(Rafale)
Indian Express first carried a story Sept 18, 2016 justifying the purchase of 36 Rafales announced in Paris by PM Narendra Modi 17 months earlier because of its supposedly strategic role as nuclear weapon delivery system, http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/behind-rafale-deal-their-strategic-role-in-delivery-of-nuclear-weapons-3036852/ . On Nov 27 instant, Economic Times in its Blogs carried a piece saying much the same thing — except it dealt, in the main, with the theme of the Rafale procurement process being “clumsy” without it being “corrupt”. (https://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-commentary/rafale-procurement-process-has-been-clumsy-but-is-it-crooked/ ).
True, Rafale is tasked by the French Air Force for the N-role, but the distance it has to negotiate to Moscow isn’t relatively much, being the same that Mirage V was meant to do on a one-way suicide mission because that’s all its range permitted at a time in the mid- to late 1960s when France had little else to make its ‘force de frappe’ credible. Rafale is different in that it has the range to go to Moscow and back and in European conditions may be considered “strategic”, but it cannot be so labeled in Indian conditions unless all that the Modi govt has in mind for its use is Pakistan because, for certain, it can perform no useful strategic function against China. But was the Rafale buy at the unit cost of some $250 million — clean i.e., w/o any weapon — merited just for N-delivery against Pakistani targets when the IAF has the Jaguar low level strike aircraft for this job, and the Su-30MKI, which with aerial tankers and buddy refuelers for the last leg, for strategic nuclear bombardment deep inside China?
The Su-30MKI — a medium range air superiority/air dominance combat aircraft, I have long argued is not a genuine answer for long range nuclear targeting, whence the desperate need for a genuine high-alt strategic bomber, the Tu-160 Blackjack, that the Russians were always ready to lease to India, as a manned recall-able option in the triad. It was a case I had made to CAS Charley Browne some years back in person and retailed in ‘Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet). Browne shot it down saying that while lease costs were fine, the operating costs were too high and would be a drain on IAF’s resources. (For the cost figures, etc. refer above book.) But a Rafale carrying N-weapons is economical? This is an example of short-sighted financial resources management.
The nuclear role conjured up for the Rafale, it’d appear, was an afterthought of some not so bright denizen of the PMO and purveyed through the media, because of the flak Modi was receiving for the hasty, ill thought-out Rafale deal.
The fact is Rafale may barely survive the AD environment over Pakistan. Across Tibet, it is a dead duck, and will have even less chance anywhere deeper in China mainland where the layered AD defence is so intense the US Air Force feels it will have to deploy its full might of the B-2s to register success.
And even then, it will not do much good. Because China PLAAF now has operational a few photonic or quantum radars — with these replacing the older surveillance, tracking, and targeting radars in layers doing frontline duty. Incidentally, Russia and China have a massive lead in quantum hardware — communications, radars, etc. over the US, and the word is out that the US’ latest lemon F-35, inclusive of its on-board radar, is already defunct because it has been mapped out by the Russian and Chinese photonic radar. Wonder, if that’s the reason why the US is growingly keen about selling the completely useless F-35 to the IAF and has confidence the Indian govt can be prevailed upon to buy it. So much for India’s reputation for buying junk.
Quantum radar, in any case, means definite death for so-called stealth aircraft. In any case, stealth is a mis-used word because even without quantum radars, the stealthiest of the present day aircraft can be easily detected by low frequency radars — the old World War Two kind!
And finally if Rafale is actually being considered as a nuclear delivery platform, what’s the talk that IAF is exploring the acquisition of a handful of the latest version of the Backfire Tu-22M3 from Russia — which makes more sense than Rafale but is not as good an option as the Tu-160 — all about?
Security Wise 
From a cost perspective TU-22M3 makes sense for India and can serve multiple needs including strategic bombing, tactical bombing, MPA and as an ASW and sea control/sea denial platform. Its range limitations for some targets of interest can be overcome though IFR, extra tanks and if push comes to shove flying over the isthmus in Myanmar/Thailand. We can have a dozen of these as opposed to very very few of the extra-ordinary but expensive and largely unavailable TU-160.
In addition, we should join the PAK-DA program.
https://sputniknews.com/us/201712051059720600-us-stealth-fighter-training-flight-panel/
Junk called f35
So think what junk would be obsolete f26.
With the pasding away of german sceintists the angloamericans are very very short of talent to prodyce anything of value -that is why they force on others to take their junk by diplomatuc , economic abd miliray bulying.
With the traitors fully installed in most of induan establishment -mr.modi excepted – it would not be wise of russua to give any of these things to India now – s400; t50; tu-160.
All because their secrets will be passed on to angloanericans by ever slavish obliging indians even if usa does not ask for that.
@Kya,
I’m no flunky of Uncle Sam, but I find your single-minded focus of antagonism against the USA to be weird – it’s as if you place a higher priority on purely hating USA, while India’s security interests are a lesser concern for you. This is a blog on Indian security, not on Hating USA. There are times when interests between both countries overlap, as well as diverge.
no. he is absolutely right,even S-400 is still in the negotiating process right now, so why would russia give its cutting-edge technology for these indian Babus, who are lackey of USA ?? it totally makes sense, even in the case of PAK-FA or T-50, even as we invested money in that project, Moscow was not ready for tech-transfers & i am talking about this when Parrikar was our MOD
@SecurityAnalyst
I am not suggesting that India should become a flunky of USA, nor do I think India should be suckered into wasting money on US hardware that is overly expensive or overly obsolete. You are right that we have an old time-tested relationship with Russia.
But Russia has been providing more of its best military hardware to our enemy China, which has also been reverse-engineering it. Russia is now also supporting OBOR, which is against our interests (at least the CPEC portion is, since it runs through Kashmir)
Ideally, I would prefer rapprochement between US and Russia, as part of a reversal of Nixon’s infamous tilt toward China. That tilt should be reversed, so that the US tilts back towards Moscow, since China is now the bigger threat. It was Pakistan which helped to broker Nixon’s tilt toward China, and so it would likewise be fitting if India were to use its relationship with both US & Russia to broker a rapprochement between them, since that would certainly help us strategically. Alas, our aloof Babus couldn’t care less – they’re too busy preening over our “great Indian civilization” to move their fat backsides out of their comfortable seats. Apparently, confidence in one’s own civilizational greatness is best demonstrated through complacency, inertia and apathy.
Mr Karnad,
Your knowledge and awareness of the latest state-of-the-art in China’s defense technologies is very appreciated. I too have read about China’s formidable new Quantum Radar technology and its enhanced imaging capabilities. I hope that India will likewise try to develop such technology for its own air defense.
However, the Russian-made Tu-22M3 Backfire is a very capable platform which could be used to great effect in the Indian Ocean region against China’s surface fleet. With BrahMos it could be very deadly. Bombers have been considered inferior to the ICBM as strategic platforms ever since the latter was invented – but they still remain useful for tactical purposes, and can also offer flexibility in making a show of force when required (bomber fly-by).
Incidentally, ISRO had not long ago proudly unveiled its Multi-Object Tracking Radar, for tracking objects in space. I’m wondering if Quantum imaging technology (aka. correlated photon imaging) might not similarly be used to upgrade ISRO’s space tracking and observation capabilities?
Sorry, but Tu22M3 would be like buying a pony for a derby. And things cannot be any more ordinary than arming a pony with stock Brahmos. These were the requirements in the 90s till mid 2000s may be late 2000s too could have justified these.
Tu-160 and PAKDA are the real need today and for future and that too with the next generation of 600 km to 1000 km supersonic cruise missiles or somewhat shorter ranged hypersonic cruise missiles.
If the right thing cannot be done then the least the Indian strategic community can do is avoid doing a wrong. I say, just stick with what is comfortable, Su-30MKI with smaller Brahmos variants. It will be a disservice to the future generations but at least it would not look like a, bandar ke hath me talwar.
All Indians deserve a congrats on this though.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-successfully-test-fires-surface-to-air-akash-missile/articleshowprint/61936884.cms
“with indigenous seeker…..
With the successful test firing, India has achieved the capability of making any type of surface to air missile…..
The system is designed to neutralise multiple aerial targets attacking from several directions simultaneously. The system is autonomous and its operation is fully automated. There is flexibility in deployment……”
Quantum Radars are no more real than laser gun armed F35. Both operate in light frequency and are at the mercy of weather. Lets not even discuss the weather over Tibet. What is real is the Rafale.
Tibet is about the same latitude as north africa or south europe and scores as high or higher on total annual solar irradiance.
Much higher than most of richer parts of europe and russia and china and seas around japan and north american continent, where the IR/Optical window technologies were developed including for purposes like homeland defence.
globalsolaratlas.info/?c=38.959409,69.257813,3
globalsolaratlas.info/?c=38.959409,69.257813,3&m=sg:ghi
globalsolaratlas.info/?c=38.959409,69.257813,3&m=sg:dni
globalsolaratlas.info/?c=38.959409,69.257813,3&m=sg:dif
globalsolaratlas.info/?c=38.959409,69.257813,3&m=sg:gti
Reblogged this on securityanalystblog.
sir, but don’t you think that with Moscow developing Yars ,a hypersonic ICBM,this scope of Stealth & Hypersonic speed is going to be undermined by Quantum radar ?? And what will be the Scope of Artificial Intelligence in all of this ?? I mean with respect to ICBMs & one more thing sir, i know only you can clear my doubt, could there be a thing called a HYPERSONIC ICBM ???
sir another thing ISRo has already developed a SCRAMJET engine, so why Brahmos canot tie up with ISRO for better results within a shot period of time ?? https://www.isro.gov.in/update/28-aug-2016/successful-flight-testing-of-isros-scramjet-engine-technology-demonstrator
The next generation of Brahmos under development will be a hypersonic missile having a scramjet engine.
Meanwhile, I’m wondering if ISRO might even be able to incorporate Quantum Radar into their RISAT? Perhaps we could collaborate with the Israelis on the Quantum Radar technology, and make RISAT-3.
even Bharat Sir, had said that one Indian scientist has been given a 4 million $ package,alongside a lab in Beijing & hei smaking all the chinese learn quantum communications, Quantum communications as we know cannot be hacked,if that indian has jumped from india to beijing for money, its just because the fault of out BABUS
Tu160 blackjack:
The aircraft can carry free-fall bombs up to 40t and has two weapon bays, which can hold 12 Kh-55MS missiles and up to 24 Kh-15P short-range nuclear missiles. It has in-flight refuelling system and is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-32 turbofan engines. The maximum and cruise speeds of the aircraft are 2,220km/h and 960km/h respectively, and the range is 12,300km. speed: 2,220 kilometers per hour.
Cruising speed: 960 kilometers per hour.
Strike Range: around 7,300 kilometers without in-flight refueling.
Armaments: The Tu-160 has two internal payload bays outfitted with anywhere from 6 to 12 cruise missiles loaded on rotary launchers. The launchers can be replaced by up to 20,000 kilograms of free-falling bombs. Extra weapons can be loaded under the plane as well.Maximum weight is 275 tons.
Tu 22 M3c Backfire:
The aircraft carries a crew of four and can accomplish a maximum speed of 2,000km/h and maximum tactical range of 2,200km.
It can load Kh-22 stand-off missiles, six Kh-15 nuclear or Kh-15P anti-radar missiles, Kh-31A/P and Kh-35 air-to-surface missiles, and about three tonnes of free-fall bombs. The maximum take-off weight of the bomber is 124t.
Max speed: 2,300 kilometers per hour.
Cruising speed: 900 kilometers per hour.
Strike Range: up to 5,000 kilometers depending on the weapons load
Armaments: 1 GSh-23 air defense cannon mounted on the tail, remote controlled. Anywhere from three to six cruise missiles can be loaded on the wings and internal payload bay.
From the above its clear that the Blackjack is a much bigger and more potent strategic bomber than the Backfire,which is more of an anti ship platform and used as such by the Russians.
As for the Rafale in the nuclear delivery role as compared to the Blackjack,its a big joke, albeit a very expensive one
Sir, strategic bombers are mostly useless – especially trying to fly them all the way to Beijing when Agni can do the job better. Backfire is way better for our needs than Blackjack. It’s cheaper, more specialized to our needs, as you say it’s better for guarding Indian Ocean against China’s surface fleet, and it would be fine for penetration strikes against Pakistan. Backfire would be a much better fit for us than Blackjack.
Any strategic bomber is better than no bomber, and infinitely more potent than some MMRCA masquerading as nuclear bbr.
This whole Backfire saga in the IAF is really ancient,have a look at something I read on the net:
“In December 1999 it was announced that India would lease four Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers, with the aircraft slated to arrive in India as early as June 2000.” They never did.
However, the first time the Backfire was set to fly into the subcontinent was in mid-1971 when Russia offered it as a strategic bomber. However, Air Chief Marshal P.C. Lal rejected the offer.
Defence analyst Bharat Karnad said, the “reasons trotted out verged on the farcical”. Karnad says“As Wing Commander (later Air Marshal) C.V. Gole, member of the Air Marshal Shivdev Singh Mission to Moscow and test pilot, who flew the Tu-22(M) informed me, he was appalled by the fact that he had to be winched up into the cockpit, and that the plane would have to take off from as far east as Bareilly to reach cruising altitude over Pakistan!”
So this is how the IAF brass is and if anyone knows how their mind works its Bharat,hes been there done that,and if in his distilled opinion the Blackjack is whats required for the IAF well it would require prolonged arguments to the contrary to oppose his considered view.Somewhere we have to admit our llimitations as defense commentators Sanman and accept the fact that there are more wise people at work,with a professional outlook and a world of experience thats uncommon to say the least.
@Sanman
Seemingly you didn’t understand the purport of the the words “manned and recallable”as stated by Bharat…Ballistic missiles are very good but they have their limitations.If India has a dedicated aircraft for the nuclear attack role it would offer our war planners strategic flexibility and increase the odds of success. Because ballistic missiles are used only as a weapon of last resort, they cannot really be deployed at will. Once released, they cannot be recalled and if shot down are not easily replaced.
Bombers on the other hand,when armed with conventional warhead tipped missiles, can perform repeated sorties and be directed to bomb targets as they move.
Then there is the concept of Bomber patrols to keep the enemy off balance. Bomber patrols are conducted by both the United States and Russia (the only countries that have intercontinental range bombers) for a variety of reasons, including maintaining air worthiness, pilot training and morale, probing air defences and maritime reconnaissance.
The most spectacular patrols were conducted during the superpower standoff, when dozens of aircraft participated in colossal exercises. It involved a bizarre game of cat and mouse over the North Atlantic. Dozens of Soviet strategic bombers – sometimes accompanied by support fighters, refuelling aircraft and AWACS – from several bases such as Saratov and Ostrov, would come screaming over the Outer Hebrides, just northwest of Scotland.
In response, NATO would scramble fighters – first from Norway, which was the first country in the path of these bombers, and then from England. The Tu-95 Bears and Tu-160 Blackjacks would either turn back after merely probing NATO air defences or fly further out to the open expanse of the ocean. There were occasions when they flew close to American airspace, resulting in fighters being scrambled from the continental United States.
Often the Russian bombers would be back the following day, and again the day after. And then suddenly there would be a pause in the flights, before the ritual was re-enacted all over again. The idea was to keep NATO guessing so it was never quite sure if it was the real thing – a doomsday run aimed at America’s heartland.
Now imagine the effect of such Bomber patrols launched by India on the anyways paranoid Chinese,if nothing else it would certainly keep them honest on the LAC.
@andy,
Yes, I do understand that bombers are recallable – I apologize for using the word “flexible”, though it was meant with similar intent. I don’t necessarily see manned as being an advantage in itself, other than to facilitate the recallable part. Also, when I used the phrase “bomber flyby” I sort of meant what you said with bomber patrols.
I wouldn’t go as far as provoking the Chinese with bomber patrols near the border with them – instead I’d see more utility in doing it that to Pakistan. The paranoid Chinese have more resources than us, and could suddenly start bringing more of their aircraft near our borders.
@Andy: Also find out the cost and availability of the Blackjack. Furthermore, the Backfire is not currently used by the Russians as a Strat bomber due to limitations imposed by the STRAT treaties, removing the IFR probe on the Backfires. Something India can easily retrofit. Most importantly many of these are available and upgradable for meaningful service life until something like PAK-DA comes along.
from what i understood, previously plan was to scrap this tender by modi govt. But then France govt offered to share its own or to allow verify our flawed(TN) design with this deal .May be this is reason govt decided to go ahead..
DRDO was deliberately run down by traitor unelected mmsingh and even modi ji has not helped drdo, under american pressure..
This from that period.
Quote “”
Dr Avinash Chandar deserves a little better exit then how all this drama happened, given his long service for India.DM could have politely asked him to put down his papers and made news public via another channel.
What a disgraceful behaviour by GoI !!! If they wanted to put some “younger guy” then they could have done it when Chander had retired. Why do it after extending his tenure through contract and then suddenly even without informing anyone (not even the DM) you leak the news through pimp media ??
absolutely shameful behavior on part of RM Parrikar and PM Modi. The man – Avinash Chander has worked his entire career for the country more than Modi and Parrikar’s political career put together. Its downright pathetic that the RM had no clue this was going down. He made a good attempt of taking fire for the PM but this stinks on many levels.
DRDO as an org. feels constantly targeted by arms traders and the media. The latter have become past experts in taking anonymous sources, and other folks who now front for various companies and use them to target the org. the drdo can’t reply.
Going by Modi’s past, I find it hard to believe he would stoop to this level. Parrikar too. My suspicion points to some babus who made sure it would stink and I expect they will be removed too.
Foreign hand? 26th January dignitary visit should be watched closely. Arms trade is ugly and a lot is at stake.
USA refuses to allow licence for import of an actuator for drone Rustom 2 made by DRDO.
The angloamericans interests in and outside India who have been doing lies and propaganda about how Russia-China-Pak axis is now a threat to India irrespective of what the facts on the ground are. If transfers of billions of $ to Pakistan , F-16s/P3s by usa don’t sway them, a delay in getting some actuators hardly matters.
To that gang, Indian interests are subordinate to “xyz country where they reside”‘s interests. (in other words NRIs TRAITORS )
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The very people that use terrorists and terrorism to further their policies in the World are now crying crocodile tears over the deaths of 17 people in Paris.
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http://www.ruralindiaonline.org/albums/the-koilawallahs-of-godda/
“
The reasin i put previous writing is because that shows that zindua has been hurting her interest for the sake of a few traitirs gir several decades.especialky with infiktraion by mmsingh the unelected.
Wuote ”
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Russia., india and china, and many european countries aswell must pool their resources to defeat the angloamerican evil in the world.
“”Khrushchev, of course, abused Bhutto and said should Pakistan look towards India or Afghanistan, the Soviets would take our eyes out. He (Bhutto) told Khrushchev not to get angry: Pakistan was ready to quit the pacts (South East Asia Treaty Organisation and Central Treaty Organisation).” -quote from zee news(april 21st ,2007) about ayub khan diary of 1960.
” DRDO have been under attack from vested interest — namely lobbies pushing for foreign defence acquisitions – from both within the Indian Army, middlemen and foreign agencies who would not like to see India to produce major weapon systems ingeniously.”
great for DRDO.
But there are some people in the media -mostly english langauge ones earning bribe from american patrons -who ware bent on deriding DRDO. Take the example of this traitor ajay shukla of business standard of 12/2/2007 who is hell bent that drdo should not be given any more money-he is ofcourse getting money from Boeing to pimp americans.
web blog of this traitor- ajayshukla.blogspot.com
so are the media like toilet paper of india, indian express, economic times,economic express hinduistan times, and ofcourse british owned star tv and NDTv-thse all are typical inferioirity complex suffering indians whio lick their masters – angloamericans and do their bidding inside india .
like this angloamerican agent—“Kapil Kak, director of the independent Centre for Strategic Studies think-tank, agreed.
“Given the international security situation and emerging power configurations, a programme to develop ICBMs is definitely unsuited for India’s interests,” he said.
“It would raise hackles in the US,” said Kak, a former air marshal.”
((
so for this person raising the heckles of usa is more dangerous than leaving india open to blackmail from usa and threat(very real) that usa will one day attack or take over india through blackmail-considering the impotant prime ministers that india is good at producing we are already on way to becoming slave to american and not indian inrerests.)).
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india has to develop the ICMBs in order to protect herslef from angloamerican aggresion so where is this “question of antagonizing the west “comes into being? we certainly need to make the us guard agasint any aggrssion from the west mainly anglosaxon race..
Buoyed by the successful test of a missile that can hit China, India says it can extend its nuclear range beyond Asia, but experts say it is unlikely to take such a step for fear of upsetting the West.
Sources say the DRDO’s most treasured dream – denied in public – remains the development of an ICBM with a range of 15,000 kilometres, already christened Surya or sun, to match Chinese DF-3 ICBMs that can hit US cities. afp
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Russia., india and china, and some european countries as well (germany, france, italy etc) must pool their resources to defeat the anglo-american evils in the world.
Now please read this underlined quote from an american paper.
/
(From the Christian scince monitor of 12 th Feb,, 2007).
•” Russia is already supplying India with the Sukhoi-30MKI, an advanced “fourth generation” warplane that consistently defeats its Western counterparts, such as the frontline US fighters, the F-15C and F-16. Versions of the Su-30 are also being sold to China, Venezuela, and Malaysia.”
(christian scince monitor of 12th feb, 2007).
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Asked about the possible advantage the Gripen held over an aircraft like the F-16, Wagermark said: ‘I cannot imagine the IAF, which intends to obtain the highest quality aircraft available in the market, opting for the rather obsolete F-16 over the state-of-the-art Gripen.’
The deal will involve IAF purchasing updated but otherwise obsolete design fighter which are at the fag end of their usefull life cycle in the country of origin for a sum of 6-9 billion dolars. (which means obsolete f-16 and f-18).
so india is thrwoing away 7 billion dollars to please this treacherous prime monister’s masters– the americans.
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Feb 21 (PTI) The French Air Force team participating in Garuda III, a joint exercise here with their Indian counterparts, is impressed with the performance of the Sukhoi-30MKI comabt jet, particularly its vector controls.
“I saw the Su-30 twice, once in a photograph and the next time at an airshow. I am looking forward to sitting in its cockpit soon,” Air Marshal Patrick de Roussiers, chief of the French Air Force’s Air Defence and Air Operations Command, told a press confernece here.
Garuda III began on February 12 and will continue till February 23.
While the Indian Air Force has fielded its Su-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s and MiG-27s, the French are participating with Mirage-2000-5, an improved version of the jets flown by India, and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
Some members of the French team said they were most impressed by the vector controls of the Su-30, which enables it to suddenly reduce speed in mid-air when chased, thereby catching the enemy unawares.
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russia has agreed to use one billion dollar worth of russian money in rupees to be invested in india-that means the mig 29 were given to india not only in then worthless rupees but aslo that ruppee wanever left india-therefore it was free to tindia.
then you have traiotrs rather pimps like times of inia real toilet paper which is pidecrying russian advenced planes like mig 35 and sukhoi 33 in favour of old decrepit f16 which are due for scrap yard-as they are 40ys old.
itis the same toilet ppaer of india hwich is resopinsible thafor india not renewing her old plane-like mig21 which shoudl have been replaced 20 yrs ago and
how low and tr4eracherous can this toilet paper go.these toielt paper jourlaists must be mercillely killed forthwith.
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Much of India’s ability to cut technology costs arose from the necessity of having to find home-grown solutions when the United States and European countries imposed sanctions after India first detonated a nuclear device in 1974. The ISRO had to reinvent technologies it could no longer buy and, ironically, those technologies are now giving European and US agencies a run for their money.
S Krishnamurthy, a director at the ISRO headquarters in Bangalore, said the focus on self-reliance and the low cost of highly talented workers give India an edge over other countries.
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T-50 stealth fighter with a new engine.
Cheating and dishonest India has been making a lot of excuse to delay signing for t50- one of the useless argument of IAF was of old engine.
http://russiafeed.com/russias-fifth-generation-su-57-flies-new-engine/
https://www.rt.com/news/412157-su-57-jet-new-engine/
modern radar and avionics. The estimated price tag for the cutting-edge multirole fighter is about $50 million each.
That’s a much better pricetag than what others are offering.
What!!!!…Rafale, in normal mode RCS is 1.25 M2 whereas when it uses its Spectra EW suite, its RCS reduces to 0.05 M2 whereas, Su 30MKI RCS is 2 M2. So Rafale will be shot down easily while Su 30MKI will easily reach Beijing, drop N-bomb and comeback safely to Tezpur and get ready for next mission….Got it dude…baache log, taali baajao…..
@Shaurya.
Before the PAKDA becomes a reality,beginning 2021 the Russians are going to procure around 50new heavily upgraded with state of the art technologies Blackjacks known as TU160M2,probably these technologies will be honed on the Blackjack before eventually being incorporated on the PAKDA.
The cost of each new TU160 M2 is not clear,the nearest figure I could get hold of was $5 to $7 billions for the lot of 50,including R and D, which comes to around $120millions a piece(peanuts when compared to the capabilities inherent in the platform)but I cant vouch for the final cost.But given that Russian military kit is a whole lot cheaper than its western counterparts I think $120mil is par for the course.
India should ask for at least 12 brand new TU160M2 from Russia instead of second hand platforms ,after all if we can afford the Rafale with its limitations, then obviously we can very well afford such a potent platform as the Blackjack in which even the Russian military is showing unceasing faith even when their adversary is a technologically advanced NATO,while all India has to worry about is a third grade power like Pakistan and a wannabe copy cat like China ,which posseses little or no technologies of its own.Imagine the kind of impact the TU 160M2 will have in China and the whole Indo-pacific.It will be a game changer for sure.