MastanKhan
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A) The 36 are needed specifically to provide a completely survivable asset in the ADA scenario. As pointed earlier, regardless of the bravado displayed here by the usual suspects from across the border(and whom I am warning in no uncertain terms that snide remarks will lead to a short shelf life for them) the Sukhoi's are still in a semi-Hangar queen state as far as most well informed sources outside of this forum go.
The tit for tat on the Block-52 could be surmised as a theory but as such it may have been the IAF's tactic to try and sell it to the current class of Indian rulers who may be thrifty businessmen but have little knowledge of the product they are paying for.
B)The life cycle costs for 126 jets could be argued in the Rafale's favour and that too in a 20 year all inclusive ownership program, but for 36 jets it is a different question. Many of the members on our side beat the dead drum of why we bought the block-52 without acknowledging or even giving an iota of honest introspection to the idea of having 30 years operating what is the same family. That means already having spent the tangible and intangible costs of platform logistics training, knowledge development and associated ancillary expenditures.
Try putting that down for a platform like the Rafale which for a laughable comment made by an Indian "senior"(A "title" I abhor on this forum for even a third rate -pardon my french - F"ck is senior by posting nonsense as often as they can, and as many Indians do in their attempt to assuage their egos here) that operating the M2K gives them common ground - Other than the M-53 maintenance, there is nothing common as such between the M2K-5H and the Rafale which will let one Indian Airman stroll from one flightline onto another without rigorous and expensive training.
C) Extrapolate that too in terms of the lesser number. This is NOT a "common" jet like the Block-52 was to Pakistan(and there too was an extensive learning curve because of what all is on the jet beyond what one can read on the DSCA notification)
D) I'd disagree; the Indian pilots have zero interest in the Tejas anyway. Not in its current form where it is handicapped by its flight envelope restrictions and Frankenstein supply chain and maintenance. As sweet looking and theoretically good performing as the Tejas is; it is not where the pilots of the IAF would like to be except perhaps the poor Mig-21M jockeys who barely make it past AJT.
The Rafale pilots are coming from experienced M2k pilots and maybe some from Mig-29 and Su-30 sqns
E & G) Make in India is happening in some half baked form or the other. As such Ive seen BEL & components being put into PK radio systems(to be reverse engineered later naturally) so one needs to give credit to their private industry as being eager and generally capable.
What I can agree with is that the Rafale deal is giving zip to the Make in India scheme and is essentially the Indian MoD completing a hurried purchase while circumventing their bureaucratic oversight as much as they can; and off course the Uri incident lit the fire in it.
F) perhaps not, since BAE has some stakes in the Gripen which might be bought per my sources within India due to the Tejas ending up more and more a technology-program than a serious light fighter.
H) That is plausible speculation but that is for the Indian CAG to uncover(or not). As such, the way the media and the bureucrats kept a microscope on the deal; it would have to involve a lot of offshore accounts. To add to the discounts that were poured in by the French, I think the there was certainly some money exchanged to move things along as the French were desperate ( the deal itself has a cost to Dassault and they have to recoup those costs as well, we are talking about the investment of preparing a proposal starting with the MRCA , Airshows, Marketing, negotiations, corporate lawyers and so on .. and then all of that expected revenue being whittled away down from $25 bn to just $8)
As an endnote, let it be clear that the Rafale brings with it an ENORMOUS Capability to India which now has the PAF pushing for its 5th Generation program to move a little faster. But as such, it is not the punch that the IAF wanted and only affirms the 2:1 availability and technological edge(after you take away the hangar queens and obsolete jets) that India wanted.
Pilot availability for generating enough sorties is another discussion entirely.
Till laters,
Oscar Hotel
Damn, din know you were in LA.. just left this morning.. forum badgering aside; would have loved to hang out.
Riverside was just an hour drive---.
