Abingdonboy
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These are the kind of oppurtunites that arise but once in a lifetime and should be snatched up instantly. Deepening ties yet further with Israel, standardising the AESA radar across most of your fighter fleet (exlcuding the Rafales and FGFA) and keeping the Russian input to a minimum all make this offer a mouth-watering prospect.Latest Buzz: Israel offers to participate in Super Sukhoi upgrade with GaN AESA?
Hearing from sources that Israel after offering India their 2052 AESA with GaA modules for different jets upgrade programs (LCA MK1A, Jaguars and later Mirages), they have proposed to make the GaN AESA through a JV with India.
Elta's offer, however, came with the condition that at least one more fighter in the IAF's inventory should field the ELM-2052 AESA radar. To sweeten the deal, Elta offered to work jointly with HAL on an improved version of the ELM-2052.
This was a win-win for both Elta and HAL. "Look at the market HAL provides Elta. The 61 Jaguars being upgraded to DARIN-3 would all be fitted with the ELM-2052. At least 100 Tejas would get the improved version, possibly with more to follow. Meanwhile, 50 IAF Mirage-2000 fighters are being upgraded, but with a manual radar that could become obsolescent quickly. So the improved AESA could eventually equip the Mirage fleet too,adding up to 200-plus radars," says Raju.(Chmn HAL)
The latest twist in the story is that they have proposed the upgraded GaN AESA for Super Sukhoi MLU program. The backend software help will be provided by Israel only. Israel has cited that recent technology development it has done for its cutting edge F35 customization has enabled it to have a 360 degree viewing day and night assimilation which can be integrated to the pilots cockpit for MKI upgrade.
This technological leap has stumped IAF and MOD as they were expecting a sensor fusion upgradation package from Russia for Super program and a further step up in the same sensor fusion in their coveted 5th Gen FGFA/PAKFA program.
Israel had asked for ZERO cost for development or time for GaN AESA radar development and has indicated its strongest desire to have the JV and participate in Make In India program.
IAF chief Raha, DM MP both has requested PM NaMo to have a further discussion with the Russian counterparts in their December Summit and seek out whats there in the radar and sensor fusion package to have a comparison, cost and benefit analysis. Since Su 30 MKI has already french and israeli tech, the possibility of having this upgrade from Israel is actually very tempting.
The source says
"From 200 GaA AESA add 350 GaN AESA (MKI eventually will reach 350 with an additional tranche prepared to order beyond 272) and minimum of 100+ RBE 2 AESA all under 5th gen jets implies IAF is potentially looking at 700 AESA equipped jets. With 5th Gen birds and their AESA tech eventually with retirement also of some birds, IAF is looking at minimum of 800-850+ AESA equipped jets. They key now is time bound decision making and implementation. The face of IAF can be changed to a far more destructive lean and mean force in a short time if we get this done"
Mouth watering prospects.. Israel is turning up the heat with radars, SAMS (Spyder, Barak8) etc.. I am waiting to see what next they pull out from their magical hat...
Oh and did I mention the Israelis aren't asking for the exhorbitant devlopment costs the Russians demand and then inflate at will?
I hope some cool headed decsion makers in the PMO and MoD fully appreciate the benfits of such an offer and grab it with both hands. God knows how many momentous oppurtunities India has let slip through its fingers in the past....
The IAF has said they will meet their sanctioned strength of 42 SQNs by the middle of the next decade, make of that what you will....As things stand
India is no longer looking at 42 sqds, but trying to maintain 33-35 Sqds
With another 10 Sqds set for retirement in next 7 years
IAF will struggle to maintain existing numbers
With only 3 Su30MKI Sqds guaranteed and 36 Rafales still not sure ,