RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT CONTROL INDIAN SKIES

[flanker143]

Mysore, Aug. 20- Indian Air Force (IAF) is still defending the skies with Russian vintage aircraft though all of them have been upgraded. Sources in IAF told SOM that with the first lot of 80 Mi 17 helicopters that will be delivered sometime next month followed by an additional 60 more, the "IAF is slowly becoming more Russianised."

The clearance by the Defence Ministry of IAF's request for 42 SU 30 MKI aircraft has brought the total number of air dominance combat jets order to 272. IAF has also signed a contract with Rosoboronex-port, Russia's sole arms exporting agency, to upgrade its fleet of Soviet-vintage Mig 29 fighters and Ilyushin 76 airlifters while the Indian Navy has placed an order for 45 naval version Mig 29K shipboard jets.

[B]An SU 30 MKI is around $ 50 million (Rs. 230 crores) each inclusive of some support packages and Transfer of Technology (ToT). The total cost for 272 SU 30 MKIs works out to $ 13.6 billion. India will also spend some $ 2.5 billion on upgrading its SU 30 MKIs from 2012.[/B]

As for the Mig 21s, India bought more than 400 of them, and only around 140 of these aircraft, upgraded to Mig 21 Bis configuration with new avionics and BVR (Beyond the Visual Range) missiles, are to serve in the IAF inventory for another six or seven years. The upgrade has been undertaken both in Russia and India.

The Mig 29K deal touches nearly $ two billion and the upgrade of Mig 29s for the IAF nearly $ one billion. A Mi 17 V5 helicopter reportedly costs around $ five million (total nearly $ 700 million for 139 machines).

India has also purchased six Ilyushin 78 midair refuelers and three Ilyushin 76 aircraft for accommodating the Israeli Phalcon electronic radars, two of which have been delivered to India. The third Phalcon is due by end of 2010.

Notably, as the Phalcon radars are heavy, the Ilyushin 76 airlifters have been upgraded with more powerful PS-90 engines, the cost though for them is quite high and not considered appropriate for upgrading the IAF's fleet of less than 20 old Soviet-vintage Ilyushin 76 aircraft.

All these aircraft have served the Indian Air Force well; the Ilyushin 76 has a remarkable safety record, the Mi 17 has sustained the lifeline of the Indian troops in Siachin heights, and the Mig 25 gave IAF an intrusive capability that no missile or aircraft could intercept.

SOM spoke to a few retired top chopper (helicopter) and fighter pilots who said the main problem was that "these Soviet vintage machines are old in age as well as in technology and need replacement with newer platforms with newer and extreme technologies to last 30 to 40 years. IAF planners should be thinking ahead which they are not doing."

 

[somebozo]

Well Russian hardware comes at low cost and no string attached. Often with ToT too for India. You should be grateful.

 

[techno123]

Russia trust India very much..it doesn't play double standards as US

 

[nicamarvin]

Russia trust India very much..it doesn't play double standards as US

that was a cheap shot.....

 

[Dark Angel]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Well records speak for themselves mate

 

[faithfulguy]

that was a cheap shot.....

That is because India had sided with USSR through out its history. India was poor, backward and treated capitalism as another colonialism prior to the 90s. As a result, it won't allow foreign multi-nationals to sell products in India. Foreign countries in turn stayed away from India. This didn't help with the undefined but mostly Soviet bloc leaning Indian foreign policies.

After the 90s, some Indian leaders realized they are following a dead route that will break up India eventually. They people embraced capitalism and started to do away with many socialist policies of India. However, because of the long Soviet/Russian assistance and influence, many still cannot break out of the Russian as the #1 friend mentality. Even though the new Russia (no longer a socialist paradise but a crafty capitalist nation) raise prices of weapons already agreed between Russia and India. India, with all the choices and options, still bend down and take it in the behind again and again.

Its time for Indian leadership to realize that they need to join the western camp for their benefit. Its still way too Russia dependent. If India develop the same relationship with the US as Britain, Australia or Japan, then the Indians can get the best stuff from the US. Otherwise, do not complain about double standards.

 

[Dash]

Its time for Indian leadership to realize that they need to join the western camp for their benefit. Its still way too Russia dependent. If India develop the same relationship with the US as Britain, Australia or Japan, then the Indians can get the best stuff from the US. Otherwise, do not complain about double standards.

Even countries like UK, Australia and japan complain about US double standards. I wont call it a double standard though as the will do whats good for them. However in recent past deals like F-35, every body has burnt their fingure.