illusion8
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 12,232
- Reaction score
- -20
- Country
- Location
Only the Best should do in Military Purchases
New Delhi. The US has reiterated a 2005 offer to share hi-tech in defence with India, although this time it appears to be more meaningful and realistic of Indias futuristic requirements.
Both the US aircraft, Boeings F/A 18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martins F 16 Super Viper on offer for Indian Air Forces Medium Multi Role Aircraft (MMRCA) competition lost out to the European contenders, despite possibly being cheaper. The loss has apparently triggered the US Department of Defense (DoD) to review relations with India, and in a recent report to the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, it has suggested that "should India indicate interest in the JSF, the United States would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements (infrastructure, security, etc.) to support India's future planning."
In fact, an indication in this perspective was given by Lockheed Martins Vice President for Business Development Orville Prins in January 2010 when he told India Strategic that a presentation about the JSF was made to the Indian Navy after it expressed interest in the newer generation of aircraft for its future carrier-based aircraft requirements. Although weapon systems are made in the US by leading companies, they are not authorized to even suggest sales unless there are blessings from the State and Defense Departments.
Why was the JSF not offered to the IAF for the MMRCA competition?
Understandably, its capabilities, and costs, would be much more than the projected requirements in the MMRCA RfP (Request for Proposals) or tender, and in any case, Washington perhaps waited for an interest to come from New Delhi.
It may be recalled that in 2005, US had announced a sea change in its foreign policy to assist India to become a global power. A month before the formal announcement in March 2005 from Washington in fact, US arms companies had been briefed to woo India.
I was attending the IDEX in Abu Dhabi in February 2005. At the Raytheon chalet, I mentioned that I had the newsbreak on the deployment of its Patriot anti-missile system in Saudi Arabia in 1990. Soon came Maj Gen Skip Garrett, who had commanded the Patriot units as a Colonel, and then I was introduced to the companys MD for Middle East Kent Swanson and treated to lunch. Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin and other companies had a similar welcome while at the Boeing chalet, I was told of the companys interest in selling the F/A 18 Super Hornet.
I was surprised at the unusual welcome accorded to an Indian journalist, and wrote in a local newspaper that Something was right or wrong and that the US was offering India AMRAAM, SLAMRAMM, DAMN-RAMM and whatever (sic). A week later, back in New Delhi, the then COAS Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi confirmed to me the offering about the Super Hornet. And March-end, came the formal statement from the US State Department.
India has bought or contracted since then some $ 10 billion worth of aircraft and systems from the US, but there are many critical technologies that India needs and the US has undeniably the best of them, thanks to the billions it pours in military R&D.
There is no hope for either the Super Hornet or Super Viper to be back in the MMRCA race as they have been technically disqualified due to the lower number of points they scored than the French Rafale and the European consortiums Eurofighter Typhoon.
And perhaps not much for the JSF unless the Indian Government cancels the agreement with Russia for the nascent Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) or decides to go in for both the options, which sounds difficult if not unlikely. The Russians have a tremendous weakness yet in electronics warfare systems compared to both the Americans and Europeans, and the FGFAs engines are also yet to be developed. At present, the prototypes are using Su 30s engines.
Even with these, the cost for 148 single seat and 48 twin seater FGFAs, now called Perspective Multirole Fighters (PMF), is estimated to be a huge $ 35 billion for India although with ToT and some indigenous manufacturing capability with tooling and initial support. Details though are yet to be worked out.
There are unmanned aircraft, many onboard systems and components like EW systems, combat radars for aircraft, ships, tanks and land vehicles from companies like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Boeing and United Technologies that could be offered to India without strings.
Notably, irrespective of what is sold by the US to India, the official mention of JSF for India, even within its own system, is a powerful indicator of the extent to which the US administration would go in the future. It is in fact a reiteration of the policy adopted and declared by the George Bush administration.
For India, there is an opportunity, if the country chooses to go forward in acquiring a quantum jump in technologies.
There is no way that New Delhi would give up its friendly ties with Moscow, but then Russia has limitations.
Moscow does not have the sophistication in many systems, it is not able to ensure near-future or lifetime support, and has the negative capability to go back on its own words as it did in the case of aircraft carrier Gorshkov.
Reports emanating from Moscow already indicate that Indias 2009 proposal to develop the Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA) in cooperation with Russian expertise is also in jeopardy with the Russians already demanding more money and less involvement.
India would need to balance friendship with Russia and the latters inability to support Indias modernization programmes. Russia has to accede to its weaknesses and admit them in all fairness.
And thanks to the need to phase out the large Soviet-vintage inventory in the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, India can still continue to buy some systems from Russia and some highly sophisticated equipment from the west, US included.
According to figures presented at a recent seminar on acquisitions, former Secretary Defence Finance Vinod Misra projected a figure of $ 235 billion over the next 10 years or so.
That is more than enough if India wants to keep every one happy, but the key has to be to build an edge by acquiring the best for the Indian defenders. The Indian soldier has to have the edge even in the best; it is his own life and the security of India that warrants this. And the edge in techno-quality would be the only guarantee to deter a war, or to be able to punish an aggressor effectively.
Diplomatically, relations between New Delhi and Washington have always been uncomfortable due to the latter's aggressive foreign policy, and perhaps would continue to be so. But there is a convergence of interests now, and the two countries need to support each other in maintaining a peaceful and stable South and West Asia. US has already removed most of the restrictions on sharing technologies which India needs for military modernisation.
Let the armed forces decide what is the best, and so be it. If the Indian Air Force and Navy think that an aircraft like the JSF can give an edge, or if there are other systems of interest, then the Government should give it serious consideration.
But the MMRCA programme should move ahead as in any case, IAF would need varying tiers of technology in various systems.
..:: India Strategic ::. IAF: US reiterates offer to share hi-tech with India, including JSF
New Delhi. The US has reiterated a 2005 offer to share hi-tech in defence with India, although this time it appears to be more meaningful and realistic of Indias futuristic requirements.
Both the US aircraft, Boeings F/A 18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martins F 16 Super Viper on offer for Indian Air Forces Medium Multi Role Aircraft (MMRCA) competition lost out to the European contenders, despite possibly being cheaper. The loss has apparently triggered the US Department of Defense (DoD) to review relations with India, and in a recent report to the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, it has suggested that "should India indicate interest in the JSF, the United States would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements (infrastructure, security, etc.) to support India's future planning."
In fact, an indication in this perspective was given by Lockheed Martins Vice President for Business Development Orville Prins in January 2010 when he told India Strategic that a presentation about the JSF was made to the Indian Navy after it expressed interest in the newer generation of aircraft for its future carrier-based aircraft requirements. Although weapon systems are made in the US by leading companies, they are not authorized to even suggest sales unless there are blessings from the State and Defense Departments.
Why was the JSF not offered to the IAF for the MMRCA competition?
Understandably, its capabilities, and costs, would be much more than the projected requirements in the MMRCA RfP (Request for Proposals) or tender, and in any case, Washington perhaps waited for an interest to come from New Delhi.
It may be recalled that in 2005, US had announced a sea change in its foreign policy to assist India to become a global power. A month before the formal announcement in March 2005 from Washington in fact, US arms companies had been briefed to woo India.
I was attending the IDEX in Abu Dhabi in February 2005. At the Raytheon chalet, I mentioned that I had the newsbreak on the deployment of its Patriot anti-missile system in Saudi Arabia in 1990. Soon came Maj Gen Skip Garrett, who had commanded the Patriot units as a Colonel, and then I was introduced to the companys MD for Middle East Kent Swanson and treated to lunch. Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin and other companies had a similar welcome while at the Boeing chalet, I was told of the companys interest in selling the F/A 18 Super Hornet.
I was surprised at the unusual welcome accorded to an Indian journalist, and wrote in a local newspaper that Something was right or wrong and that the US was offering India AMRAAM, SLAMRAMM, DAMN-RAMM and whatever (sic). A week later, back in New Delhi, the then COAS Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi confirmed to me the offering about the Super Hornet. And March-end, came the formal statement from the US State Department.
India has bought or contracted since then some $ 10 billion worth of aircraft and systems from the US, but there are many critical technologies that India needs and the US has undeniably the best of them, thanks to the billions it pours in military R&D.
There is no hope for either the Super Hornet or Super Viper to be back in the MMRCA race as they have been technically disqualified due to the lower number of points they scored than the French Rafale and the European consortiums Eurofighter Typhoon.
And perhaps not much for the JSF unless the Indian Government cancels the agreement with Russia for the nascent Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) or decides to go in for both the options, which sounds difficult if not unlikely. The Russians have a tremendous weakness yet in electronics warfare systems compared to both the Americans and Europeans, and the FGFAs engines are also yet to be developed. At present, the prototypes are using Su 30s engines.
Even with these, the cost for 148 single seat and 48 twin seater FGFAs, now called Perspective Multirole Fighters (PMF), is estimated to be a huge $ 35 billion for India although with ToT and some indigenous manufacturing capability with tooling and initial support. Details though are yet to be worked out.
There are unmanned aircraft, many onboard systems and components like EW systems, combat radars for aircraft, ships, tanks and land vehicles from companies like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Boeing and United Technologies that could be offered to India without strings.
Notably, irrespective of what is sold by the US to India, the official mention of JSF for India, even within its own system, is a powerful indicator of the extent to which the US administration would go in the future. It is in fact a reiteration of the policy adopted and declared by the George Bush administration.
For India, there is an opportunity, if the country chooses to go forward in acquiring a quantum jump in technologies.
There is no way that New Delhi would give up its friendly ties with Moscow, but then Russia has limitations.
Moscow does not have the sophistication in many systems, it is not able to ensure near-future or lifetime support, and has the negative capability to go back on its own words as it did in the case of aircraft carrier Gorshkov.
Reports emanating from Moscow already indicate that Indias 2009 proposal to develop the Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA) in cooperation with Russian expertise is also in jeopardy with the Russians already demanding more money and less involvement.
India would need to balance friendship with Russia and the latters inability to support Indias modernization programmes. Russia has to accede to its weaknesses and admit them in all fairness.
And thanks to the need to phase out the large Soviet-vintage inventory in the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, India can still continue to buy some systems from Russia and some highly sophisticated equipment from the west, US included.
According to figures presented at a recent seminar on acquisitions, former Secretary Defence Finance Vinod Misra projected a figure of $ 235 billion over the next 10 years or so.
That is more than enough if India wants to keep every one happy, but the key has to be to build an edge by acquiring the best for the Indian defenders. The Indian soldier has to have the edge even in the best; it is his own life and the security of India that warrants this. And the edge in techno-quality would be the only guarantee to deter a war, or to be able to punish an aggressor effectively.
Diplomatically, relations between New Delhi and Washington have always been uncomfortable due to the latter's aggressive foreign policy, and perhaps would continue to be so. But there is a convergence of interests now, and the two countries need to support each other in maintaining a peaceful and stable South and West Asia. US has already removed most of the restrictions on sharing technologies which India needs for military modernisation.
Let the armed forces decide what is the best, and so be it. If the Indian Air Force and Navy think that an aircraft like the JSF can give an edge, or if there are other systems of interest, then the Government should give it serious consideration.
But the MMRCA programme should move ahead as in any case, IAF would need varying tiers of technology in various systems.
..:: India Strategic ::. IAF: US reiterates offer to share hi-tech with India, including JSF
