Fight’s On!

 

The Government of India (finally) tendered it’s offer for the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) – a deal estimated at $10B and one of the largest of it’s kind offered.  Plan is to purchase a total of 128 with the first 18 bought in a "flyaway condition" to equip the first squadron.  The remaining 108 will be built in India and also require 50% of the contracted amount to be plowed back into Indian industry.  IOC is expected to be no earlier than 2012. The actual RFP (Request for Proposals) will likely come in August.  Contenders are below the fold:

 Can’t know the players without a scorecard, so presented herewith.  Although many observers/analysts give the F/A-18E/F equipped with the AESA the nod in the capabilties arena, most bets fall on either the MiG-35 because of the infrastructure and support already demonstrated and in place from Russia for the Su-30, or, the Typhoon owing to technology transfer and licensed production conerns with the Super-bug.  Of course, one could also argue that a sure demonstration of India’s commitment to prolonged relations with the US would lead to purchase of the F/A-18E/F, that is a lesser concern than their internal interests in building up their domestic aviation industry’s capabilities:

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet: The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a carrier-based fighter/attack aircraft that entered service in 1999 with the United States Navy. The fighter has recently been ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a larger and more advanced development of the F/A-18C/D Hornet. The APG-79 radar: New build aircraft will receive the APG-79. Earlier production Super Hornets will have their APG-73 replaced with the APG-79.  The new APG-79 AESA offers several advantages for the Super Hornet. The new radar gives the aircrew the ability to execute simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks. The APG-79 also provides higher quality high-resolution ground mapping at long standoff ranges.  The AESA radar also offers the ability to detect smaller targets, such as inbound missiles.  VFA-213 became "safe for flight" (independently fly and maintain the F/A-18F) on October 27, 2006 and is the first Super Hornet squadron to fly AESA-equipped Super Hornets.  The first Super Hornet upgraded with an aft cockpit Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) was delivered to VFA-213 squadron on May 18, 2007. VFA-213 is the first squadron to receive the Dual-Cockpit Cueing System for both pilot and Weapon systems officer. The JHMCS provides multi-purpose aircrew situational awareness including high-off-bore-sight cueing of the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. Shared Reconnaissance Pod (SHARP) is a high-resolution, digital tactical air reconnaissance system that features advanced day/night and all-weather capability.

 

Eurofighter Typhoon: The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role canard-delta strike fighter aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers through Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986.  The maiden flight of the Eurofighter prototype took place on 27 March 1994 (then just known as the Eurofighter EF 2000). Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm chief test pilot Peter Weger took the prototype on a test flight around Bavaria. The 1990s saw significant arguments over work share, the specification of the aircraft and even participation in the project. When the final production contract was signed in 1997, the revised procurement totals were as follows: UK 232, Germany 180, Italy 121, and Spain 87. Production was again allotted according to procurement: British Aerospace (37%), DASA (29%), Aeritalia (19.5%), and CASA (14%). In May 2007, Eurofighter Development Aircraft 5 made the first flight with the CAESAR (CAPTOR Active Electronically Scanning Array Radar) demonstrator system [1], a development of the Euroradar CAPTOR incorporating Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology.  Typhoon has always been planned to be a swing role tactical fighter with robust air-to-ground capabilities. However the RAF’s urgent air-to-ground requirement has driven the integration of an "austere" air to ground capability, based on the Rafael/Ultra Electronics Litening III laser designator and the Enhanced Paveway II G/LGB, earlier than was originally planned. A more comprehensive air-to-ground attack capability will be achieved for all partner nations later in the decade.

JAS 39 Gripen: The Gripen is designed for performance, flexibility, effectiveness and survivability in air combat. The designation JAS stands for Jakt (Air-to-Air), Attack (Air-to-Surface), and Spaning (Reconnaissance), indicating that the Gripen is a multirole aircraft that can fulfill each mission type.  The JAS 39 Gripen affords far more flexibility than earlier generations of combat aircraft used by Sweden, and its operating costs are about two thirds of those for JA 37 Viggen. The specifications for the Gripen required the ability to operate from 800 m runways. Early on in the programme, all flights from Saab’s facility in Linköping were flown from within a 9 m × 800 m outline painted on the runway. Stopping distance was reduced by extending the relatively large air brakes; using the control surfaces to push the aircraft down enabling the wheel brakes to apply more force and tilting the canards forwards, making them into large air brakes and further pushing the aircraft down.  The Gripen is in operational service with the Swedish Air Force, which has ordered 204 aircraft (including 28 dual-seaters). The Czech Air Force and the Hungarian Air Force also operate the Gripen, and currently lease 14 Swedish Air Force aircraft each, with the option of eventually acquiring them. In both cases two of the aircraft are dual-seaters. The Czech and the Hungarian Air Force are the first Gripen operators within NATO. Gripen has also been ordered by the South African Air Force (28 aircraft, including nine dual-seaters). The British based Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) is operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots worldwide.

Lockheed F-16I Fighting Falcon (Block 60):  The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. The Falcon’s versatility is a paramount reason it was a success on the export market, serving 24 countries.  The F-16 is the largest Western fighter program with over 4,000 aircraft built since production started in 1976. Though no longer produced for the US Air Force, it is still produced for export. Block 60: Based on the F-16C/D, it features conformal fuel tanks and improved radar and avionics; it has only been sold to the United Arab Emirates. The General Electric F110-132 is a development of the -129 model and is rated at 32,500 lbf (144 kN). A major difference from previous Blocks is the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Block 60 allows the carriage of all Block 50/52 aircraft-compatible weaponry as well as ASRAAM and the AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM). The CFTs provide an additional 450 US gallons (2,045 liters) of fuel allowing increased range or time on station. This has the added benefit of freeing up hardpoints for weapons, i.e. hardpoints that would have been occupied by underwing fuel tanks. The MIL-STD-1553 data bus is replaced by MIL-STD-1773 fiber optic data bus which offers 1000 times increase in data handling capability. Theoretically, the aircraft could be purchased by the United States Air Force, but in practice the USAF has shown little interest in acquiring new F-16s given that it has an extensive "boneyard" fleet of the planes at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center and is planning to take delivery of the new F-35 Lightning II by the end of the decade.

Mikoyan MiG-35:The Mikoyan MiG-35 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-35) (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a mature development of the latest MiG-29M2. This plane was created to participate in Indian MRCA Competition, and this is third modification after MiG-29MRCA and MiG-29M2 models. Designation and color scheme were changed, together with new engines and avionics. The MiG-35 was officially debuted when the Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Ivanov visited Lukhovitsky Machine Building Plant "MAPO-MIG".  The aircraft utilizes MiG-29M2 airframe, and therefore a tandem twin seat configuration. It is generally more agile and has an increase in range to 2,139 km (1,329 statute miles).  It has improved avionics, vast improvements in weapon systems, HOTAS systems, a wider range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, as well as improved defensive and offensive avionics and optical suites, notable the newly unique designed Optical Locator System (OLS). The most vital changes are the Phazotron Zhuk-AE active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and RD-33MK "Morskaya Osa" (Russian: Морская Оса) engine. Other obvious changes in the cockpit are the analog layouts being further minimized, replaced by 3 equal size liquid-crystal (LCD) multi-function displays (MFDs) and introduced an additional display for the OLS (rear seat has four LCDs instead). An optical complex is being introduced, consist the newly designed OLS to replace previous IRST sensor, additional OLS under the right air intake and one pair of laser emission detectors on each wing tip. ^[4]  With a new design concept, it is no longer tied to the ground-controlled interception (GCI) system and able to conduct multi role missions independently. It has eight weapon pylons and is able to refuel in mid-air as well as carry three external fuel tanks. The aircraft is being marketed under the designation MiG-35 for potential export. MiG Corporation had their first official international MiG-35 presentation during the Aero India 2007. Russia has unveiled the MiG-35 at air show Aero India 2007 in Bangalore, amid Moscow’s keen interest to sell these planes to India. It was reported that the MIG-35 made it to Bangalore from Moscow, in under three hours, with as many mid air refuellings on the way, flying at supersonic speeds.

 Sources:

Calcutta The Telegraph http://www.telegraphindia.com
Wikipedia (numerous)
The DEW Line