US's Replicator hedging strategy aims to churn out many thousands of low-cost unmanned systems, for different domains, that are meant to help overcome masses of ships, missiles, and people. You have to balance the tradeoff of size, weight, power and cost. A drone could be put by special forces, sleeping until it's ready for use. It could come out to provide precision and navigation when needed. It could fly a life vest down to a downed pilot or a radio to a downed pilot. It could actually fly down and survey the runway which you're about to land on. It could serve as a decoy or jammer. What to look for on Replicator is "small, smart, cheap and many" existing systems that could potentially "move the needle" in the Indo-Pacific which allows you to do it again and again and again, and break down systemic barriers along the way. The unmanned F-16 drone need software that would allow it to fly in formation execute attack missions on its own, use its sensors to avoid ground fire (mainly missiles) and using its own EW (electronic warfare) to deal with jamming interference. It was noted that with a little extra work, the QF-16 could be turned into a combat UAV for dangerous missions like SEAD (suppression of enemy defenses) or attacking ground targets guarded by heavy air defenses. Adding more sensors and flight control software could produce a formidable combat UAV. The F-16 manufacturer (Lockheed) is not doing the UAV conversion research, but rather another aircraft company (Boeing) which sees a potential market for such aircraft. These UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial vehicles) already exist as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. But an MQ-16 Lawn Dart (the unofficial nickname for the F-16) would be cheaper. Japan's Fighter Support Experimental (FS-X) is the larger and heavier cousin of F-16C Agile Falcon with larger wings in order to carry more fuel and load but as a result it has more drag. Hence, composites wings were added to give it strength while reducing the weight and drag. Mitsubishi’s heavy use of graphite epoxy and co-cured composite technology for the wings encountered some teething problems, but proved to be a leading-edge use of a technology that provides weight savings, improved range, and some stealth benefits. Other FSX structural design changes include radar-absorbent material (RAM) applied to the aircraft's nose, wing leading edges and engine inlet, the use of titanium in the tail and fuselage, the addition of a braking parachute and a two-piece canopy reinforced against large bird strikes. US is refusing to allow the export of a component that is needed for the SCALP-er / Storm Shadow cruise missiles Arme Propulsee A CHarges Ejectables (APACHE AP) project by MBDA. Egypt refuses to buy more Rafales unless the deal includes SCALP missiles. India had bought 200 of both Meteor and SCALP-er / Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Rafales Tranches:
The aircraft's stealthy features include reduced size of the tail-fin, fuselage shaping, under-wing air intake positioning, extensive use of composites, and serrated patterns for the construction of the trailing edges of the wings and canards. In an age of stealth however, radars are no longer the only kind of sensor that find pride of place in a combat jet's tracking and scanning systems. Fighter aircraft today sport increasingly capable electro-optical tracking systems that are merging together the functions of the TV telescope, infrared search and track (IRS&T) and forward looking infrared (FLIR) into a single device. The technological enabler for this synthesis is the emergence of the Indium Antimonide single chip Focal Plane Array (FPA) camera. This camera type can be used for passive IRS&T searches, as well as to 'stare' at a specific target for beyond visual range (BVR) identification and targeting. Rafale is designed for reduced radar cross-section (RCS) and IR signature, though it does not feature all aspect stealth. Rafale’s canopy is also coated with gold, which reduces RCS signature from rather uneven cockpit innards, while protrusions are used to hide gap between canards and the airframe. Many RCS reduction features are classified. Advantages include demonstrated carrier capability in the Rafale-M, which could be a very big factor if the RFP includes that as a requirement. If so, it offers superior aerodynamic performance vs. the F/A-18 family, has exceptional ordnance capacity for its size, and can have its range extended via conformal fuel tanks. The Rafale M weighs about 500 kg more than the Rafale C. For carrier operations, the M model has a strengthened airframe, longer nose gear leg to provide a more nose-up attitude, larger tailhook between the engines, and a built-in boarding ladder. One sees this merger in the optronique secteur frontal (OSD) long range video system of the Dassault Rafale. The narrow field of this sensor coupled with visible waveband capability enables the identification of targets in situations where visual contact is required by the rules of engagement. The OSD also allows target tracking, through both the IRS&T as well as visual sensors and the FLIR function can apparently be used to detect air targets at ranges up to 100 kms away. The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon) (AASM) is a French Precision-Guided Munition developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité. AASM comprises a frontal guidance kit and a rear-mounted range extension kit matched to a dumb bomb. The weapon is modular because it can integrate different types of guidance units and different types of bombs. This firing test demonstrated the AASM Laser’s ability to offer 1-meter accuracy against high-speed, agile land or maritime targets. New capabilities that might be incorporated into the Rafale could include operating unmanned aerial vehicles, thrust vectoring for improved maneuverability, and conformal radar antenna arrays located all around the air-frame. The MiG-21 fleet is large – almost 15 squadrons, or nearly 300 aircraft. The fleet is also far down the road towards obsolescence. The window of opportunity for the IAF to replace the fleet without dangerous depletion of its force levels is now small. India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirements were first felt after Kargil War, An aircraft which had the ability to multi-role between Air to Ground roles to Air to Air roles while flying same mission. IAF back then had recommended purchase of more modern Mirage-2000/V aircrafts since IAF had required skilled manpower and infrastructure already in place since it already operated Mirage-2000s in its fleet. After the US (F-16 & F-18), Swedish (Gripen) and Russian (MiG35) firms were ejected from the bidding process, the IAF zeroed in on Europeans’ Eurofighter Typhoon and French Dassault’s Rafale. The French finally hit the IAF jackpot on January 31 this year. Other European countries, especially Britain, lamented the decision: “Why French, why not us? Our fighter is better than theirs.” Moreover, some Indian defence analysts questioned the IAF’s decision to select Rafale, which the French have not been able to sell to any other country. Eurofighters, on the other hand, have already been acquired by the air forces of 6 countries. There are also reports that doubt India’s move to waste billions of dollars on a 4th-generation fighter at a time when it has received America’s offer to make it a partner in the development of its fifth-generation fighter — F35 Lightning II. India is insisting that Dassault Aviation, which manufactures Rafale, cannot renege on the guarantee clause and Request for Proposal (RFP) clauses, which it had initially agreed to. The unwillingness of Dassault Avions, the Rafale manufacturer, to guarantee the performance of this aircraft produced under licence at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd despite the original RFP (Request for Proposal) requiring bidders to transfer technology, including production wherewithal, procedures and protocols, to this public sector unit for the aircraft’s local assembly, has been reported. Dassault Aviation selected Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as its private sector partner to manufacture the Rafale Combat jets in India trying to bypass Government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the production house. This was the first deviation of RFP clauses. Then Dassault Aviation blamed that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited doesn’t have proper infrastructure to build and absorb Transfer of Technology (TOT) fully aware that HAL was building Russian Sukhoi-30MKI in Country , while RIL had not even taken up any aviation Projects in the country let alone manufacturing of 4++ Generation fighter aircrafts. Second deviation was guarantee clause which was part of RFP which was placed so that HAL made jets covered Delivery schedules set by MOD and IAF and meet Product quality. While many blamed HAL over the issue and argued how Dassault Aviation should be liable to Delivery schedules and meet Product quality (from production costs to maintenance to performance) when they were not manufacturing them? Indian government had told that if delays happens due to HAL they won’t be any penalties for Dassault Aviation, but they refused and prolonged negotiations. Dassault, in turn, did not want to take responsibility for manufacturing delays at HAL. It is easy to pin the blame on Dassault for delays and all that has gone wrong in the deal. As it is a government-to-government deal, India should be able to get these “strategic purchase” aircraft cheaper. The negotiations over price are still on but experts estimate at least a 10% lower price for these 36 aircraft. With limited funds available for capital acquisition in the defence budget, monetary considerations are an important factor in any major Indian procurement. They claimed that while the deal was initially for about Rs 40,000 crore, French are seeking a higher price now. This, the sources said, has put the price at a “little more than double the cost”, a deal-breaker in a contract for 108 aircraft. The initial price difference with the second bidder was razor thin. India could not afford 126 Rafales as the purchase would cost more than about Rs 90,000 crore. The final all-in price for 36 warplanes is likely to be in the range of 65,000 crores or nearly $10 billion, which includes the cost of 36 fighter jets in fly-away condition, weapon systems, and a support maintenance package. That is an astronomic Rs 1,320 – 1,660 crore per aircraft. Therefore, India is pressing for more add-ons like maintenance infrastructure at the airbases, increased tenure for serviceability, etc. India still needs to decide whether it will immediately fund a large order of all spare parts that the aircraft will need for a period of either five or ten years. The Air Force wants the French to guarantee that at any given point, at least 90% of the fleet should be fit for combat. This is against the 55% availability rate of the Russian Su 30 MKI fighter. The price would depend on the support package and the length for which the Air Force wants it. For a 10-year package, the cost will be higher as more spares will need to be sourced. India wants the same availability rate for the fighter that the French Air Force has. Another point of contention is the guarantee clause under which Rafale has to stand guarantee for the planes that would be manufactured by state-owned HAL. India is haggling over the labour cost parameters that are graded from 1 to 10. While the Russians had obtained Grade 6 for the Su-30MKI licence-production programme, the French were asking for 8, while the Indians wanted it to be limited to 7. The so-called licence-production of Rafales just to keep a few thousand employees of HAL gainfully employed will not lead to self-reliance of any kind. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, neither option was great: Continue negotiations with France on a fighter jet deal he couldn’t afford, or go for a smaller agreement that could undermine his “Make in India” policy. The move to all but kill India’s biggest defence purchase in five decades reflects the dire state of both the nation’s armed forces and its manufacturing capabilities. The multi-billion dollar MMRCA contract was to be a springboard for galvanising India’s aerospace industry. Buying 36 fully built Rafales would only benefit that of France. Also, Dassault aviations lackluster attitude and lazy response is quite legendary in France and a survey done by a French media house had said that many in France didn't believe that Dassault aviation ever be able to crack a deal with India. Rafale's performance details:-
"Defence Analyst now believe that Excercise Indradhush was all about informal pitting of India’s Sukhoi against Eurofighter to decide whether to accept German offer of reconsidering on Eurofighter aircrafts after it lost the MMRCA Bid to French Rafale. Few Weeks later after Excercise Indradhush the German Ambassador to India officially announced that German Government’s decade-long Eurofighter Typhoon fighter plane campaign in India was over, bringing end to their MMRCA Competition." Eurofighter Typhoon (Tranche 3) During the 1970s, Germany understood that future fighters would need to achieve high agility as well as the ability to fly at high angles of attack. These capabilities required an unstable aircraft configuration. In 1974, in order to address the need to test how a highly unstable supersonic jet fighter equipped with a proper redundant flight control system would fly, the German Ministry of Defense authorized MBB to proceed with the so-called Control Configured Vehicle (CCV) program. Germany and Spain’s Airbus Defence and Space owns 46%, Britain’s BAE Systems owns 33% and Italy’s Leonardo owns 21%. It is a £80 million, twin Eurojet EJ200 engine, canard-delta wing, high-agility strike fighter but limited ground attack capability. It has at supersonic speed and ’supercruise’ capability. It is also an ‘energy fighter’ meaning it has the ability to preserve energy during sustained turns rates when most aircrafts lose energy and lose altitude. This 23 ton aircraft will be the principal fighter in the air forces of Britain, Spain, Germany, and Italy. The aircraft is very expensive to maintain. Typhoon suffered from an overly democratic concept-definition process, whereby compromise was put ahead of overall effectiveness. Though excellent for its day, the cockpit is a generation behind. While the Eurofighter is mainly an air-superiority fighter, there is very little call for that sort of thing at the moment. However, the fighter has a 25° angle of attack limit. Ground attack, on the other hand, is very much in demand. Typhoon enjoys a good thrust-to-weight advantage but Typhoon greatest weakness remains its mechanically scanned radar, a 20th century technology. Typhoon still does not have an AESA, is something of an embarrassment to Eurofighter Typhoon, but at least the it carries the best mechanically-scanning Captor-M radar in the world. Future Typhoons will carry the Captor E ‘Radar Plus One’, a new pivoted wide-view AESA. The "Phase 1 Enhancement" implements full air-to-surface capability to provide the fighter with a “swing-role” capability to carry both air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. It included full integration of the Rafael Litening III targeting pod and capable Diehl IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile in addition to the MDBA Asraam, air-to-surface helmet-mounted display symbology, Mode 5 secure identification friend-or-foe, and MIDS updates and cockpit direct-voice interaction improvements. Tranche 3 aircraft will incorporate production upgrades being developed under the Phase 2 Enhancement (Evolution 2 Package) program. The Tranche 3 updates adds defensive aids subsystem, high-speed data network, fiber-optic weapons bus, and is fitted for, but not with, conformal fuel tanks and an AESA radar. A new internal structure in the nose section was designed to accommodate wirings, power, cooling and electronics for the new Euroradar E-Captor AESA radar. Its has larger radar, but that doesn’t matter because nobody sane is going to use radar in air-to-air combat, however, it has integrated Storm Shadow and Meteor long-ranged anti-AWACS cruise missiles. Tranche 3 Typhoons have these capability to mount AESA radars and CFTs, but these items do not come standard. 2014 a German Defense Ministry readiness report was leak said that only 8% of 109 Eurofighters were full operational at any given time. It is common in European nations for the Defense Ministry to eventually discover that a shortage of spare parts and years of poor management practices led to the parts shortage and the low readiness levels. So when it comes time to make budget cuts, spare parts for the Eurofighter, and fuel to get pilots in the air for training, are among the first things to go. In 2009 Germany and Britain decided to cut back on the number of Eurofighters they would buy. South Korea's KF-21 Boramae (Hawk or Falcon) KF-21 (earlier known as KF-X or IF-X) is a South Korean program to develop an advanced 4.5th gen multi-role fighter for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) and Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU). It is currently seen as a single seat 24 ton fighter with two engines and 10 pods, the ability to carry more than 6 tons of weapons. With a maximum payload of 7,700 kg, the KF-21 will be capable of flying at 2,200 kmph with a flying range of 2,900 km. KF-X Block 2 would have some of these weapons can be carried in an internal bomb bay, increasing stealthiness. However, South Korean defence ministry is not demanding a full stealthy design but few low-observable characteristics. South Korean Air Force plans to induct 40 KF-21 units by 2028 and another 80 units by 2032. The overall focus of the program is producing 120 fighters with higher capabilities than a KF-16 class fighter. KAI executives have long regarded ADD's plan to develop a twin-engine Typhoon-size KF-X as too ambitious. KF-X is intended to be superior to the KF-16, replacing South Korea's ageing F-4D/E Phantom II and F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft, with production numbers estimated to be over 250 aircraft. US has denied the export of four major technologies citing US technology protection policy (including the AESA radar system, electro-optical targeting pod, IRST and radio frequency jammer for self-defense), out of 25 core technologies promised for the South Korean fighter jet project, that were to been transferred with the purchase of with the 40 F-35. South Korea would like to integrate AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles already in use by the Korean air force, but the licenses to integrate them have been denied by the US. It has managed to source a terrain-following system designed to enable ground-hugging low-altitude flying from Israeli firm Elbit. The KFX is based on only costing $60 million each. South Korean analysts pointed out that the KFX would cost up to twice as much as a top-of-the line model of the F-16 bought from the United States. Critics also pointed out that Japan made the same mistake in the 1990s when they decided to develop and build the F-2. However, the KAI's KFX-E design should be cheaper to develop and build than the larger proposals put forward by the ADD. The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) envisions Collins Aerospace is under contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to provide the fighter’s complete integrated Environmental Control System (ECS), including air conditioning, bleed air control, cabin pressurization and liquid cooling systems. According to Hanwha Systems (formerly Samsung-Thales) R & D Center, it is currently working on at least 6 systems which will compose the backbone of the KF-X: the AESA-MMR; EO-TGP; Mission Computer; Infra-red Search & Track System (IRST); Panoramic Multi-Function Display; and an Audio Communication Control System (ACCS). In 2020, South Korea abandoned its plan to build AESA-MMR and has signed a technology support contract with IAI's ELTA Systems. The ADD has abandoned a push to develop the radar on its own despite a partnership in 2016 with Hanwha Thales, a local defense firm later renamed Hanwha Systems, as the preferential bidder for the radar development. In return for obtaining 40 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, South Korea was supposed to receive technologies from “17 sectors” related to its long-planned KFX indigenous fighter programme. However, in 2015 US refused to approve 4 key technologies from Lockheed Martin to KAI, there were: AESA radar, infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, electro-optical targeting pod and electronic warfare jammer. South Korea will ask Lockheed Martin to invest in the country’s next-generation KF-X multi-role fighter jet development project as part of offset deals. KAL appears to be proposing a design based on the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which industry officials say Boeing is pushing with backing from Airbus. Airbus and Boeing are joint KF-X proposal is an attempt to unseat Lockheed Martin from South Korea’s KF-X indigenous fighter program, offering an economical alternative and technology from Europe that could not be supplied from U.S. sources. Boeing suggested technology transfer from Israel Aerospace Industries. In May 2017, Israel’s ELTA Systems was selected to support the AESA radar development. Saab still has a $25 million contract inked in December 2017 with LIG Nex1 for cooperation in AESA radar algorithm development. The KFX is expected to enter service in about 10 years now that the government has found the cash and foreign partners to make it happen. Indonesia is a partner with 20% share in the program. Indonesia first agreed in 2010 to jointly develop the KFX. That deal fell apart because of costs, as did several similar deals with other countries. The cost problem is less of an issue now. Indonesia will be a partner in this effort by contributing 16% of the $8.5 billion required. Indonesia had failed to make its annual payment to participate in the development program. Turkey is referred to as a potential partner, but there has been no tangible progress over the Seoul-Ankara discussions. Turkey is said to demand that it take more control over the project than a 20% share. Reports of Indonesia losing interest in the IF-X project have been exacerbated by its consideration of the French Rafale or Boeing F-15 EX combat jets to quickly refurbish its fleet in the face of from China. Electronic beam-steering/scanning antenna based on its high-tech communication, sensor and ICT capabilities developed by Hanwha The main error was committed by the IAF and Indian MoD when they selected Mirage-2000 and MiG-29B in 1985, but in 1996 the IAF's ASQR specified DRDO to design a light combat aircraft to replace these two medium-weight combat aircrafts. There have also been too many instances, when the Indian MoD has denied funding to IAF regarding imports, on the behest of DRDO. MCW-AF (earlier known as Tejas Mark II) primary mission will be strike fighter (that falls inbetween F-5 fighter and tornado fighter) carrying Israeli targeting pods, towed decoy system and infrared search and track (IRST) system. ADA has a small pool of manpower of aircraft designers, so a lot of discussions were held with the air force and navy to get them to agree on the commonality of three fighter jets that ADA is working so that workload can be reduced on their development time and also agree to same systems and subsystems. It will be the only aircraft in its class that can carry 8 air-to-air missiles (Astra-1 & AIM-132 Block-6) with 3 Drop tanks. It will be optimised for balakot-like, high-altitude, precision ground-attack missions against: a) artillery and mortar pits situated in narrow stretches between hills in Indo-China (Bhutan to Uttarakhand), and b) to kill terrorists in Indo-Pak border before they ever get the chance to cross the border. Imported F414 cost about $4.8 million each, not including spare parts. It looks like MCA-Af (Tejas Mk.2) could be underpowered with F-414 engine. We may need F-414 'Enhanced Engine' which has 105-kN of dry thrust and 116kN of wet thrust (using afterburner). Even Gripen has foreign systems, including its engine. It will have Israeli missile-warning radar and will carry Israeli internal jammers. And until there is the serial-production of the indigenous Uttam radar, India has no other choice but to import more Israeli ELM-2052 (which has only 320 transmit/receive module (TRM) elements). It's the test pilots and the late Manohar Parrikar as India's defence minister, who's strategic thinking transformed the original LCA into a highly enhanced Mark-1A version. We need such thinking for MCF too. Bomber pilots are far more expensive to train, too. For the fighter design to be accepted by the IAF, the fighter must have low-maintenance and have good spare parts availability. The fighter's situational awareness and availability rate, will be compared to the latest F-16 fighter. It may also get Auto-GCAS and Auto-ICAS systems. India imports the resins used in manufacturing of composite end-products.
India requires a total of 756 fighters, out of which 324 MRCAs to act as tactical interceptors. The active mode of operation of certain parts of operating software (made by US-based OEM) in Western military aircrafts, that are necessary to perform at max levels, requires crypto-keys regulated by the strict US export-control laws. Indian Navy's Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) based on "Super Tejas" with close-coupled canard fins stabilizers The Indian Navy wanted ADA to develop a carrier deck version of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), an indigenous, twin-engine, fifth-generation, stealth fighter that is unlikely to enter service before 2030. In 2019, Indian Navy decided against a navalised variant of the AMCA because it had reasons to believe that the AMCA project was over-ambitious. That prompted ADA to come up with the Twin-Engined Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) with canard fins stabilizers. Due to its twin-engine configuration, the aircraft is larger than the Naval Tejas. The ADA chief has argued to the defence ministry, the need for a step-by-step incremental and realistic approach to naval first designing an optimised naval Tejas Mark II fighter design, rather than attempting a huge technology jump by designing a fifth-generation Naval AMCA. Only the third TEDBF will be involved in deck-based carrier take-offs and landings, while the first two aircraft will be used for flight certification and testing of the systems and sub-systems. The 26-ton Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) will also be able to undertake MUM-T maritime strike sorties along with unmanned airborne surveillance vehicles. Indian Navy has indicated that it would like to procure close to 100 TEDBF. ADA has identified Wing folding Mechanism for Indian Navy's TEDBF, as one of the major challenges, since India has never worked on it previously. F-14A Tomcat with all 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles (Iran's Fakour-90 long-range missile is almost identical to the US AIM-54 Phoenix) The NATF Super Tomcat offerings were very high performance aircraft, but the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet outclassed them in operational and acquisition costs and offered better multi-role capabilities. Being considerably smaller, more number of Super Hornets could be carried on a carrier when compared to the F-14A Tomcat. Two-thirds of the fighter aircraft of the US Navy (60%) and USMC Aviation (74%) are out of service. This translates to 1,700 aircraft forced to land for the US Navy, including 600 F/A-18 Hornet. Following closely the example Hornet, of the 276 aircraft owned by the Marine Corps, only 87 are able to fly. Despite the similar name, the F-18E is actually a different aircraft, with a different engine, that entered service in 2001. GE Aviation won the contract worth $1.65 billion for the repair, upgrade or replacement of 17 F414 engine components in support of US Navy's F/A-18. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a 4.5+ generation, carrier-based multi-role fighter. It needs a catapult for takeoff. Super Hornet becomes very capable when it has support from AEW&C and other advanced assets. The Royal Australian Air Force currently operates 24 Super Hornets, while Kuwait has ordered 28 of the jets. F-18E was supposed to last 6,000 flight hours, but the portion of the wing holding the pylons last only 3,000 flight hours due to "metal fatigue". One specific reason for the problem was the larger than expected number of carrier landings carrying bombs. F/A-18E/F Block III has a 10,000-hour service life (and the F/A-18E/F Block II has just a 6,000-hour service life). The F/A-18XT appears to exclude the earlier demonstrator’s ‘stealthy’ enclosed weapons pod. However, unlike the F-15, it lacks a missile approach warning system. And although there aren't any infrared countermeasure chaffs, it does have advanced jamming EW-enabled towed decoys. As a result, the decoy can first try to generally jam a radar that is in search mode, then it can try to attack it directly to break its lock once it locks on. Then, if a missile locks on in flight, the decoy can instantly turn into a juicy target, or even targets, misdirecting the missile would home in on the fiber-optic decoy extensions and blow it off its wire instead of destroying the jet itself. During various operations, including the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the system worked incredibly well. The U.S. Navy’s Multi-Sensor Integration effort for the Super Hornet is being developed in 3 phases—capability similar to the F-22 and F-35. Highly upgraded version of the F/A-18 A-D Hornet, enlarged and given new engines and avionics. Commonality between the Hornet and Super Hornet is only about 25%. Strengths include its powerful AN/APG-79 AESA radar, which has drawn significant interest from India. Other advantages include carrier capability, a very wide range of integrated weapons, a design that is proven in service and in combat. Although it has been heavily marketed by Boeing, so far the Super Hornet has only seen a single buyer outside the U.S. Navy: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Weaknesses of the Super Hornet platform include poorer aerodynamic performance than the Eurofighter or Rafale, due to inherent airframe limitations. Its "beefier" airframe meant for more of an attack role meant it didn't quite match the F-16 in power-to-weight ratios, and it was a more expensive fighter both to purchase and operate. It also made little sense to buy a carrier based aircraft when its buyer had no aircraft carriers. The F/A-18 did offer the advantage of two-engine safety. The Super Hornet's main advantages over the regular Hornet is its more highly advance AESA radar and increased payload. What the Super Hornet doesn't offer, however, is any major improvement in speed, range, or manoeuvrability. All F/A-18s are limited to a maximum of 7.5 positive g and 3 negative g for symmetrical maneuvers. In the classic F/A-18 fighter, past 50° angle of attack, there is a lot of very violent buffeting. The RAAF's purchase of the Super Hornet has been controversial. Intended to replace the FB-111 bomber, the Super Hornet is incapable of matching its predecessor's speed, range, or payload. There was also issue with the fact that the FB-111 wasn't at the end of its service life, but were simply too expensive to fly any more. With the retirement of the A-6 Intruder, and the cancellation of the A-12 Avenger II, the U.S. Navy needed a bigger attack plane. Hence, the larger Super Hornet. The design has been beefed up into the F/A-18A/B Hornet, then beefed up again to the F-18E/F Super Hornet. The original Hornet was intended to be "bomb truck". Hence, the "A" (for attack) in F/A-18. Along the way, the F-14's planned successor, a swing-wing version of the F-22 Raptor, was cancelled for budget reasons. It was decided that the US carrier fleet would use strictly F-18s for air-to-air combat. At present, the EA-18G is slated to be the only dedicated electronic warfare aircraft in the USA’s future force and is intended to replace ageing EA-6B Prowlers in the service’s fleet. Since the USA is currently the only western country with such aircraft, the US Navy’s EA-18G fleet would become the sole source of tactical jamming support for NATO and allied air forces as well. It will be based on Boeing’s 2-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighter, and has 90% commonality with its counterpart. Hornets have demonstrated a 180° missile shot with the AIM-132, firing the missile at a target in the firing aircraft’s 6 o’clock in the lock-on after launch mode. The so-called ‘Parthian Shot’ is a defensive boon. The Super Hornet currently costs between $75 million and $85 million and customised upgrades to engines, radar and other electronics could add additional $20 million per fighter. Electronic jamming capabilities of EA-18G Growler can weaken the operability of the Russian air shield in Syria, but not neutralize it completely. On many occasions, the Marine Corps didn't have enough F/A-18 kits on hand to adequately replace what was needed. A lot of times we would be hamstrung because there would only be one set of test equipment on the entire base. No matter what the situation, someone always has it worse. There were many times, where we would order parts, and they would take almost a week to get, or we would get multiple defective parts. There were also shortages of certain explosives that we needed to replace due to their upcoming expiration dates. We also had a few ECS (environmental control system) issues that required Boeing to send out technical representatives to assist us (and it took almost 2 weeks to solve the issue even with their help). China's AVIC Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute (607 Institute) and China Aviation Optical-Electric Technology Co. teamed up in the early 1990s with South Africa's Grintek Avitronics to develop a family of radar warning receivers (RWR), missile approach warning systems (MAWS), chaff/flare countermeasures dispensers, passive and active missile seekers.trishul-trident.blogspot Electronic Warfare: It targets electronic emissions of all types. Radar technology sends an electromagnetic ping forward, bouncing it off objects before analyzing the return signal to determine a target's location, size, shape and speed etc. However, if "jammers" tech are able to interfered with the electromagnetic signal, in order to block, jam, thwart or “blind” in some way, the enemy radar systems are then unable to detect or target. A radar designer tries to make the signal weal so that the ESM cannot detect it. Himshakti is a lightweight version of Samyuktha ver. 2 electronic warfare system. Sujav is an integrated compact communication EW system. Sangraha is a joint EW programme of DRDO & Indian Navy. State-of-the-art technologies like Multiple Beam Phased array jammers are employed in the system for simultaneous handling of multiple threats. Russia has one major EW system per 10 km of frontage, usually situated approximately 7 km from the frontline. "Multiple Russian columns have been sent forward beyond the reach of their own air defence cover, and in others cases accompanying SAM batteries have been caught inactive in military traffic jams without making any apparent effort to provide situational awareness and defence against Ukrainian air assets. This has allowed the surviving Turkish-made Ukrainian Bayraktar TB-2 armed UAVs to operate with considerable effectiveness in some areas, inflicting significant losses on Russian vehicle columns." Russian EW achieved real-time interception and decryption of Motorola 256-bit encrypted communications. EW systems effectiveness depends on surprise. What it comes down to is that you don’t design and use high-tech weapons without realizing the enemy is going to recover some of them during combat operations. Things move faster in wartime, but the patterns are similar to what happens in peacetime. This surprise element is important when it comes to electronic gear in general, which is much more effective if the other side does not know much about how it works. New digital adaptive cognitive electronic warfare (EW) system technologies use machine-learning algorithms to protect aircrafts against communications jammers, by measuring a variety of data — the power level, frequency and bandwidth of radio signals; and adopt different never-before-seen frequencies, signal characteristics and waveform to avoid being jammed. Essentially, the military’s approach has been to study enemy systems for vulnerabilities, figure out ways of disrupting them and then building a “playbook” filled with different EW tactics. Cognitive Reactive Electronic-Warfare sensors (also offensive jammers) integrating with autonomous (without preprogramming) Artificial-Intelligence algorithms for quick, Adaptive Radar/communications (radio fingerprints) signal detecting, processing and disrupting (ARC) for real-time analytics; alongside Joint multi-domains like cyber & space-based navigation networks. The electronic equipments and data storages can get outdated every 6 months, which is a challenging and expensive process. The tools available to field US commanders are insufficient to enable them to develop and plan creative operations against changing enemy EW tactics. Airborne wideband high-power jammers are capable of disrupting HF/VHF/UHF bandwidth spectrum. A missile's terminal seeker going active automatically activates the targeted aircraft’s self-protection jammer. Atleast one Airborne Self Protection Jammer ASPJ pod is needed for two aircraft. The reason for 2 seater jet is due to man/machine interface of the avionics compared to one person's ability to handle such workload. India's High-band jammer pod developed by DARE currently include 3 systems: an integrated EW suite, the active array phased transmit-receive unit and an imported Israeli cooling system. It all begins with the Russian SAP-518 jammer pod that Moscow supplied with the Su-30MKI. After grappling for years with the pod, the Indian Air Force finally in 2015 realised it simply couldn't use them for two reasons. One, they were extremely heavy and when slung onto the fighter's wingtip hard-points, they reduce the fighter's flying envelope. The second issue is even worse. The IAF realised the SAP-518 pod has not been properly interfacing with the Indian on-board radar warning receiver (RWR), and the interfacing issues could not be addressed due to Russia’s unwillingness to share codes. DRDO's DARE have developed the Trap, Trumpet, Tempest, Tusker Pod based jammers which are in use with IAF Mig-27s. They are primarily noise jammers coupled with the Tarang Mk.2 RWR (earlier version Tranquil RWR developed by DARE for the Mig-23BN). In futuristic wars, Indian would need high-tech for better cognitive load capacity, quicker decision-making and for "sensor to shooter" network capabilities. Integrated Warfare Systems's Rear Admiral Doug Small said, “we’ve been very deliberate about keeping a low profile and not a huge internet presence (about U.S. crown jewel Project Overmatch's battlefield decision-superiority (reducing latency to support OPs) and streamline C2 enterprise network architectures capability in order to seamlessly network 'three existing sensor grids together to any manned or unmanned shooter'). Our competitors steal everything, and frankly, they’re not ashamed of it.” Adversaries "can exploit the information that’s put out there and then figure out ways to stymie that development because this is about accelerating war-fighting decisions by providing access to information in disparate places, running AI." The U.S. military is trying to protect its “secret sauce” from adversary eyes. This is the network side of war fighting, which you don’t want to reveal because the next war, the first parts of it will not be kinetic, they will be non-kinetic.
IEDs had been around for over a century. In Vietnam (1961-72) only 14% of combat deaths were from IEDs (especially roadside bombs), compared to 50-60% in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Taliban had another advantage in that since there was not a lot of old artillery ammo to use, so they had to use fertilizer to make bombs and all sorts of improvisations which created unfamiliar IED designs that Americans were used to. Back in 2011, it was obvious that Islamic terror groups had specialists who were able to adapt it to the needs of bomb makers. IAF has never released a single report of Boards of Enquiry into fatal crashes because OEMs were not responsible for any product liability of aircrafts licence-built by HAL. It will henceforth open a pandora’s box that will enable the widows of all those IAF pilots who have so far perished in such air crashes to sue the MoD & HAL for healthy financial compensation. This bitter truth had been kept a Top Secret by all successive govts of India since the 1950s. Su-30MKI is a 1980s design hence its requires 8 hours to change its engine, as opposed to contemporary fighters that require only 30 minutes. Su-30MKI's engine needs to be overhauled after around 800-900 hours of flying. By 2019, the IAF will have 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs, yet poor maintenance and inefficient spares management ensures that just 40% of these fighters are combat-ready at any given time. To carry 8 tons of ordnance, it must use both of its AL-31FP engines, and the transition from one to two – and the reverse – often causes engine failure. The Indian Air Force has reported three such malfunctions in a month, as well another shortcoming: The time needed for making the aircraft serviceable is too long. As a result, only half of the Indian fleet can be airborne at one time. We have 300 fighters and only 150 or 140 are capable of taking on the task. Rs 400 crore was invested in setting up after-sales-service units for both Su-30 and the helicopters. Today, availability has risen slightly to around 50% - 55% (currently, it has bee raised to 63%), but far lower than advanced western air forces, which generate 75% (some even 80%) availability rates. The Indian government is of opinion that a logistic hub will further improve the availability of Sukhoi-30MKIs. No air force in peacetime boasts of combat aircraft fleet availability rates of 85%. Ideally, the prescribed norm is at least 75%. Effectively, in terms of aircraft numbers, only 106 are combat-ready of the 193 Su-30MKIs that the IAF flies today would be available in war. Russian LP/HP turbine blades have material deficiencies. Russian-origin fighters recorded as many as 35 engine failures/engine-related problems between January 2013 and December 2014. Out of total 69 cases in the last three years, 33 cases are due to finding of chips in the oil, 11 due to vibration in the engine (caused by bearing problem) and 8 cases because of low pressure of lubricating oil. The failures were linked to faulty bearings that contaminated the plane’s oil supply. It seems that metal fatigue led to tiny pieces of metal shearing off the friction-reducing bearings, which then entered the oil system. This accounted for 33 of 69 engine failures. Another 11 failures were the result of engine vibrations, while eight more arose from a lack of pressure in that same lubricating oil. AL-31FN engines cannot endure larger load and pressure since it suffers from material and technological flaws which are causing engine cut-off leading to rising crashes. The Russia OEM has offered 9 modifications or technological improvements for implementation in the production of new aero engines and during overhaul of engines. 7 Su-30MKIs have crashed to date. Under existing arrangement, Russia takes nearly 12 months to complete orders placed by India depending on the time it requires to manufacture the said spare parts. Under a new arrangement planned the supply of spares will allow bypass of export licences, customs duties, bank guarantees and other procedural issues, reducing the time to just 4-6 weeks after receiving such request from Indian Air Force. In 2012, India and Russia agreed to a similar contract where turnaround time for parts of Su-30s needed to be repaired under warranty in Russia was shortened to average 30 days from 8 to 15 months. Su-30MKI having to wait one full minute before being cleared for takeoff due to the risk of ingestion of foreign objects (stone pebbles) which damage the engine’s compressor blades. Though bulk of the 272 Sukhois (240 inducted till now) for Rs 55,717 crore had been contracted from Russia have been made by HAL, they have been basically assembled here with imported knocked-down kits. HAL still cannot manufacture the Sukhois on its own. Indian HAL's state-of-the-art engine division facility in Koraput in Orissa, is the Aero engine capital of India. In last 50 years they have overhauled 7417 engines for R-25, R-29B, RD-33 and AL-31FP engines to power the MiG-21 series, MiG-27M, MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI aircraft. The Sukhoi (Su-30 MKI) engine facility is a marvel by itself with some of the gen-next technologies already being used, including a robotic welding system. A total of 23 engines have been made from the raw material phase now since 2011-12. The TBO (Time Between Overhaul) of a Sukhoi engine is 1000 hours, while the total lifespan of an engine is 2000 hours. It has already established a facility for production of single crystal blades for Sukhois, which can further support India’s missile and unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) programmes. The division estimated over Rs 1500 crore towards setting up a High Altitude Test Bed facility. Once the test bed goes live, India will be the 4th country in the world who can boast of such a state-of-the-art facility to test new engines. The facility will be able to simulate the actual condition of an engine when an aircraft will be in flight. The division has been on the threshold of successfully launching home-grown solutions while overhauling the RD-33 (Series-3) engines of MiG 29 fighters. “There was no ToT (transfer of technology) with Russians for 6 uncommon aggregators (accessories) of the RD-33 (Series-3) engines. The ToT was getting delayed as the Russians were demanding additional funds. The ToT would have come only by 2016, prompting us to initiate the indigenous programme,” says Arup Chatterjee, Officiating Chief of Project (Engines), while interacting with the media. He said the IAF had bought over 100 engines from the Russians in 2007. “With the engines started coming for overhaul, we developed technologies for three out of the six uncommon aggregators successfully. The remaining three are targeted to be developed within HAL by June 2015. This has given us self-confidence for meeting our indigenous missions,” Chatterjee added. Similarly, HAL also developed an overhaul technology for the KSA-2 accessory gearbox of RD-33 engines, which has been cleared by the certifying agencies now. HAL is currently producing the Su-30MKI at a flyaway cost of around Rs 269.77 crore ($62 million) per aircraft, which is almost “Rs 150 crore” ($22 million) higher per aircraft, than the Su-30 jet supplied by Russia Rs. 269.77 crore. The reason for the higher cost is that the warranty agreements states that the imports most of the raw materials, fabricated blocks, proprietary components & kits must be from Russian firms (OEMs) and the HAL assembled SU-30MKI have specifications that have enhanced capability than Russian SU-30. Through years of building the Su-30MKI, HAL Nashik has gradually mastered the expertise that makes it one of the world’s most feared fighters. India builds bare-bones fighters then equips them with Indian, Israeli and French sensors and communications gear. Due to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in Russia facing problems in sourcing the spare parts from countries like Belarus and Ukraine. India has started sourcing spares directly from western sources like Israel and France. Some of the sources in Russia themselves are Western. A lot of them are from Israel, France, etc. HAL officials say overhauling in India costs far less than what “original equipment manufacturers”, or OEMs, charge --- typically 35% to 40% of the cost of a brand-new fighter. Being the world’s only overhaul facility for the Su-30MKI, it could potentially get overhaul orders from countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Algeria, etc, which fly variants of the Su-30. HAL’s new overhaul facility will give a new lease of life to its Su-30MKIs. Two new ordnance factories at Nalanda in Bihar and Korwa in Uttar Pradesh were being set up and a total investment of Rs 1,216 crore has already been made on the two projects. Not even Russia overhauls this fighter, a process that involves stripping it to its bare bones, checking every system and sub-system, replacing numerous components, and then reassembling the fighter anew. Its engine needs to be overhauled after around 800-900 hours of flying. HAL builds 87.7% of the engine’s components in India. 53% by cost of the Su-30MKI's giant AL-31FP engine has been indigenised, with the remaining 47% consisting of high-tech composites and special alloys - proprietary secrets that Russia will not part with. Even so, HAL builds 87.7% of the AL-31FP’s components in India, while the most critical ones are sourced from Russia. 51% by value (31,500 components out of 43,000 components) of the Su-30MKI is currently made in India in the contract signed in 2000. Only in 2008 did New Delhi and Moscow sign an overhaul contract. Until last year, aircraft parts and systems were going to Russia for overhaul. Over the years India has been able to get minor concessions for high-demand low-value spare parts being exempted from the contract. In 2010 Sukhoi revised the overhaul schedule to 1,500 flying hours or 14 years, whichever comes first. Over its total service life of 6,000 flying hours or 30-40 years, each fighter undergoes 3 overhauls. Further indigenisation is blocked since Russia is not willing to let go of this lucrative after-sale support. The Indo-Russian contract mandates that all raw material and high-burnout components that goes into the Su-30MKI - including 5,800 titanium blocks and forgings, aluminium and steel plates, etc (the cost of which rises every year due to inflation) - must be sourced from Russian original equipment manufacturer. The contract also stipulates that another 7,146 items like nuts, bolts, screws and rivets must be sourced from Russia. A titanium bar from Russia weighing 486 kg is machined down to a 15.9 kg tail component. The titanium shaved off is wasted. Similarly, a wing bracket, weighing barely 3 kg, comes out of a 27-kg titanium forging imported from Russia. Yet, India continues to import raw materials like 5,800 types of titanium blocks, forgings & extrusions because manufacturing them here is not economically viable in the tiny quantities needed for Su-30MKI production. Russia has expressed willingness to transfer technology of 332 components of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft under the ‘Make-in-India’ program. These components, also called line replacement units (LRUs) refer to both critical and non-critical components and fall into 4 major heads such as Radio and Radar; Electrical & Electronics System; Mechanical System and Instrument System.
Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1000G, a high-bypass geared turbofan engine currently selected as the exclusive engine for the Bombardier CSeries, Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), Embraer's second generation E-Jets equipped with the highly successful Honeywell’s Primus Epic. The new airplanes would also feature an entirely new wing design, full fly-by-wire flight controls, a new interior and various other new or modified systems. For Bombardier, the CSeries represents a particular challenge because not only is the aircraft in an entirely new class for Bombardier, as the CRJ1000 seats just 104 passengers in standard single class configuration whereas the CSeries seats 120-145, but it also makes heavy use of advanced materials (almost 70%) such as composites (46% of the aircraft) and aluminium-lithium alloys (Al-Li makes up around 24% of the aircraft). Developing turbine engine core & high-temperature compressor blades through incorporation of rare-earth materials are the most challenging parts of turbofan developmental process Of course, most of the “double-digit” improvement in operating cost would come from the pair of new engines, which would range in thrust from 15,000 pounds to 22,000 pounds. Boeing ran into troubles with its use of advanced materials on the perennially delayed 787 programme, which culminated with an aircraft that was still several tonnes overweight and 6% short on its fuel burn reduction promises at EIS In 1992, China agreed to buy 40 MD-90 commercial aircraft from McDonnell Douglas, a unit of the Boeing Company, if the US also allowed a set of 13 pieces of specialist machining tools (that shape and bend aircraft parts) to be sold to the China state-owned aerospace company CATIC. China diverted these tools to a facility known to manufacture military aircraft and cruise missile components, as well as civilian products. The large aircraft engine China's CJ-1000A is the first high bypass ratio turbofan engine for civilian use in China. Its core engine test is expected to be finished in 2014, and its experimental engine will meet the performance standards by 2016. This engine is scheduled to get a airworthiness certificate and realize product delivery in 2020. A jet engine functions by sucking in a large volume of air, compressing it rapidly in several stages, injecting aviation fuel into the air and then setting it alight to create a high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous mix. That is expelled backward through the exhaust, its reaction propelling the aircraft forward. HAL has never licence-produced more than 50% of any foreign-origin engine. HAL has, to date, licence-built only two types of engines: Orpheus 703 & R-11. Russians had apparently given India that TOT for single crystal technology with the sale of Sukhois. However, even today, India can't make it. A single crystal is a very complex metallurgical technology. High-temperature (1000 to 1100 degrees) nickel-based alloy blades for aero engines has to be made from a single crystal. The hard part is all high nickel components. India doesn't have any nickel mines, so India is dependent on importing nickel. And that's a problem. HLFT-42 max take-off weight of 16.5 tonnes.
China has been able to develop fighter jet engines. The WS-10, which powers the J-10, J-11, J-15, J-16 fighters, is having a successful production run. China sees gradual increase in annual production numbers starting from 320 engines in 2020 till 450 engines by 2026. However, the alloys for the blades wear-out much faster than western ones, so they are still dependent on Russian engines, even after spending billions on R&D. Since, engine development is by far the most complex and technically challenging aspect while developing a new combat aircraft, a lesson the United States learned during the development of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle during the 1970s. To remedy the problem, the Pentagon started development work on the F-119 and its General Electric YF120 competitor years before embarking on the development of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The heavier F-16C with GE powered lighter F110 engines have 'big-mouth' intakes (and has good acceleration climb rates) compared to the older & lighter F-16 versions with older PW 229IPE+ mechanical engines that have 'small-mouth' intakes (which also had failure of the compressor sections causing the engines to explode). The F-100 deliver 79.178 kN of thrust & 129.443 kN with afterburner. Naval fighter have as much as 60% lower availability compared to the Airforce fighters. So it must have low-maintenance and high spare parts availability. They carry less payload, have less speed & range since it requires heavier landing gear and strengthened foldable wings. So they need most powerful engines to take-off from aircraft-carriers (without catapults) carrying full load. Space requirements, including the engine size, are kept in mind when designing a new fighter. Japan's indigenous XF-9 super-cruise-capable turbofan engines, developed by Ishikawa Heavy Industries, is capable of providing 150 kN thrust. “the FC-20/J10B is a possible candidate, though my personal assessment is that overall, it is not as advanced as the F-16C [Block 50/52].” J-10c (earlier Super J-10) 'Annihilator' (known in the West as 'Vigorous Dragon'), export version is F-10 (Pakistan version is called FC-20). The most important design change is the completely revised custom higher mass flow inlet design but lacks an edge alignment design. In 2019, China formed its first J10C squadron. The new inlet combines two design features observed in earlier US designs, a general arrangement similar to the F-8U3 Crusader III prototype, and a diverterless inlet bulge design similar to the F-16 demonstrator used to prove the inlet design for the X-35 JSF demonstrators. The inlet to fuselage join will significantly reduce the radar signature of the forward fuselage in the upper bands. Project 10 started several years later in January 1988, as a response to the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 then being introduced by the USSR. The aircraft's existence was known long before the announcement, although concrete details remained scarce due to secrecy. It has advanced radar absorbent material, composites, solid-state integrated electronics, integrated EW suite, diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI), infra-red search and track (IRST) sensor, modified vertical stabiliser and wings, ventral fins, housings fitted under the wings, improved FWS-10B engine (j-10b had the WS-10B engine), and a modified nose with an AESA radar. There have been conflicting reports about a possible relationship between the J-10 and the Israeli IAI Lavi fighter program. Copying old tech takes the same amount of time as developing new tech. It's much easier to take China's money, invest it in our own development, and let the Chinese do whatever they want. The strongest admission of Israeli involvement in the J-10's development by Israeli authorities appeared in a statement made by an official as American authorities investigated alleged Lavi technology sold to China. The sources also called the J-10 "more or less a version of the Lavi", but also a "a melting pot of foreign technology and acquired design methods" . The multi-role combat aircraft capable of all-weather J-10 finds it linage to the PAK acquired F-16 (Israeli LAVI) while the JF-17 finds its lineage to the Mig-21 (the original Super 7) with upgraded Mig-33 inputs to improve performance (by imported Russian engineers). In 2006, the Russian Siberian Aeronautical Research Institute (SibNIA) confirmed its participation in the J-10 program; SibNIA claimed to have only observed and instructed as "scientific guides", while its engineers also believed the J-10 was not only based on the Lavi, but also incorporated significant foreign technology and expertise. The J-10 bears some resemblance to the Dassault Rafale, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon, in addition to the Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-8, the Chengdu J-9. Its helmet-mounted display system designed for J-10B pilots reacts faster and it is also very similar to the US-built F-16E/F Block 60 and French-built Rafale. Though it has never been certain precisely what specific technologies and systems Israel provided, it was reported that the Jian-10's radar and fire-control system is the Israeli-made ELM-2021 system, which can simultaneously track six air targets and lock on to the four most threatening targets for destruction. The technological knowledge accumulated during the Lavi’s development contributed to the achievement of Israel's first launch of a satellite into space in 1988. It resulted in a new level in avionics systems, and helped contribute to Israel's high-tech boom of the 1990s by releasing into the economy the technological talent of almost 1,500 engineers that had been concentrated on this one project. J-10C equipped with more advanced radar equipment, the radar has greater than the J-10 radar detection range and the ability to simultaneously track 12 targets. It also has, like the F-16E, installation of a similar "hump Falcon" two king-size fuel tanks.
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