MMRCA - FX Indiano

[nveras]

Ares
A Defense Technology Blog

India's MMRCA Decision: Reading the Tea Leaves
Posted by Robert Wall at 4/28/2011 4:57 AM CDT

There are certainly a fair number of surprises in India's decision to shortlist only the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale in the MMRCA fighter competition to build at least 126 aircraft to replace the MiG-21.

That Rafale and Typhoon have made the cut is perhaps no surprise, Indian officials have long indicated they liked how the two aircraft performed and have shown a preference for the so called big twins.

More surprising, though, is that only two aircraft made the cut. The guessing game had been the final round would still include three or four platforms.

The Indian decision is a clear setback for Washington. The U.S. administration had heavily lobbied India on behalf of the F/A-18 and F-16. It offered technology transfer to an extensive scale. While Pakistan's use of the F-16 made an F-16I downselect a long-shot, not seeing either of the U.S. contenders at least in the final round may be a political signal from New Delhi.

The decision, of course, does not mean the U.S. is entirely out of the Indian fighter market. As before, there remains speculation India may yet opt for the F/A-18E/F for a future carrier-borne strike mission.

The decision is clearly excellent news for Paris and London (although the India campaign has been nominally led by Germany, British officials have more than done their part to bolster the effort) and their stated desire to more robustly support defense exports at a time of declining spending back home.

Parece que a decisão é mais técnica que política. É uma questão de performance.

[Penguin]

India says no to US fighter planes
Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, April 28, 2011

First Published: 01:18 IST(28/4/2011)
Last Updated: 01:21 IST(28/4/2011)

India has told the United States that it will not be buying American for its $10-billion fighter aircraft deal. This more or less leaves the Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Rafale as the only remaining contenders for the deal. The two US contenders, Boeing and Lockheed, received formal letters from the Indian Ministry of Defence as to why their respective aircraft, the F/A-18 Superhornet and the F-16 Superviper, did not fulfil the technical requirements of Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft contract, said US and Indian sources.

Defence Minister AK Antony has been signaling privately for weeks that the Indian Air Force and his ministry would go for one of the European fighters.

The Russian contender, the MiG 30, along with the Swedish Gripen received similar notes as the US firms.

The Indian notification will come as a major shock to bilateral relations. Washington had seen such a purchase, the first time India would be buying a US warplane, as a sign of India's interest in upgrading strategic relations.

Indian officials were quick to say that Indo-US relations were greater than a single arms purchase. But given that it follows on US nuclear reactor purchases being bogged down in liability issues, the decision will strengthen Indo-skeptics in Washington.

New Delhi will hide behind technical reasons, the two European fighters are generally seen as aerodynamically superior if not necessarily better fighting platforms.

[soultrain]

O pormenor é que em concorrências sérias, o SH e NG são descartados, porque será que as maravilhas deste mundo and "biond", são sempre postos de lado?

[Penguin]

NEWS » INTERNATIONAL
NEW DELHI, April 28, 2011
Timothy Roemer announces resignation


U.S. Ambassador Timothy Roemer on Thursday announced his resignation from the key diplomatic post citing personal commitments.

The 54-year-old Mr. Roemer, a political appointee, said he has accomplished all of the strategic objectives set two years ago and he wants to go back home to look after his family.

Mr. Roemer, who was nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama in May 2009, is expected to leave by June.

“Ambassador Roemer’s departure is for personal, professional and family considerations,” the U.S. embassy said in a statement here.

“When I accepted the job two years ago, I told President Barack Obama that I will serve for two years, but that family considerations would be the front and centre after that,” Mr. Roemer said.

Mr. Roemer said that the U.S.-India relationship is on a “positive historic trajectory” towards a global partnership.

“The horizons of our relationship truly no limits,” he said.

The U.S. envoy said his two sons will be leaving for college in the next 14 months and he would like his parents and in-laws to spend more time with his children.

Noting that he came as a diplomat and was leaving feeling part of a family, he said, “For me and for my entire family the two years have been a time of incredible experiences, warm friendship, meaningful partnership“.

“The U.S-India relationship -- what my friend President Obama calls the defining partnership of the 21st century -- has progressed to the global stage.I am very proud to have led the team responsible for deepening and broadening the strategic partnership of this critical bilateral relationship, which is one of the cornerstones of our foreign policy.

“The US India relationship is on a positive historic trajectory towards a global partnership that is changing the way our two nations create economic opportunity for our citizens, educating the leaders of tomorrow, and ensuring safe and secure communities,” he said

Mr. Roemer said the Indo-US relationship has been further strengthened by the landmark 2009 visit and White House dinner honouring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the history making trip by President Obama to India in 2010.

President Obama committed America’s support to India for a permanent UN Security Council seat and removed nine Indian companies from the entities list.

“We have entered into a strategic dialogue on Afghanistan and a new joint economic partnership for capacity building,” he said.

Mr. Roemer said he was proud to have worked with the Indian government to sign the Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative providing groundbreaking joint U.S.-India work on mega-city policing, forensic lab training, intelligence sharing, and sharing best government-wide practices.

He noted that during his tenure, the U.S.-India defence partnership expanded exponentially.

The sale of C130J aircraft and the pending sale of C-17s strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, demonstrated the enduring commitment to sharing the world’s best technology with India.

“Our defence partnership offers economic benefits for both India and the United States and significant job creation in both countries,” he said.

Mr. Roemer said the joint commitment to conserve and protect the resources of the planet as global partners was evident in the concerted efforts made to identify and highlight practical, affordable green technologies.

“As Ambassador, I had the chance to travel with my family to all corners of this incredible and beautiful country. Whether I was playing basketball with Muslim girls in Lucknow, seeing the majestic tiger in Ranthambore, or observing the “aarti” on the banks of the mighty Ganga in Varanasi, I personally viewed how common values and common interests bind our two great democracies together more strongly every day,” he said.

The diplomat went on to quote Mahatma Gandhi who said, “a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people“.

“India has opened the doors of its schools, communities, and hearts to my family. We will leave with full and grateful hearts for the many wonderful people who have welcomed us.

“We came here as diplomats and we leave feeling part of a family,” he added.

Prior to his nomination as Ambassador to India, Mr. Roemer was President of the Center for National Policy (CNP) in Washington, DC a moderate think-tank dedicated to finding bipartisan solutions to America’s most important national security challenges.

[Penguin]

Business

Russia, Sweden, U.S. fall out of Indian fighter deal
Topic: Russia-India partnership

© RIA Novosti. Ilya Pitalev
11:26 28/04/2011

France's Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon look set to be on the final shortlist for a $10 billion tender for 126 fighter aircraft for the Indian air force, after Sweden's SAAB was dropped, the Times of India said on Thursday.

With the Indian military due to disclose final commercial proposals from the manufacturers later today, it appears that the U.S. Lockheed Martin F-16I and Boeing Super Hornet, Sweden's SAAB Gripen and Russia's MiG-35 are also out of the running.

The Indian military have only contacted the makers of the Rafale and Eurofighter for proposals according to military sources quoted in the Indian media.

"It is not yet official, but there could be an announcement on Thursday," an Indian defense source told the IANS news agency.

The MiG-35 did not appear in the flying display during the Aero India air show in Bangaluru in February and Indian media reports claimed it had been dropped from the list of contenders.

A source in the Russian defense industry told RIA Novosti that the MiG-35 had not officially been excluded from the tender.
The decision on the aircraft will be largely based on the results of flight trials carried out in 2010. The commercial proposals are being released today as they are only valid until the end of April and the manufacturers will not be allowed to present new ones.

The Indian military want to make a selection, complete commercial negotiations and sign a contract by May 31, 2012.
The contest was originally announced in 2007. The winning firm will have to invest 50% of the value of the contract in local production in India. The first 18 aircraft will be built overseas, and the rest assembled locally by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).

NEW DELHI, April 28 (RIA Novosti)

[Penguin]

O pormenor é que em concorrências sérias, o SH e NG são descartados, porque será que as maravilhas deste mundo and "biond", são sempre postos de lado?

Vc está insinuando que a concorrência aqui não é séria?!!

[AlbertoRJ]

That Rafale and Typhoon have made the cut is perhaps no surprise, Indian officials have long indicated they liked how the two aircraft performed and have shown a preference for the so called big twins.

New Delhi will hide behind technical reasons, the two European fighters are generally seen as aerodynamically superior if not necessarily better fighting platforms.

Sem dúvida que há uma conotação política na definição de apenas dois finalistas, mas a shortlist deles é muito coerente e os dois selecionados são, de fato, os aviões ditos como os de melhor performance.

Eu penso que se a escolha final se der apenas por critérios técnicos dará o Rafale, que está a alguns passos à frente do Typhoon em muitos aspectos.

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[soultrain]

Alberto,

Na Índia, embora nem tudo seja perfeito, a defesa é levada muito a sério, as concorrências tambem. Eles têm mesmo de colocar os vetores em situações de guerra.

A escolha da short list foi técnica, agora virá a escolha política.

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[crubens]

Tem um certo blog em que seus foristas alardeava aos quantos cantos que o NG venceria na India por que lá a proposta era de menor preço, isso prova que armamento não é como produto de mercearia que só vende o que tem o menor preço. Pois é, e o tal de valor agregado que só o SH tinha em !?!?

[soultrain]

No armamento, o preço não é o mais importante, aliás em quase nada na nossa vida, mas a relação custo versos benefícios.

[AlbertoRJ]

Acho que vale a pena lembrar do detalhe de que um dos Rafales testados pela Índia já estava com o RBE2 AESA.

[]'s

[crubens]

No armamento, o preço não é o mais importante, aliás em quase nada na nossa vida, mas a relação custo versos benefícios.

É isso mesmo Sultrain, mas vá dizer isso pra esse povo de lá...

[soultrain]

O pormenor é que em concorrências sérias, o SH e NG são descartados, porque será que as maravilhas deste mundo and "biond", são sempre postos de lado?

Vc está insinuando que a concorrência aqui não é séria?!!

Não é séria na medida em que a escolha da short list, na minha opinião, foi uma escolha política transvestida de técnica. Essa escolha política não foi feita pelos "políticos", mas pela força. Esse papel deveria ter sido feito à posteriori, por quem faz política. só assim se compreende haver um caça leve no trio.

[[]]'s

[prp]

Acho que vale a pena lembrar do detalhe de que um dos Rafales testados pela Índia já estava com o RBE2 AESA.

[]'s

ohohoh
Então vamos denunciar, o Rafale trapaceou, como pode ir nos testes com um equipamento melhor.
Foi trapaça, tudo jogo de cartas marcadas.

[NovaTO]

Não foi totalmente uma surpresa o Gripen Ng ter sido eliminado, visto que de todos é o que está menos “pronto”, além de que apesar de ser bem mais capaz, se sobrepõe em parte ao Tejas MK.2.

A surpresa na minha opinião foi o F-18 E ter sido eliminado. Acreditava que por conta das últimas manisfestações dos EUA na Índia, o F-18 E tinha boas chances, mas estava enganado.

E para alegria das rafaletes, o Rafale poderá emplacar sua primeira venda, finalmente. E sinceramente estou torcendo por isso, visto que apesar de tudo ele pode emplcar aqui também. Portanto, quanto mais users desse caça melhor para nós.

E no caso da Suécia, opinião pessoal, deviam deixar Gripen NG apenas como demonstrador e partir já para o FS2020, com participação total da Embraer, desde o desenvolvimento, tendo por base as tecnologias apreendidas no Gripen Demo.

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