Indian MRCA Competition
Encyclopedia
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
(IAF). The Defence Ministry has allocated for the purchase of these aircraft, making it India's single largest defence deal. The MRCA tender was floated with the idea of filling the gap between its future Light Combat Aircraft and its in-service Su-30MKIs air superiority fighter.
Procurement of the aircraft and equipment are to be carried out in accordance with the procedures laid out in the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2011. The DPP provides for a comprehensive technical and field evaluation of equipment being procured to ensure conformity with the Service Qualitative Requirements (SQRs). The DPP also stipulates standard terms of contract to ensure product and maintenance support of the equipment being procured.
On 27 April 2011, the IAF shortlisted two of the six competing fighter jets—Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
and Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
. Bids for the two remaining competitors had been received in 2011. A total cost is being determined for each bid.
Indian Air Force summary
The Indian Air ForceIndian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
(IAF; Devanāgarī
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: भारतीय वायु सेना: Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting aerial warfare
Aerial warfare
Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift...
, defending the Indian airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
, conducting strategic strikes inside enemy territory and providing aerial cover to ground troops. It is the fourth largest air force in the world, with a strength of more than 2000 aircraft, including more than 900 combat aircraft and 305 helicopters, and presently operates a total of 34 squadrons.
Most of the IAF's 797 fighter jets are of Soviet/Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n origin. These include the India's indigenous HAL Tejas
HAL Tejas
The HAL Tejas is a lightweight multirole fighter developed by India. It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters...
(LCA), Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
, MiG-27
Mikoyan MiG-27
The Mikoyan MiG-27 is a variable-geometry ground-attack aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan design bureau in the Soviet Union and later license-produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics as the Bahadur . It is based on the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 fighter aircraft, but optimized for...
, MiG-29
Mikoyan MiG-29
The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other...
as well as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. Added to these are the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
and French Mirage 2000 aircraft, produced under license.
The MiG-21 forms the backbone of the IAF and more than 200 of this type are in operation. These aircraft were acquired in the late 1960s and early '70s, and performed well in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
. However, they have been aging, and have mostly become obsolete. Added to that is a poor safety record, which has made their replacement paramount for the Indian Air Force.
IAF sanctioned strength
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. Therefore, modernizing and expanding the Indian Air Force is a top priority for the Indian government.
The minimum sanctioned strength of the IAF is 39.5 squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
s of combat aircraft, with a healthy level of 44 squadrons. However, this level was achieved only in the mid-1980s, with the acquisition of the Mirage 2000s, MiG-29s and Jaguars. In addition, at the time, most IAF aircraft were comparatively new, being less than 10 years old. Most of the older aircraft would have become obsolete by the mid-1990s, with the rest needing replacement by 2010. The IAF presently operates 45 aircraft squadrons.
However, these aircraft were not replaced, for reasons mentioned below, which led to frequent crashes and attrition losses. The Force levels have fallen to 34 combat squadrons, a big worry for the IAF. Further phasing out of aircraft has meant that the IAF now operates only 32 fighter squadrons, which represents a serious depletion of force levels. Even with the planned MMRCA procurement, the IAF will reach sanctioned strength only by 2017.
This has led to a threat to India's traditional numerical superiority over Pakistan's air force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
, and erosion of its position as compared to China
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
, another Asian power. The ratios of aircraft has fallen from 2.79:1 to around 1.30:1 and could potentially fall further to 1.15:1 in the coming years. For the first time, the PAF would be inducting BVR missiles with its purchase of 500 AIM-120C5 AMRAAM
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...
missiles. Pakistan's acquisition of 18 F-16C/D Block 52+
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
aircraft from the US, and future JF-17 Thunder
JF-17 Thunder
The PAC JF-17 Thunder , or CAC FC-1 Xiaolong , is a light-weight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation of China, the Pakistan Air Force and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex...
production, along with China's much bigger and modernizing air force, has led to further concern from the IAF.
The IAF has prepared a comprehensive Long Term Perspective Plan (LTPP) till the year 2027 for modernization of its fleet to meet the security challenges. The IAF is in the process of inducting various types of fighter aircraft like Medium, Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). Indian government has allocated funding for the purpose.
Aging MiGs
History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)
The history of the Soviet Union from 1982 through 1991, spans the period from Leonid Brezhnev's death and funeral until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Due to the years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth stagnated...
, which led to severe shortage of aircraft spares, which rendered many of them unserviceable. By this time, most of the MiG-21s were reaching the end of their service life and needed to be phased out or upgraded.
This led to frequent crashes of aircraft, cannibalization of aircraft and low serviceability, all of which contributed to the rapid decline of the Force levels. The safety record of the IAF's MiG-21s and other older aircraft has raised concern in the Indian Parliament and media, leading to the aircraft sometimes being referred to in the media as "flying coffins". The age of the MiG-21s, and their safety record, led the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to call for their immediate phase out in a March 2002 report. However, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy and Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis had stated that the aircraft were "fit to fly". Besides the raw age of the aircraft, their maintenance and upkeep had been called into question.
One source estimates that in the nine years from 1993 to 2002, the IAF lost over 100 pilots in 283 accidents. Around 50 pilots have been lost in MiG-21s alone. During its service life, the IAF has lost at least 116 aircraft to crashes (not including those lost in combat), with 81 of those occurring since 1990. This, predictably, led to much anguish and criticism among the Indian public and media, who, in the aftermath of the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
, were much more concerned with the state of the Armed Forces and the emotive issue of loss of pilots.
The attrition was stemmed to some extent by extensive upgrade programs on the MiG-21 (bis upgrade), MiG-27, Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
(DARIN I upgrade) and other aircraft in the mid-90s. However, by the early 2000s, this crash rate had risen again, partly because of low-quality spares used, insufficient pilot training, inefficient aircraft health appraisals, all which led to many unsafe aircraft being allowed to fly with old airframes and engines.
An aggressive program of upgrades was initiated. The MiG-21bis aircraft have been upgraded to MiG-21 Bison levels (125 aircraft will be upgraded to that standard), Jaguars to DARIN II standards, and Mirage 2000s and MiG-27s were also upgraded. Along with that, a rigorous process of maintenance and quality control
Quality control
Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. This approach places an emphasis on three aspects:...
was initiated to ensure airworthiness
Airworthiness
Airworthiness is a term used to describe whether an aircraft has been certified as suitable for safe flight. Certification is initially conferred by a Certificate of Airworthiness from a National Airworthiness Authority, and is maintained by performing required maintenance actions by a licensed...
. Older obsolete aircraft were also phased out. These steps led to the a drastic drop in accident rates, comparable to most other air forces. However, by this time, the Force levels had fallen drastically, which engendered the need to acquire new, modern aircraft.
The MiG-23MF
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
air defence interceptor was phased out in 2007 by the IAF. Further retirements of MiG-23BN ground attack aircraft began in March 2009. With decreased aircraft squadrons level, MiG-23s are set to be replaced by MRCA winner.
Pilot training
HAL Kiran
-See also:-See also:...
aircraft to the unforgiving and challenging Mach-2-capable MiGs. This was exacerbated by severe delays in the acquisition of BAe Hawk 132 AJTs.
This deal for 66 AJTs has been one of the most protracted negotiations in aviation history
Aviation history
The history of aviation has extended over more than two thousand years from the earliest attempts in kites and gliders to powered heavier-than-air, supersonic and hypersonic flight.The first form of man-made flying objects were kites...
. Although the IAF projected the requirement in 1984, the deal was signed only in March 2004. This led to widespread criticism of the Ministry of Defence and Defence staff by the public. BAE Systems has delivered the 24th and final UK built Indian Hawk in November 2009. Another 42 are being built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
. Reports surfaced in March 2009 that India is upset over spares supply related problems for Hawk 132 trainers, and has shelved plans to place follow-on orders.
Added to this was the loss of valuable MiG-21UM trainer jets, which denied pilots training for the MiG-21. The loss of these aircraft in crashes also claimed the lives of highly-skilled instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
s.
Tejas delayed
The IAF had initially planned to replace the MiG-21 fleet with the indigenously-built HAL TejasHAL Tejas
The HAL Tejas is a lightweight multirole fighter developed by India. It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters...
(LCA) aircraft by 2006.
Once full funding was restarted in June 1993, the schedule was revised to induction by 2003. However, the target could not be met due to developmental delays and U.S. sanctions following the Pokhran II nuclear tests, which blocked the development of the FBW
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
Flight Control System and the delivery of GE F404 engines — both crucial components of the aircraft. This meant that the IAF would have to take other steps to stem the decline in numbers. The Tejas first flew on 4 January 2001. Final tests were done in January 2011 and the aircraft was to be fully operational by end of 2012. But on 3 October 2011, it was reported that the Tejas' Final Operational Clearance (FOC) has been further delayed to December 2013.
Requirements
The IAF projected a requirement for about 126 aircraft in 2001, when the strength was at 39.5 squadrons (down from 45). There is an option for an additional 74 aircraft. Initial requirements appeared to be for a 20-ton class fighter aircraft with the Mirage 2000 as the strongest contender. However, the 20-ton MTOW limit requirement has reportedly been removed. Also, considering the delays in the bidding, it is very likely that the LCA would be ready for induction by then. The IAF then would require replacements for its frontline strike aircraft like the MiG-27 and Jaguar, which would be retiring by 2015. India's future 5th-generation aircraft, namely, the Russo-Indian Sukhoi/HAL FGFASukhoi/HAL FGFA
The Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft is a fifth-generation fighter being developed by Russia and India. It is a derivative project from the PAK FA being developed for the Indian Air Force .Two separate prototypes will be developed, one by Russia and a separate one by India...
and the indigenous Medium Combat Aircraft
Medium Combat Aircraft
-External links:*...
will not be ready before 2018, and 2025, respectively, thus providing the need for a replacement. Thus, the MRCA tender is more likely to be a medium-weight aircraft (MTOW of ~24 tons). This has led to a renaming of the competition as the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender.
The Indian government is to buy the first 18 aircraft directly from the manufacturer. The remaining fighters will be built under licence with a transfer of technology (ToT) by HAL
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
.
The IAF was keen on buying the Mirage 2000-5, after it was impressed by the Mirage 2000's capabilities during the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
. However, due to the upcoming manufacture of the Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
and lack of orders, the Mirage production lines were to be closed down. French officials stated that they could be kept open if India had made a firm commitment. However, the Indian Government decided to go in for a multi-vendor tendering process. Requests for Information (RFI) were issued in 2004. The RFIs were initially sent to four vendors: Dassault (Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2), Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
(F-16C/D), Mikoyan
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
(MiG-29OVT
Mikoyan MiG-35
The Mikoyan MiG-35 is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology. It is classified as a 4++ generation jet fighter by Mikoyan. The first prototype was a modification of the aircraft that previously served as MiG-29M2 model demonstrator. 10 prototypes have been built so far...
), and Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
(JAS 39 Gripen).
Due to the tendering process and delay in issuing the RFIs, Dassault decided to remove the Mirage 2000-5 from the bidding process and enter the Rafale in its place. The MiG-35
Mikoyan MiG-35
The Mikoyan MiG-35 is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology. It is classified as a 4++ generation jet fighter by Mikoyan. The first prototype was a modification of the aircraft that previously served as MiG-29M2 model demonstrator. 10 prototypes have been built so far...
was entered in place of the prototype MiG-29OVT. Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
also expressed interest in entering the bidding, and have entered their aircraft into the competition. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air...
also joined the tendering.
Bidders
Six aircraft were bid for the order – the SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Dassault Rafale, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Mikoyan MiG-35, and the American F-16IN and F/A-18IN Super Hornet ("IN" are the proposed India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n versions). Previously, Mikoyan and Dassault have been regular suppliers of aircraft for the Indian Air Force and in terms of transfers of technology, licensed production in India, personnel training, supply of spare parts, maintenance and upgrading.
IAF pilots and technicians are familiar with earlier aircraft from those two aircraft manufacturers, and would need minimal retraining. Infrastructural and logistical support for maintenance and spares would also be easier for these aircraft compared to the unfamiliar Gripen, Typhoon, F-16 and F/A-18.
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
twin-engined delta-wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
agile multi-role fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
designed and built by Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets, a subsidiary of Dassault Group.It was founded in 1930 by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the...
. The Rafale was brought in as the replacement for the Mirage 2000-5 that was originally a competitor for the tender, after the production lines for the Mirage closed down, as well as the entry of much more advanced aircraft into the competition.
The Rafale has the advantage of being logistically and operationally similar to the Mirage 2000, which the IAF already operates and used with great success during the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
(see Operation Safed Sagar
Operation Safed Sagar
Operation Safed Sagar was the codename assigned to the Indian Air Force's strike to support the Ground troops during Operation Vijay that was aimed to flush out Regular and Irregular troops of the Pakistani Army from vacated Indian Positions in the Kargil sector along the Line of Control...
). This would require fewer changes in the existing infrastructure of the IAF, which in turn will reduce cost. Moreover, being 100% French also provided Dassault a distinct edge over its competitors on the issue of technology transfer. Dassault claims that the Rafale has an advantage over many of the competitors because it is not subject to ITAR
International Traffic in Arms Regulations
International Traffic in Arms Regulations is a set of United States government regulations that control the export and import of defense-related articles and services on the United States Munitions List...
restrictions.
While not included in the MRCA requirement, the French fighter has more configurations of potential interest for the IAF: a carrier-based
Carrier-based aircraft
Carrier-based aircraft are military aircraft designed specifically for operations from aircraft carriers. The term is generally applied only to fixed-wing aircraft, as naval helicopters are able to operate from a wider variety of aviation-capable ships. Carrier-based aircraft must be relatively...
version (the Rafale M) and a capability for nuclear strategic strike. Both of these particular versions are in use in the French Armed Forces. At present however the Rafale M uses a catapult system (not present on the initial Vikrant) and the nuclear strike use is earmarked by others jets of the IAF.
The French government has cleared full technology transfer of the Rafale to India, including that of the RBE2-AA
RBE2
The RBE2 is a multirole radar developed during the 90s for the French Rafale combat aircraft.The RBE2 uses a passive electronically scanned array ....
AESA
Active Electronically Scanned Array
An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...
radar which will be integrated into the Rafale by 2010 and also the transfer of software source codes, which will allow Indian scientists to re-programme a radar or any sensitive equipment if needed. Without the software source codes, the IAF would have to specify mission parameters to foreign manufacturers to enable configuration of their radar, seriously compromising security in the process.
Dassault has also offered to fit the GTX-35VS Kaveri
GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri
The GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri is an afterburning turbofan being developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment , a lab under the DRDO in Bangalore, India...
engine into the Rafale, which if chosen, would greatly improve commonality with the HAL Tejas
HAL Tejas
The HAL Tejas is a lightweight multirole fighter developed by India. It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters...
that will enter service into the IAF by 2010. Concerns have been raised about cost issues as well as potential sales to Pakistan, which has also expressed interest in the Rafale. However, no such jets have been sold to Pakistan. India and France have recently agreed to "go beyond a buyer-seller relationship".
Eurofighter Typhoon
Canard (aeronautics)
In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...
-delta
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
strike fighter
Strike fighter
In a current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft designed to operate primarily in the air-to-surface attack role while also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers...
aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
manufacturers through Eurofighter GmbH
Eurofighter GmbH
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH is a multinational company that co-ordinates the design, production and upgrade of the Eurofighter Typhoon, this includes incorporating the jet engines designed and manufactured by EuroJet Turbo GmbH.Founded in 1986, it has its head office in Hallbergmoos, Bavaria,...
.
Eurofighter is offering the Tranche-3 Typhoon for the Indian requirement, equipped with the CAESAR AESA
Active Electronically Scanned Array
An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...
radar. EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
has invited India to become a partner of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme if the Typhoon wins the contract, and will be given technological and development participation in future tranches of the Typhoon. Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of EADS Defense Department, elaborated that if India becomes the fifth partner of the Eurofighter programme, it will be able to manufacture assemblies for new Eurofighters.
In January 2010, EADS offered to include thrust vectoring nozzles
Thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....
(TVNs) with the Typhoon's EJ200
Eurojet EJ200
|-See also:-External links:* * * * *...
engines for India. Thrust vectoring will improve operational capabilities, and reduce fuel burn by up to 5% and increase thrust while supersonic cruising by 7%.
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Twinjet
A twinjet or twin jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. Such configuration of an aircraft is the most popular today for commercial airliners, for fighters, and many other kinds, because while offering safety from a single engine failure, it is also acceptably fuel-efficient.-Aircraft...
carrier-based
Carrier-based aircraft
Carrier-based aircraft are military aircraft designed specifically for operations from aircraft carriers. The term is generally applied only to fixed-wing aircraft, as naval helicopters are able to operate from a wider variety of aviation-capable ships. Carrier-based aircraft must be relatively...
multirole fighter
Multirole combat aircraft
A multirole combat aircraft is an aircraft designed to act in at least two different roles in combat. The primary role is usually a fighter—hence, it is as often called a multirole fighter—while the secondary role is usually air-to-surface attack. More roles are added, such as air reconnaissance,...
aircraft. The MMRCA contract represents a prime opportunity for U.S. defence companies to gain a foothold in the Indian defence market, which is estimated to be about 100 billion in the next 10 years. Initially, the Request for Information (RFI) was not issued to Boeing, which decided to field the Super Hornet. The U.S. Government allowed Boeing to participate in the RFI, and later gave permission for RFP (Request For Proposal) as well. However, any sale of aircraft would have to be approved by the U.S. Congress.
Initial reactions within the IAF were enthusiastic, although there were apprehensions of support issues in case of future sanctions. The US stated that there would have been some restrictions and pre-conditions for the purchase of the aircraft.
On 24 April 2008, Boeing (through the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi) submitted their 7000-page proposal to the Ministry of Defence, before the 28 April deadline for the submission for proposals. The Super Hornet variant being offered to India, the F/A-18IN, is based on the F/A-18E/F model flown by the U.S. Navy and currently being built for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
's APG-79
APG-79
The AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar is a new development for the United States Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft, providing a high level of aircrew situational awareness. The beam of the AESA radar provides nearly instantaneous track updates and...
AESA radar was offered on the aircraft. There would have been limited Transfer of Technology on the radar, up to the level approved by the US Government. However, Raytheon stated that the level of ToT offered would be compliant with the RFP requirements. Delivery of the first F/A-18IN Super Hornets could have begun approximately 36 months after contract award.
Boeing proposed joint manufacture of the jets with Indian partners. It also planned to offset the cost by setting up a US$100 million maintenance and training hub in Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. This is the first time the Super Hornet has been offered for production in a foreign country. On 14 February 2008, Boeing and Tata Industries agreed to form a joint-venture company. The new entity formed in February 2008, will supply components for Boeing military aircraft, including the Super Hornet.
In order to satisfy its offset requirements, Boeing has signed long-term partnership agreements with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
(HAL), Tata Industries, and Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company has four main business sectors: technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing. L&T has an international presence, with a global spread of offices and factories, further...
.
Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper
Lockheed Martin described the F-16IN as "the most advanced and capable F-16 ever." Based closely on the F-16E/F Block 60 as supplied to the UAE, the features on the F-16IN include:
- Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs) – This will give the F-16IN a combat range of 1700 km with 1500 kg weapons load.
- A Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 AESA (active electronically scanned arrayActive Electronically Scanned ArrayAn Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...
) radar. This is the same radar in service on the F-16 Block 60s in service in UAE. - General Electric F110-132AGeneral Electric F110-External links:* - The F110 Engine Family* - F110-GE-100 Gallery* - F110* - General Electric F110...
engine with 143 kN full reheat thrust with FADECFADECFull Authority Digital Engine Control is a system consisting of a digital computer, called an electronic engine controller or engine control unit , and its related accessories that control all aspects of aircraft engine performance...
Controls. - Electronic warfare suites and infra-red searching.
- Advanced all-color glass cockpit.
- Helmet-mounted cueing system.
Lockheed Martin offered to sell India the F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
aircraft in the future, as replacements, if the F-16 was chosen.
The capabilities of the F-16 appear to be similar to the Mirage 2000s that the IAF currently operates. The F-16 is also more prone to pilot errors than the Mirage 2000H, which would also work against the F-16.
Mikoyan MiG-35
The Mikoyan MiG-35 (NATO reporting nameNATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
Fulcrum-F) is the production version of the latest MiG-29
Mikoyan MiG-29
The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other...
and incorporates mature development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology, such as glass cockpit
Glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, as opposed to the traditional style of analog dials and gauges...
and fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
technology. The IAF already operates MiG-29s, and the Navy has ordered MiG-29K/KUBs
Mikoyan MiG-29K
The Mikoyan MiG-29K is an all-weather carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Mikoyan design bureau. The MiG-29K was developed in the late 1980s from MiG-29M....
for its INS Vikramaditya
INS Vikramaditya
INS Vikramaditya is the new name for the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which has been procured by India, and is estimated to enter service in the Indian Navy after 2012....
(formerly Admiral Gorshkov
Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov
Admiral Gorshkov was a modified Kiev class aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy, originally named Baku. Sometimes Gorshkov is considered a separate class due to its improvements including a phased array radar, extensive electronic warfare installations, and an enlarged command and control suite...
) and INS Vikrant-class aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s.
Russia unveiled the MiG-35 at Aero India
Aero India
Aero India is a biennial air show and aviation exhibition held in Bangalore, India at the Yelahanka Air Force Station. It is organized by Defence Exhibition Organisation, the Ministry of Defence and is held in association with the Defence Research and Development Organisation , the Indian Air Force...
2007 in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, amid Moscow's keen interest to sell these planes to India. This was the first time that the final version of the MiG-35 was publicly displayed at an international air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
, and thus, generated a great deal of interest.
Since the IAF already has maintenance and upgrade facilities for the MiG-29, this would mean that the fighter could be brought into service with a minimum of expenditure on infrastructure. A major advantage of MiG-35 is that Russia is committed to transfer the plane's technology, including the new advanced Zhuk radar
Zhuk radar
The Zhuk are a family of Russian all-weather multimode airborne radars developed by NIIR Phazotron for multi-role combat aircraft such as the MiG-29 and the Su-27. The latest versions are also known as the Sokol.- Description :...
-AE Active Electronically Scanned Array
Active Electronically Scanned Array
An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...
radar, to India. In the past, Russia has provided customised versions of military equipment such as the Su-30MKI and continued to provide support for equipment during international sanctions. However, Russian product support, especially for the MiG-29 fleet has been inadequate.
Additionally, buying the MiG-35 would mean an almost total dependence on a single supplier for India's entire fighter fleet. Recent Russian demands for renegotiation of earlier contracts
INS Vikramaditya
INS Vikramaditya is the new name for the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which has been procured by India, and is estimated to enter service in the Indian Navy after 2012....
, the sale of RD-93 engines (a variant of the Klimov
Klimov
The Kirill Klimov Experimental Design Bureau under the direction of Vladimir Yakovlevich Klimov designed engines for Soviet aircraft. The OKB was formed in the early 1930s to produce and improve upon the liquid-cooled Hispano-Suiza 12Y V-12 piston engine for which the USSR had acquired a license...
RD-33 that powers the Indian MiG-29s) to Pakistan for its JF-17 Thunder
JF-17 Thunder
The PAC JF-17 Thunder , or CAC FC-1 Xiaolong , is a light-weight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation of China, the Pakistan Air Force and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex...
aircraft and concurrently supplying combat aircraft
Sukhoi Su-30MKK
The Sukhoi Su-30MKK is a modification of the Su-27 SK manufactured since 1999 by KnAAPO and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. It is considered an upgraded version of Sukhoi Su-30. It was jointly developed by Russia and China, similar to the Su-30MKI. It is a heavy class, all-weather, long-range...
to China has also caused concern in New Delhi.
Saab Gripen NG
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
or "Gryphon") is a fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
manufactured by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
aerospace company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
Saab. The aircraft is in service with the Swedish
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
, Czech
Czech Air Force
The Czech Air Force is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The Air Force, with the Land Forces, comprises the Joint Forces, the main combat power of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic...
, Hungarian
Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force is the air force branch of the Hungarian Army.- 1918 to Pre–World War II :Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools...
, and the South African
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
s. The Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
has also received the aircraft.
The Gripen was one of the aircraft that the IAF sent the Request for Information. The Gripen participated at Aero India 2007, where one JAS 39C (single seater) and two JAS 39D (two-seater) variants were brought. Gripen International offered the Gripen IN, a version of the Gripen NG (Next Generation) for India's competition. The Gripen NG has increased fuel capacity, more powerful powerplant, higher payload, upgraded avionics and other improvements.
Comparison of the aircraft
| Aircraft: | Dassault Rafale Dassault Rafale The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy... |
Eurofighter Typhoon Eurofighter Typhoon The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986... |
F-16IN "Super Viper" |
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet |
JAS 39 NG(IN) JAS 39 Gripen The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force... |
MiG-35 Fulcrum-F Mikoyan MiG-35 The Mikoyan MiG-35 is a further development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology. It is classified as a 4++ generation jet fighter by Mikoyan. The first prototype was a modification of the aircraft that previously served as MiG-29M2 model demonstrator. 10 prototypes have been built so far... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country of origin: | |
|||||
| Manufacturer: | Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets, a subsidiary of Dassault Group.It was founded in 1930 by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the... |
Eurofighter GmbH Eurofighter GmbH Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH is a multinational company that co-ordinates the design, production and upgrade of the Eurofighter Typhoon, this includes incorporating the jet engines designed and manufactured by EuroJet Turbo GmbH.Founded in 1986, it has its head office in Hallbergmoos, Bavaria,... |
Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area.... |
Boeing Defense, Space & Security | Saab Saab Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska... |
RAC-MiG Mikoyan Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft... |
| Length: | 15.27 m (50.1 ft) |
15.96 m (52 ft 5 in) |
15.03 m (49 ft 3 in) |
18.31 m (60 ft 1¼ in) |
14.1 m (46 ft 3 in) |
17.3 m (56 ft 9 in) |
| Wingspan Wingspan The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is... : |
10.80 m (35.4 ft) |
10.95 m (35 ft 11 in) |
10.0 m (32 ft 8 in) |
13.62 m (44 ft 8½ in) |
8.4 m (27 ft 7 in) |
12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
| Height: | 5.34 m (17.4 ft) |
5.28 m (17 ft 4 in) |
5.09 m (16 ft 7 in) |
4.88 m (16 ft) |
4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) |
4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Wing area: | 45.7 m² (492 ft²) |
50.0 m² (538 ft²) |
27.9 m² (300 ft²) |
46.5 m² (500 ft²) |
30.0 m² (323 ft²) |
38.0 m² (409 ft²) |
| Empty weight: | 9,500 kg (20,940 lb) |
11,000 kg (24,250 lb) |
9,979 kg (22,000 lb) |
14,552 kg (32,081 lb), |
7,100 kg (15,650 lb) |
11,000 kg (24,280 lb) |
| Maximum payload: | 9,500 kg (21,000 lb) |
7,500 kg (16,500 lb) |
7,800 kg (17,200 lb) |
8,050 kg (17,750 lb) |
5,300 kg (15,880 lb) |
6,500 kg (15,400 lb) |
| Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW): | 24,500 kg (54,000 lb) |
23,500 kg (51,800 lb) |
21,800 kg (48,000 lb) |
29,937 kg (66,000 lb) |
14,300 kg (36,400 lb) |
29,000 kg (65,076 lb) |
| Powerplant: | 2× SNECMA M88 SNECMA M88 |-See also:-External links:* * Snecma M88's pdf* *... -2 |
2× Eurojet EJ200 Eurojet EJ200 |-See also:-External links:* * * * *... |
1× GE F110-132 General Electric F110 -External links:* - The F110 Engine Family* - F110-GE-100 Gallery* - F110* - General Electric F110... |
2× GE F414-400 General Electric F414 The General Electric F414 is an afterburning turbofan engine in the 22,000 lbf thrust class produced by GE Aviation. The F414 was developed from GE's widely-used F404 turbofan for use in the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.-Origin:... |
1× GE F414G General Electric F414 The General Electric F414 is an afterburning turbofan engine in the 22,000 lbf thrust class produced by GE Aviation. The F414 was developed from GE's widely-used F404 turbofan for use in the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.-Origin:... |
2× Klimov RD-33 Klimov RD-33 |- Specifications :thrust=49.4 kN Dry, 81.4 - 88.4 kN Afterburning. -See also:- External links :* * * * * * * * * *... MK |
| Thrust: • Dry thrust: |
50 kN each (11,250 lbf) |
60 kN each (13,500 lbf) |
84 kN (19,000 lbf) |
62.3 kN each (14,000 lbf) |
62.3 kN (14,000 lbf) |
53 kN each (11,900 lbf) |
| • Afterburner thrust: | 75 kN each (17,000 lbf) |
90 kN each (20,250 lbf) |
144 kN (32,500 lbf) |
98 kN each (22,000 lbf) |
98 kN (22,000 lbf) |
88.3 kN each (19,840 lbf) |
| Fuel: • Internal • External |
4,700 kg 7,500 kg | valign="top"|4,996 kg |
3,265 kg 5,880 kg |
F/A-18E: 6,780 kg, 5 tanks, total 7,381 kg |
3,360 kg 3,800 kg |
4,800 kg | |
| External stations:** | 14 (5 'wet') | 13 (3 'wet') | 11 (3 'wet') | 11 (5 'wet') | 10 (4 'wet') | 9 (3 'wet') |
| Maximum speed: • At sea level |
Mach 1.8+ (Supercruise Supercruise Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of an aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently and without the use of afterburners .... : Mach 1+) |
Mach 2.0+ (Supercruise: Mach 1.2) |
Mach 2.05 800 KCAS |
Mach 1.8 | Mach 2.0+ (Supercruise: Mach 1.2) |
Mach 2.25 Mach 1.2 |
| Ferry range Range (aircraft) The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft.... : • Unrefueled: • Extl. tanks |
3,700+ km | 3,790 km | 4,220 km | 3,054 km | 2,500 km 4,075 km |
2,000 km 3,000 km with 3 drop tanks |
| Combat radius Combat radius Combat radius refers to the distance from an airbase that a warplane can reach, patrol there for a set amount of time and return to base with minimal fuel left, thus completing a combat mission... : |
1,800 km | 1,390 km on air defence with 10-min loiter | 550 km on a hi-lo-hi mission with six 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs | 722 km | 1300 km with six AAMs + drop tanks, and 30 min on station | 1000 km |
| Service ceiling Ceiling (aeronautics) With respect to aircraft, a ceiling is the maximum density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions.The word ceiling can also refer to the height of the lowest obscuring cloud layer above the ground.-Service ceiling:... : |
17,000 m (56,000 ft) |
19,812 m (65,000 ft) |
18,000 m (60,000 ft) |
15,000 m (50,000 ft) |
15,240 m (56,000 ft) |
17,500 m (57,400 ft) |
| Rate of climb Rate of climb In aeronautics, the rate of climb is an aircraft's vertical speed - the rate of change in altitude. In most ICAO member countries , this is usually expressed in feet per minute and can be abbreviated as ft/min. Elsewhere, it is commonly expressed in metres per second, abbreviated as m/s... : |
305 m/s (60,000 ft/min) |
315 m/s (62,000 ft/min) |
254 m/s (50,000 ft/min) |
228 m/s (44,882 ft/min) |
N/A | 330 m/s (65,000 ft/min) |
| Thrust/weight Thrust-to-weight ratio Thrust-to-weight ratio is a ratio of thrust to weight of a rocket, jet engine, propeller engine, or a vehicle propelled by such an engine. It is a dimensionless quantity and is an indicator of the performance of the engine or vehicle.... : |
1.13 | 1.18 | 1.1 | 0.93 | 1.18 | 1.1 |
| Thrust vectoring Thrust vectoring Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle.... : |
None | Thrust Vector upgrade has been offered | None | None | None | May be fitted with thrust vectoring |
| Unit cost: | ~84.48 million € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 64 million |
~US$108 million € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 80 million as of 2009 |
US$50 million | US$55 million as of 2011 | US$48 million | US$38.5 million |
| Notes: | ** = Wet stations | |||||
Order value
The order is for 126 aircraft with the option to buy another 64–74 more. While there were reports of the direct order being increased to 200, or split between two vendors, Former Chief of Air Staff of the IAF, Air Marshal S.P. Tyagi stated during Aero India 2007 that the number would remain the same, and would be sourced from a single vendor. The first squadron would be directly supplied by the vendor, while the rest would be manufactured under license in India by HAL. He stated however, that as the bidding progressed, this could change.The Government of India has sanctioned approximately , with reports that another US$2 billion might be added to this. This is indicative of the high importance of the order to the respective vendors.
Offset clause
In 2005, in response to allegations of corruptionPolitical corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
in defence procurements around the world, the Defence Ministry formulated the Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) 2005. According to the DPP, at least 30% of any order over is to be sourced from Indian companies. This would enable Indian companies to gain expertise in defence-related technologies, as well as cycle back a large amount of any order back into the country.
This tender will be the first time that an Offset clause has been included in an Indian defence deal, which led to many changes in the RFP as the Offset policy and life-cycle costs needed to be improved and finalized. This led to delays in issuing the RFPs.
The economic offset for the MMRCA tender was increased to 50% under the DPP 2006. The bidders must confirm the offset details in a separate proposal, to be submitted by 9 June 2008. This brings the value of offsets in the MMRCA deal to almost .
Tender history
Request for proposal
The initial Request for Information (RFI) for the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) was put out in 2001. At that time the request for proposalRequest for Proposal
A request for proposal is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is presented for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision and is meant to...
(RFP) was expected to be issued in December 2005. Later the RFP was expected to be issued in June 2007. During Aero India 2007, Defence Minister
Defence minister
A defence minister is a person in a cabinet position in charge of a Ministry of Defence, which regulates the armed forces in some sovereign nations...
A.K.Antony stated that the RFP would be issued by 31 March 2007. However, Air Marshal A.S. Tyagi, in his last press conference before he retired, had stated that there were delays in issuing the RFP. His successor, Air Marshal F.H. Major had said that the RFP would be issued by June. The delays were said to be due to new factors added into the RFP such as Total Life-cycle Costs as well as fine-tuning the Offset policy, under the new DPP 2005. The Total Life-cycle Cost has been introduced for the first time in Indian defence procurements, and has reportedly been a major source of the delay.
On 29 June, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the Defence Minister, cleared the process for the procurement of 126 aircraft. The 211-page RFP was approved for release to the respective bidders. On 28 August 2007, the RFP was released to the 6 bidding companies.
Tender process
The bidders had to give their Formal Proposals within six months from the release of the RFP, latest by 3 March 2008. However, some of the bidders asked for an extension of the deadline, citing complexity of the RFP. The deadline for submission of the proposals was then extended by a month. The Formal Proposals will have to be submitted by 28 April 2008. The Proposals will then be technically evaluated to check for compliance with IAF's requirements and other RFP conditions. After that, field trials will be carried out to evaluate the performance. Finally, the Commercial Proposal of the vendors, short-listed after technical and field evaluations, will be examined and compared, and a winner announced.After the winner is chosen, there will be further rounds of negotiation to decide the final price, as well as sensor suite and aircraft configuration, along with other factors, like offsets and maintenance. The first 18 aircraft (1 squadron) will come in a 'fly away' condition, while the remaining 108 will be manufactured in India under ToT.
Testing and evaluations
Fali Homi Major
Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major served as the eighteenth Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force taking office on April 1, 2007, and becoming the first helicopter pilot in the service to be promoted to the office of Chief...
informed that technical evaluations were being conducted and claimed that the IAF is all set to conduct field trials of the MRCA bidding aircraft in the second half of 2008. The industry offset proposals from the bidders have been provided to India as of 11 August 2008. The technical evaluation of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) has been completed by 18 November 2008.
There have been concerns that this process would take a few years at least, and getting the aircraft after that would take longer. It is reasonable to expect that the aircraft can be delivered no sooner than 2011.
In January 2009 SAAB International, proposed to India the transfer of technology if Gripen win the MRCA and make India 'an independent manufacturer' of its own fighter jets. SAAB favored 'extensive transfer of technology' well in excess of 60 % more than requirement of RFI to boost India's indigenous capabilities in fighter jets.
It was reported in April 2009 that Dassault Aviation's Rafale has been rejected after technical evaluation of the fighters. However, this has been disputed by IAF. In late May 2009 Times of India has reported that Dassault Aviation has submitted the missing answers to the General Staff Qualitative Requirements drawn up by the IAF, and after serious diplomatic intervention, they are back in the race.
On 27 May 2009 Indian Air Force completed the technical evaluation of all 6 fighter jets. Air chief marshal Fali H. Major told the press that the reports had been submitted to the ministry of defence. The aircraft will be put through a rigorous testing process at Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
and Leh. The aircraft will undergo technical and humid condition tests in Bangalore. Desert trials will be conducted in Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and High-altitude and mountainous condition trials will be conducted at Leh in Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
.
The Gripen was the last of the aircraft to be evaluated by the IAF. On 22 March, two Gripens left Bangalore, one to Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
and the other to Leh, Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
. At Jaisalmer AFS, a Gripen would undertake the hot weather trials and also a dummy run and bomb drop at the Pokhran
Pokhran
Pokhran is a city and a municipality located in Jaisalmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation.-Geography:Pokhran http://marupradesh.org/ located at...
Firing Range. The other Gripen headed towards Leh, would perform high altitude tests involving landing, refueling and restarting engines. Prior to the Gripen, 4 out of the 5 aircraft had issues restarting their engines during trials conducted in Leh. The Gripen completed its high altitude tests in Leh and other hot weather tests.
Updated bids were requested by the MOD in April 2010. The IAF was to complete an evaluation report on the six fighters in July 2010 and then begin to shortlist them based on the air force's evaluations. A report suggested Rafale and Typhoon were in the final stage. The Sunday Telegraph reported in November 2010 that the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
was leading the competition on "technical terms". Now Indian government will take its strategic decision. On 18 December 2010, the IAF chief stated that the "evaluation of the fighters has been completed and the matter is now with the Ministry of Defence". He was hopeful the deal would be signed by July next year [2011]".
Aircraft shortlisted
It was reported on 27 April 2011 that only Eurofighter TyphoonEurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
and Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
made the cut to the shortlist. Eurofighter and Dassault have been told to keep their commercial bids open till 31 December 2011. The US ambassador in India, Timothy Roemer said that they were "deeply disappointed" by the news, but added that they were reviewing the documents received from the Government of India and were "respectful of the procurement process". He also said that the US looked forward to continuing to grow and develop their defence partnership with India. Officials from SAAB
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
confirmed that the Gripen was not shortlisted but added that they were committed to the Indian market and continue their plans for growth and that they see large business opportunities in the aerospace, defence and security sectors in India.
A US diplomatic cable leaked by Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
has brought forward the fact that US diplomats already held the view that Indian defense trade, in such important deals with the USA, will be subject to scrutiny, owing to the US maintaining a favorable military partnership with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and due to the sanctions that the US imposed on India after the Pokhran-II
Pokhran-II
Pokharan-II refers to test explosions of five nuclear devices, three on 11 May and two on 13 May 1998, conducted by India at the Pokhran test range. These nuclear tests resulted in a variety of sanctions against India by a number of major states....
nuclear tests. Timothy Roemer, the US ambassador to India, said in an 29 October 2009 cable to Michele Flournoy
Michele Flournoy
Michèle Angelique Flournoy is Under Secretary of Defense for Policy of the United States. She was confirmed in the position by the U.S. Senate on February 9, 2009 and was at the time the highest-ranking woman to hold a post at the Pentagon in the facility's history. She founded and was named...
, a top Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
official then about to visit India that "Our ability to seize the opportunities presented by this newly improved environment is limited by the commonly held view that the U.S. will not prove to be a reliable supplier of defense equipment".
After entries from Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
and Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
were not short-listed, both companies requested a debrief to understand why their bids fell short in the technical evaluation. On 11 July 2011 representatives from Lockheed Martin and Boeing attended a government-to-government debriefing between Indian and US officials. The companies stated they accepted the IAF decision in releases. In late July 2011, the IAF said that the lowest bidder was to be determined in the "next five to six weeks".
On 9 October 2011, despite reports that a winner would be announced in October 2011, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne stated that India is first approving the finalists' industrial offset offers, and allowing each time to make a final bid. A total cost based on life-cycle cost, purchase cost, and technology transfer value for each competitor will be calculated. The two competing financial bids were formally opened on 4 November 2011. On 18 November, Air Chief Marshal Browne said that the winner would be announced by mid-December 2011.
External links
- Latest news
- The IAF's MRCA contract: A three way shoot-out
- "India's MMRCA Fighter Competition". Defence Industry Daily, 29 August 2007
- Selection of the MRCA for the IAF, by Air Marshal B.K. Pandey, Former C-in-C, Training CommandTraining Command, Indian Air ForceTraining Command is the Indian Air Force's command responsible for flying and ground training.In the 1930s, the approaching threat and later advent of World War II and the learning of Japan towards the Axis powers, the latter was considered as a potential enemy. Therefore, need was felt to make...
, Indian Air ForceIndian Air ForceThe Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
for Bharat-Rakshak