Typhoons for India ?

New Delhi, Sept. 28: Buoyed by the contract to supply Advanced Jet Trainers to the Indian Air Force, a team from a British military equipment export organisation that is in New Delhi is offering to sell the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a four-nation � the UK, Italy, Germany and Spain � effort and still in the development stage but the offer signals that global companies are trying to prise open the race to bag a contract that could be in the region of Rs 30,000 crore to replace India�s ageing and casualty-ridden MiG-21 fighters.

The team led by the head of the Defence Export Service Organisation, Alan Garwood, met officials in the ministry of defence here today. It is scheduled to meet the chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, tomorrow.

It is but expected that with signals going out that the race to bag the contract for about 120 fighters for the IAF could be open, other companies will throw their hats into the ring.

The US� Lockheed Martin, the Russian MiG Corporation and the Swedes would also be interested. Lockheed Martin�s F-15K fighter is understood to be competing with the Eurofighter for a contract from South Korea.

The Indian Air Force is looking to replace about six squadrons of its MiG-21 air defence fighter aircraft. The French Dassault Aviation�s Mirage 2000-V is said to be the frontrunner in the race. The contract for an estimated 120 aircraft to be delivered � part off-the-shelf and mostly through co-production with the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited � over a five- to seven-year period could run into many thousands of crores.

The Mirage 2000-V, if it is negotiated, could be in the region of $30 million each. The IAF is familiar with the Mirage 2000 � of which it has two squadrons (about 40 aircraft) and which have been operationally proven. But the British team is understood to be making the point that the Eurofighter Typhoon will have a �generational difference� with the Mirage. The Mirage 2000 was first inducted into the IAF in 1985.

The development of the Eurofighter Typhoon has been dogged by political problems. But it is claimed that the first of 620 Eurofighters have been delivered to air forces of the partner nations for about $33 million each.

Sources said they were negotiating a sale of eight Eurofighters to Singapore and were trying to ensure that Greece�s decision to buy about 60 Eurofighters does not change with its change in government.

Indian defence ministry officials say that purchases of military equipment as a matter of policy now will seek to ensure that they are not confronted with a monopoly situation.

Source

Buoyed by the contract to supply Advanced Jet Trainers to the Indian Air Force, a team from a British military equipment export organisation that is in New Delhi is offering to sell the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a four-nation � the UK, Italy, Germany and Spain � effort and still in the development stage but the offer signals that global companies are trying to prise open the race to bag a contract that could be in the region of Rs 30,000 crore to replace India�s ageing and casualty-ridden MiG-21 fighters.

The team led by the head of the Defence Export Service Organisation, Alan Garwood, met officials in the ministry of defence here today. It is scheduled to meet the chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, tomorrow.

It is but expected that with signals going out that the race to bag the contract for about 120 fighters for the IAF could be open, other companies will throw their hats into the ring.

The US� Lockheed Martin, the Russian MiG Corporation and the Swedes would also be interested. Lockheed Martin�s F-15K fighter is understood to be competing with the Eurofighter for a contract from South Korea.

The Indian Air Force is looking to replace about six squadrons of its MiG-21 air defence fighter aircraft. The French Dassault Aviation�s Mirage 2000-V is said to be the frontrunner in the race. The contract for an estimated 120 aircraft to be delivered � part off-the-shelf and mostly through co-production with the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited � over a five- to seven-year period could run into many thousands of crores.

The Mirage 2000-V, if it is negotiated, could be in the region of $30 million each. The IAF is familiar with the Mirage 2000 � of which it has two squadrons (about 40 aircraft) and which have been operationally proven. But the British team is understood to be making the point that the Eurofighter Typhoon will have a �generational difference� with the Mirage. The Mirage 2000 was first inducted into the IAF in 1985.

The development of the Eurofighter Typhoon has been dogged by political problems. But it is claimed that the first of 620 Eurofighters have been delivered to air forces of the partner nations for about $33 million each.
Link

Indian defence ministry officials say that purchases of military equipment as a matter of policy now will seek to ensure that they are not confronted with a monopoly situation.

Here is what the Indian IAF chief Krishnaswamy Had to say on the Typhoon



""All new aircraft to be inducted into the IAF will be of the multi-role variety. The priority is replacements for the MiG-21 and MiG-23 fleets," Krishnaswamy said. The IAF has told the government it needs about six squadrons of multi-role fighters; capability requirements rather than preferences have been spelt out.

Talking of some options, Krishnswamy termed the Mirage 2000-V as a "good plane", the MiG-29 MRCA as "very promising". He said there was no emphasis on a twin-engine aircraft. On the Eurofighter (Typhoon), the IAF Chief said his understanding was that "it is yet not a multi-role aircraft" and is "currently available only in its air defence variant".

The induction of the Su-30 was'nt without its share of problems. The average servicibility of the 10 Su-30MKs fell to 69% during 1997-1998 and further reduced to 62% 1998-1999. Similarly, the average availability of SU-30K aircraft for operations also declined from six aircraft in 1997-98 to four aircraft in 1998-99, out of total strength of eight aircraft. This happened because the MoD did not order spares for the aircraft and the IAF was using spares supplied at the time of induction - supplied back in 1997. The MoD finally signed the general spares contract in January 1999.

Problems were multiplied due to the poor poduct support from the manufacturers. Apart from delivery of eight SU-30K aircraft during 1997 the manufacturer was required to supply 72 associated equipment like tyres, brake parachutes, specialist vehicles etc. valuing US $ 347.85 million, equivalent to Rs 1252.25 crore during 1997-2000 in a phased manner. The contract explicitly stipulated that equipment to be delivered by the manufacturer would be new, unused, of current production and serviceable. However, the a large percentage of the equipment delivered by the manufacturer between 1997 and 1998 was old, used, corroded, defective and unserviceable, though full payment had been made. For example, the specialist vehicles supplied were old, corroded and inoperable and others items like parachutes were torn and damaged. Aircraft tyres were found to have cut marks during initial inspection. The IAF made 48 claims from sukhoi but only 15 were cleared as of July 1999.

from : vayu-sena.tripod.com...

Personally I'd be very sceptical as to whether this deal ever happens.

My bet is that this is politics and an attempt to pressurise the price on the planes they are likely to get.

Historically India has bought British aircraft, a trend that only ended when UK industry was largely no longer able to supply the planes India wanted. Even so I cannot envisage the Typhoon in IAF service. If only because the costs of operating so many diverse types must be crippling and I would have thought India would be looking to standardise on as few types as possible like most other Air Forces these days. For this reason alone a purchase of the Typhoon makes no sense, unless they are looking to eventually replace about 40-50% of their total front line inventory with it.

Originally posted by waynos
Even so I cannot envisage the Typhoon in IAF service. If only because the costs of operating so many diverse types must be crippling....

.....For this reason alone a purchase of the Typhoon makes no sense, unless they are looking to eventually replace about 40-50% of their total front line inventory with it.

- Yeah I'd agree with that Waynos.

I'd also say that the recent Indian deals and contacts with Russia pretty much rule out anything as advanced as Typhoon.

I'd go as far as saying I'd really be surprised if a full-flavour F15 made it over there.

Maybe if the boys sending planes to "Cope India" knew they wouldve sent the A team F-15s

Whoever gets the contract will realise one thing........India's gotta a lot of old types to replace...theres going to be a lot of competition for that contract. They don't need a plane that can beat the USAF. They just need a plane that can beat everything else.

too bad. india wont be getting any .

check this thread out :

Indian fighter purchase - RFPs to Dassault, SAAB, MiG, F-16

Typhoons for 33mil$? HAHA. No chance.

No way in heck India's going for typhoons. They are definately not worth it, for the money.

The British government is “pushing hard” for India to purchase the Eurofighter for the Indian Air Force (IAF), Deccan Herald quoted a visiting Indian MP as saying.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is co-chair of a delegation of cross-party MPs and businessmen from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) currently visiting London, told Deccan Herald that the issue of selling the Eurofighter, developed jointly by the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, was raised by British Defence Procurement Minister Lord Bach last Monday.

Other MPs who were received by Lord Bach included Shiv Sena’s Suresh Prabhu, BJP’s Ananth Kumar, Anand Sharma and Ajay Maken of Congress, Samajwadi’s Akilesh Yadav and Rajya Sabha MP Lalit Puri.

India recently signed a $1 billion deal to purchase 66 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft from the UK and the idea of future defence deals involving other fighter aircraft has now been raised by British officials and defence exporters in London.

“As you know the AJT deal has been finalised and that’s close to a billion dollar deal for 66 jets, but there’s also the issue of upgrading six squadrons of MiG 21s and the UK government is pushing hard for the Eurofighter,” Scindia told Deccan Herald in an exclusive interview. “From an Indian standpoint what is interesting is the offset that should be given. That was also the subject of discussion with Lord Bach, who is the minister for defence procurement.”

Scindia, who believes bilateral trade could be worth $12 billion by next year, stressed that defence technology was just one of many areas of future collaboration that was discussed by the delegation with their British hosts. “India and the UK have shared a very long history and a long relationship over decades and over the last six to seven years we have seen the blooming of economic ties between the two countries,” Deccan Herald quoted Scindia as saying.

“In terms of trade that is now worth over $10 billion, hopefully reaching about $12 billion next year; also India happens to be the second most important investor in the UK and similarly the UK also happens to be the third most important investor in India.

full article : www.dailytimes.com.pk...