INDIA: Building a Modern Arsenal in India

[desiman]

hey desidog, i'm really impressed with ur 1)knowledge and 2)enthusiasm to share ur knowledge.... good job!!!

Thanks a lot bro, i just love this industry and love telling people what i know. Please feel free to ask any procurement related question, will make it easier for me to post info. cheers

 

[desiman]

EU wants India to open up procurement

Good News
Indian Companies, such as Tata now hold large chunks of the EU through acquisitions

Ahead of the next round of talks on a bilateral trade treaty with India, the European Union (EU) earlier this month was keen that the comprehen*sive pact included government pro*curement agreement.

Industry body Federation of In*dian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) estimates that bilat*eral trade could touch $572 billion by 2015 if the deal is completed.

While India has so far resisted any move to include procurement on the agenda, Daniele Smadja, the EU ambassador to India, told reporters recently that the 26-member trading bloc was keen that the agreement open up the market in India and also help Indian companies access the Eu*ropean procurement market which was estimated at over 2 trillion euros (about $3 trillion).

In addition, she said that India had agreed to include competition policy on the agenda.

In the past, EU has pushed for the inclusion of government procure*ment and competition policy in the agenda for the Doha Round of trade talks but had to bow down to pres*sure from developing countries, in*cluding India. Finally, six years ago at the Cancun meeting of trade min*isters from the World Trade Organi*sation members countries the items, which were part of the so-called Sin*gapore issues, were dropped from the agenda.

The EU has, however, been push*ing for inclusion of these issues in the bilateral trade agreements that it is negotiating.

Apart from competition, India has also agreed to negotiate an invest*ment treaty, intellectual property rights, tariffs on goods and liberalisa*tion of trade in services, Smadja said. Though a tentative deadline of end- 2009 had been fixed for completing negotiations, given the large man*date for the negotiators, and the elec*tions in India and EU, the first half of 2010 is the new target, Smadja said. So far, the negotiators have com*pleted seven rounds of negotiations and the next round is scheduled in Delhi.

 

[desiman]

India's Defense Upgrades Struggle But Continue With Boeing Bidding On Helicopters


India has embarked on a major technical upgrade to their armed forces by buying overseas, especially new Western equipment. Unfortunately there have been corruption issues that have delayed execution and award of various contracts. With some of them continued technical problems have also caused delays to delivery of new weapon systems.

One of the major upgrades planned is to buy new attack and transport helicopters. The attack helicopter contract has been on-and-off again with one attempt scuppered by no bidder being able to meet the requirements. Another contract for lighter helicopters was canceled due to allegations of bribery. Now Boeing announced that they have submitted a proposal to sell AH-64 attack and CH-47 heavy lift aircraft to India. India had planned to restart the attack helicopter competition.

Both of these aircraft have seen significant use in Afghanistan where the terrain and operating conditions are similar to what India would see in Kashmir and other parts of their borders. The attack helicopter contract alone could be worth up to $500 million so it would be a good contract fo whomever wins it.

The major contract that is undergoing evaluation is for the new fighter. Six companies have submitted proposals and the Indian military is reviewing them. This contract would be a major change in Indian practice where they have normally purchased Russian MiG and Sukhoi aircraft. The new contract will require significant investment in the Indian economy by the winner.

In other news three other contracts signed earlier in the decade to provide increased capabilities are struggling to compete. Two of them are Naval related and seem to have been poorly negotiated or technically more complex then originally thought. These are for taking an old Soviet aircraft carrier and upgrading it with more modern systems and aircraft. This is supposed to be a stop gap while India builds an all new ship. The old Kiev class carrier “Admiral Gorshkov” was purchased and was to be re-fitted in a Russian yard. The work required turns out to be a lot more then planned as well as costing more then originally estimated.

A contract to build French submarines in Indian yards has also fallen behind schedule. This contract for six nuclear powered subs would be a major upgrade to their fleet. Unfortunately the schedule has slipped and the first one won’t be delivered in seven years as planned. These are very complicated construction projects even with buying the design and parts and require sophisticated engineering capability and it is not surprising the first one is being delayed.

The final contract facing issues is one for new jet trainers. The Indian military has required a new one for several years as they don’t really have an intermediate jet trainer. Right now pilots move on from basic aircraft manufactured in India to MiG-21 supersonic jet fighters. This allows them to transition to the MiG-23, 27, 29 and Su-30 advanced fighters flown by front line units. The MiG-21 is tricky to fly and leads to several accidents. India planned to invest in British Gnat trainers to improve the training process. The contract was signed in 2004 and provided for establishing a manufacturing line in India. No aircraft have been delivered yet and the British company BAE Systems may not be able to fulfill the deal. This means India may have to start over with new aircraft further adding to the delays.

India is one of those countries that is in-between when it comes to armaments. They have invested heavily in domestic production and research but have not been able to achieve all of the goals they have set out to do. This has led to a turn to foriegn sources for more advanced weapons. Ideally these would be built in India but this process has contributed to the delays. Add to that corruption and bribery complaints and it adds up to slow progress. Developing and producing a modern defense acquisition program is complicated and trying to reach to far technically is one key way to extend it. That is what India is facing today.

 

[desiman]

Mahindra Satyam And SAAB To Collaborate On Indian Military Programs


The Indian IT company Mahindra Satyam has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SAAB to establish a working relationship in India. The agreement means that Satyam will help SAAB develop and market products in India and perhaps to customers outside of that South Asian country. India has recently been looking at changing their laws in order to allow more of these kind of deals.

The first program the two companies will work on will be a Battle Management System (BMS) for India’s ground forces. This will be a SAAB developed and previously deployed system. Satyam will aid in any required changes and provide support to the product. The two companies have set up a joint Center to help market their products and help develop new ones.

This MOU also allows easier penetration of the Indian military and market as the assistance of a domestic company allows more flexibility in the awarding of contracts and work. India and its companies will gain by being exposed to products and the abilities they gain by developing systems and deploying them.

 

[desiman]

AgustaWestland North America Awarded U.S. Navy Contract — Press Release


AgustaWestland North America (AWNA) is pleased to announce that it was recently awarded a $17.35M U.S. Navy contract to provide depot level maintenance on three Egyptian Mk-2 variant H-3 helicopters. The contract provides full funding for this effort, which began in November 2008, and calls for complete refurbishment of the aircraft structure and all aircraft components. AWNA will also complete all safety checks to ensure the aircraft are flight ready.

Work will be carried out at the company’s 88,000 square foot maintenance repair and overhaul facility in Hagerstown, Maryland. Up to 20 new employees are expected to be added to the existing staff of 26 at Hagerstown Airport. All work on the H-3 helicopters is estimated to be completed in December of 2010.

“AgustaWestland North America is honored to receive this contract from the U.S. Navy,” said AgustaWestland North America Chief Executive Officer, R. Scott Rettig. “I am proud of our team and our close working relationship with the U.S. Navy. I look forward to future growth and successes of our Hagerstown operations, as we continue to expand our U.S. footprint and meet the specific needs of the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense.”

AgustaWestland North America, a subsidiary of AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is FOCI mitigated and responsible for the company’s U.S. government programs. AgustaWestland is a global leader in designing, manufacturing and supporting the world’s most technologically advanced helicopters. With more than 100 years of experience in the aerospace industry, AgustaWestland provides a full range of rotorcraft for every commercial, government and military application, and an unrivalled capability in training and support solutions.

 

[desiman]

India cashes in on procurement outsourcing bonanza

Procurement outsourcing ranks among the fastest shifting service lines to offshore providers with over 77 per cent of large-scale arrangements and 48 per cent of midmarket and small cap deals transitioning to India-based vendors, new research reveals.

Indian outsourcers commanded the highest satisfaction levels of all global procurement outsourcing suppliers for a second consecutive year, according to the Black Book of Outsourcing, produced by a division of Datamonitor.

The research firm's annual poll of customer satisfaction and client experience went on to show that post-recession outsourcing is making a niche-by-niche comeback lead by procurement business process outsourcing.

Indian giant Genpact was found to have captured the number one ranking among all global enterprise-wide Procurement Outsourcing Vendors for 2009's poll. Infosys, Accenture, ICG Commerce, IBM Global, Ariba, Oracle BPO, Corbus, Capgemini and D & B Supply Chain Solutions completed the top ten client experience ranked vendors respectively.

The data is based on a poll of over 800,000 individuals who are invited to participate annually in Black Book's outsourcing user surveys including the top sourcing officers of the Fortune 2000, Inc 500, institutional members and officers of professional and industry member organisations.

 

[desiman]

Now lets see what our neighbors are upto lol

Pakistan’s P-3 Orion Maritime Aircraft - and their Harpoons



Pakistani P-3

In late 2004, Portuguese aircraft refitter OGMA was chosen by Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA to refit Pakistan’s 2 P-3C Update II.5 Orion maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft for service. In addition, Pakistan was preparing to buy 8 US Navy surplus P-3C aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales program.

Pakistan’s location on the Indian Ocean places it next to the Persian Gulf, and its rivalry with India ensures that its maritime patrol and strike capabilities will remain relevant across a wide expanse of ocean. Subsequent orders have served to detail the modernization work for Pakistan’s fleet, additional aircraft buys and refurbishment orders, and accompanying orders for AGM-84 Harpoon missiles that can attack naval or land targets. The latest contract includes an order for additional mission systems work…

Contracts and Key Events


AGM-84 Harpoon launch
While the P-3 Orion and Harpoon missile orders are separate deals, the Harpoon is the Orion’s critical surface warfare capability. A P-3 without Harpoon missiles is a patrol aircraft and a threat to submarines. One with Harpoon missiles can become a threat to any surface ship within the wide arc of its range – which in Pakistan’s case extends to the Strait of Hormuz, and across a wide swathe of the Indian Ocean.

Dec 23/09: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Eagan, MN receives a $34.2 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract, adding funding for Pakistani P-3C mission system spares.

Work will be performed in Eagan, MN (75%), Oldsmar, FL (20%), and Manassas, VA (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2011. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages this contract (N00019-06-D-0012).

Nov 23/09: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Eagan, MN receives a $4.4 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0012) to upgrade 7 P-3C aircraft for the government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales program. This modification will replace the airplanes’ obsolete and unsustainable avionics systems with modern equipment.

Work will be performed in Eagan, MN (70%), and Greenville, SC (30%), and is expected to be complete in February 2013. The Naval Air Warfare Center in Lakehurst, NJ manages this contract.

June 5/08: An $8.1 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with an estimated value of $8,134,542 for engineering, logistics, and technical services in support of the Harpoon Weapon Systems and SLAM-ER Missile System for the U.S. Navy, and for the Governments of Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

May 31/07: A $8.1 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0027) for the procurement of a Harpoon Missile Subsystem Test Set Weapon Station upgrade, interim spares, installation and checkout, and applicable training for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (34.02%); Dallas, TX (28.89%); St. Louis, MO (18.46%); Oklahoma City, OK (7.34%); St. Louis, MO (3.43%); Yorba Linda, CA (3.19%); Chatsworth, CA (1.20%); Englewood, CO (0.70%); Austin, TX (0.60%); and various locations across the United States (2.17%) and is expected to be complete in January 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD.

April 13/07: Small business qualifier Delex Systems, Inc. in, Vienna, VA received a $7.5 million firm-fixed-priced order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-03-G-0015) for the development, documentation, testing and delivery of a turnkey Harpoon Tactical Training Program for the Pakistan Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in Vienna, VA (95%), and Karachi, Pakistan (5%), and is expected to be complete in April 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

March 30/07: A $191.4 million firm-fixed-priced contract for Harpoon missiles combines US and foreign military sales.

Included in the purchase is 30 Harpoon Tactical Block II Encapsulated All-Up Rounds for Pakistan, comprising $33.27% of the total order at $63.7 million. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-07-C-0037).

Feb 13/07: Lockheed Martin announces a $186.5 million Foreign Military Sale contract to continue providing mission system upgrades and support for 7 Pakistani P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft. See also March 3/06 entry.

The Pakistan Navy’s P-3C Upgrade Program began in March 2006. The 1st modified aircraft was delivered in January 2007, and the 2nd refurbished aircraft is reportedly set for induction in March 2007. Lockheed Martin release | Express India.

Jan 19/07: The 1st refurbished Pakistani P-3C is handed over in an induction ceremony. The aircraft will be based at Naval Base Karachi. PPI | IRNA.

May 31/06: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency officially announces [PDF] Pakistan’s request to buy 50 UGM-84L (submarine-launched), 50 RGM-84L (surface-launched), and 30 AGM-84L (air-launched) Block II Harpoon missiles; 5 Encapsulated Harpoon Command Launch Systems; 115 containers; missile modifications; training devices; spare and repair parts; technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $370 million.


March 3/06: Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime Systems and Sensors in St. Paul, MN receives a $186.5 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0012) for the fabrication, integration and testing of 7 P-3 aircraft missions systems for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Greensville, SC (90%) and Eagan, MN (10%) and is expected to be complete in July 2011.

This modification includes a fully capable Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar ISAR/SAR, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), acoustic system, Electro-Optical/Infra-Red system, communication system and Inter-Communication System (ICS). In addition, this modification includes the installation of upgraded P-3 mission systems into the Orion aircraft.

Feb 12/06: A $15.8 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0027), exercising an option for 10 Harpoon Tactical Block II Grade B All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles and 10 MK631 Canister AUR Containers for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (50.46%); McKinney, TX (15.14%); Toledo, OH (5.93%); United Kingdom (5.28%); Huntsville, AL (3.86%); Clearwater, FL (3.79%); Galena, KS (2.33%); Elkton, MD (2.19%); Kirwood, MO (2%); Middletown, CT (1.83%), and other various locations throughout the United States (7.19%), and is expected to be complete in February 2007.

May 6/05: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Pakistan’s official request for 40 AGM-84L (air-launched) and 20 RGM-84L (surface-launched) Grade B Canister HARPOON Block II missiles; containers; missile modifications; training devices; spare and repair parts; technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $180 million, and Boeing will be the prime contractor.

“Pakistan intends to use the purchase to upgrade and modernize its existing HARPOON missile capability. The Pakistani Navy currently has AGM-84 Block I air/surface/subsurface launch capability.”

Nov 16/04: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Pakistan’s official request to buy 8 P-3C aircraft with T-56 turboprop engines, communications equipment, training devices, medical services, support and test equipment, engineering technical services, supply support, operation and maintenance training, documentation, spare/repair parts, publications, documentation, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements. The estimated cost is $970 million. The DSCA adds that:

“The command-and-control capabilities of these aircraft will improve Pakistan’s ability to restrict the littoral movement of terrorists along Pakistan’s southern border and ensure Pakistan’s overall ability to maintain integrity of their borders. Pakistan intends to use the proposed purchase to develop a long needed fleet of maritime and border surveillance aircraft. The addition of these aircraft will provide Pakistan with search surveillance, and control capability in support of maritime interdiction operations and increase their ability to support the U.S. Operation Enduring Freedom Operations; anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare capabilities; and a control capability over land against transnational terrorists and narcotics smugglers. The modernization will enhance the capabilities of the Pakistani Navy and support its regional influence and meet its legitimate self-defense needs. Pakistan is capable of absorbing and maintaining these additional aircraft in its inventory.”

The prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin Company of Greenville, SC.

 

[desiman]

EADS invites India to Eurofighter consortium


European aerospace consortium EADS today invited India to be a part of its prestigious Eurofighter upgrade project, saying it would help Indian companies enhance their skills in the aviation field.


The company, which has bid for the Indian Air Force's mega deal for induction of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), said if India joined this prestigious project, it would become the fifth country and the first outside Europe to be part of the project.

The reason given by the EADS officials is that when Spain joined the programme, it only had design capabilities for propeller and jet aircraft. But after entering the Eurofighter programme, Spain boosted its aviation capability considerably.

"This encourages us to invite India to join the project," said Christian Albert, a senior official at the EADS.

The consortium is also ready to include India in its supersonic jet trainer programme and other futuristic projects such as unmanned aerial and undersea vehicles. "India would be interested to jump into these. This is one topic that would be discussed with respect to offsets," Albert said.

Offsets are crucial component of the over $10 billion mega tender for the fighters floated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the six competitors are exploring new avenues to ensure that 50 per cent of the contract value is generated within India.

The normal offset value is 30 per cent for big contracts in India but Defence Minister AK Antony suggested this percentage could be hiked to 50 per cent so that Indian aviation industry becomes more sophisticated and advanced.

"We are in the build up for phase II of the Eurofighter programme. It will include new equipment and continue to be dynamic. It might be interesting for Indian companies to jump in at phase II and III," Albert told visiting reporters at the company's Manching plant on the outskirts of Munich.

German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung, during his speech at the reception hosted in honour of Defence Minister AK Antony, had said that Germany was looking forward to an active cooperation from Indian side in the Eurofighter project.

 

[desiman]

This is an excellent report written by a friend of mine, if any of you guys are interested in learning more about the outsourcing market and how India and China can be compared in it. Hope you guys like it, its not really connected to defense procurement but essential to India's growth.

http://www.procurementleaders.com/8201/40006/69917/69996/CHINA.pdf

 

[desiman]

IAF An-32 Lands At Nyoma, Ladakh

 

[desiman]

India China Army Exercise Hand-in-Hand at Belgaum

The 11-day long joint training exercise on counter terrorism was inaugurated by Senior Colonel Qin Xiang You, the Contingent Leader of Chinese Contingent of the People’s Liberation Army on December 6.


Addressing the gathering the Chinese Contingent leader said that the prime aim of conducting this joint training exercise was to enhance mutual understanding and trust between officers and men and military to military exchange between both the armies. Dwelling upon the rapidly changing faces of terrorism, he hoped that this training exercise would give an insight of the functioning of the respective army and understanding inter compatibility. The Indian Contingent Commander Brigadier SK Patiyal in his address said that exercise “Hand-in-Hand” will definitely help in expanding and strengthening military to military ties between the two armed forces.



During the course of the exercise, Chinese troops from the 1st company of Infantry Battalion of Chengdu Military Region and Indian Army from 8 Maratha Light Infantry Battalion of Southern Command will practice joint tactical manoeuvres and drills, interoperability training and joint command procedures finally culminating in a joint counter terrorism operational exercise with simulated enemy.


The exercise is planned at mixed company level with command and control elements from the respective Battalion Headquarters. The training and manoeuvres would be supervised by a joint directing panel comprising of army officers of both the countries. The opening ceremony was followed by a marvelous display of arms and ammunitions of both countries generally used by the soldiers in anti-terrorist operations. This was followed by a fascinating display of martial arts of both countries which drew thunderous applause from the audience.

 

[desiman]

PLA Army arrives at Pune

 

[desiman]

FIRST IMAGES: LCA Tejas Weapon Trials At Jamnagar

In its path towards Initial Operational Capability (IOC), a pair of LCA Tejas fighters -- Prototype Vehicle-3 (PV3) and Limited Series Production-2 (LSP-2) -- were recently deployed to Jamnagar for a period of five weeks for testing by the South Western Air Command (SWAC). The trials entailed flight envelope expansion in various stores configurations, as well as air-to-ground weapon delivery trials in different modes of weapon delivery. According to a DRDO statement, "The aircraft has successfully demonstrated its ability to tackle targets which are designated visually by the pilot. After this phase, the Tejas will be able to take on targets whose parameters in terms of location and altitude are fed to the on-board navigation and attack computer. The target does not even have to be visible to the pilot at the point of delivery."

The flight trials were conducted by the flight test crew of the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC), who deployed test pilots, flight test engineers and instrumentation specialists for the task. This is the first time that the Tejas aircraft have operated away from home base for so long. The support provided by the personnel of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) the manufacturers of the aircraft, ensured that this indigenous fighter aircraft was able to take to the skies regularly. The Tejas team included specialist groups from Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Central for Military Air Worthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and DG-AQA.

The Indian Air Force teams working at ADA and the Air Force base where the trials were conducted have contributed significantly for the success of the trial. The excellent weather conditions prevailing in the Saurashtra sector and the enthusiastic support of the Indian Air Force ensured the successful completion of the current phase of flight trials. With this milestone achieved, the entire Tejas team is upbeat and the Tejas is one step closer to induction into the Indian Air Force.

Text Abridged from DRDO Statement
Photos Courtesy DRDO

I think they look amazing

 

[desiman]

Guys please post any questions you have about procurement, related to India, china or Pakistan. It will make my job easier and will allow me to make the post more specific and detailed.
Thanks

 

[desiman]

Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) / PAK-FA / T-50

The FGFA is being developed by Sukhoi, which is part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), with limited financial and technical participation by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), under an intergovernmental agreement signed in October 2007.
Russia and India will simultaneously develop two versions of the combat aircraft - a two-seat version to meet the requirements of India's air superiority policy, and a single-seat version for the Russian Air Force.

Sukhoi has already started construction of three prototypes at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association (KNAAPO) in Russia's Far East. Flight tests of the fighter could begin in Winter of 2009, and the aircraft may go into production in Russian and India by 2015.

The fighter, estimated to be in the 30t category, is expected to feature super maneuverability, super cruise and stealth with an internal weapon bay. It is also expected to feature an advanced variant of the Tikhomirov Instrument Engineering Research Institute developed N035 Irbis-E radar that equips the Su-35BM.

India and Russia will sign a formal contract to jointly develop the fighter by the end of 2009.

Powerplant
The initial batch of the fighter will be powered by NPO Saturn Item 117S engines, derived from the supplier’s AL-31F series. The Item 117S is fitted on the Su-35 and uses key components of the AL-41F supercruising core.

The Su-35 is the first non-US fighter with substantial sustained supersonic cruise capability, so even initial models of PAF-FA should support good supercruise giving it a good advantage in initial engagement.

A new engine will be incorporated with later production examples, with this likely to be a design proposed by MMPP Salut and based on the AL-31FM3.

News Track
Russia to speed up fifth generation fighter development
Russian deputy PM has asked Sukhoi to speed up the development of the fifth-generation fighter being produced in collaboration with India

"I insist that the testing start as early as 2009, and the fifth-generation fighter must enter service with the Russian Air Force in 2015," Sergei Ivanov said at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

Ivanov said the plant had almost completed the construction of a first prototype of the fifth-generation fighter, but it will undergo only durability tests on the ground at a research facility in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

However, a second prototype will be built and will take to the skies by the end of this year, he said.

FGFA to be inducted into IAF by 2017
M Fakruddin, Director-Corporate Planning and Marketing, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) told to The New Indian Express in February 2009 that India and Russia have sorted out their differences on the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) to be jointly developed by them and are set to sign a formal contract.

"There have been differences between the two Air Forces as both have specific requirements," said Mr. Fakruddin.

"These issues will be sorted out soon and by the middle of the year we expect to start work so that the aircraft is inducted by 2017," he added.

FGFA being fast tracked?

The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), being jointly developed by Russia and India, will fly by the end of 2009, with serial production starting by 2010.

"By the end of this year, the plane will rise into the air and flight tests will begin," Russian deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov told journalists at the sidelines of a meeting in Russian Far East city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur said Monday, May 11.

FGFA delay?
Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan hinted at a delay in the FGFA first flight on the opening day of Paris Air Show, June 15, saying he would have more information about first flight at the Farnborough air show next July!

Indian Participation
Indian participation in the FGFA project will be formalized and defined later this year in a pact, HAL Chairman V. Balakrishnan said at MAKS 2009 on August 29. India will supply composite-material parts of the airframe, avionics and software packages for the aircraft.

Engine Development Delays
Speaking at MAKS 2009 on Thursday, August 20, Russian Air Force Chief Alexander Zelin acknowledged problems with the development of FGFA engines.

"For the time being the aircraft will use Saturn engines. There are problems, I admit, but research is continuing," he said.

Zelin also confirmed a second FGFA prototype is undergoing ground tests.

"The second aircraft, which is undergoing ground tests, is already here in Moscow," Zelin said.

Tech Requirements Exchanged
Addressing a press conference on October 1, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said India had exchanged tech requirements with Russia for the FGFA. The IAF expected the aircraft to be in service by 2017.



Taxi Trials
Aviation Week reported on December 28 that the first taxi trials were successfully performed at Sukhoi’s Komsomol-on-Amur KnAAPO manufacturing facility, where prototypes are being built.