The US Navy in seriously need plane.
as their hornet fleet have reach their airframe limit. also they are not going to order more f-18 in favor of the f-35.
our hornet are in good condition. not as stress as their fighter.

Russian are most likely hope to get some small sales since we are not going to buy any Russian fighter in these MRCA.
offering trade in might get them some business. just my opinion though.

errm. arteyu.
not all from China some important part are from Russian.

Dassault Rafale wins USD 10.4 billion Indian Air Force jet fighter deal: Sources

New Delhi:  The Dassault Rafale fighter jet, manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation, has won India's mammoth contract worth $10.4 billion, say sources. The Indian Air Force  plans to buy 126 aircraft over the next ten years.

The process to determine the L1 (lowest bidder) has been completed, and sources indicate that the final contract is expected to be signed in  the next financial year. The first 18 aircraft will be bought off the shelf. The rest 118 will be manufactured in partnership with an Indian company.

There were six contenders for the world's biggest defence deal which included the Russian MiG- 35,Lockheed Martin's F-16 Falcon, Boeing's F-18 Hornet, the Swedish Saab Grippen, Euro-Fighter Typhoon and Rafale.

Of these, the European EADS Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale were in the final race for the global tender for a medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). The Eurofighter bid was backed by four partner nations including Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom while the Dassault Rafale was backed by the French Government.

On November 4 last year, Defence ministry had opened the commercial bid of the two firms left in the race and since then has been busy in determining the lowest bidder. The rest were rejected as they didn't meet the technical qualifications.


Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/dassault...urces-171975&cp

thanks yinchet!

btw
most likely this result maybe affected our decision too!

so are we going to see Rafale-M in the future? 

if we buy rafale, indon scare meh... 2nd hand f16 vs brand new rafale? no way!

india beli sukhoi, kita beli sukhoi.. (modify dari india punya model lagi)
india beli scorpene, kita pun beli scorpene gak

india beli rafale,.. kita beli <isikan tempat kosong>

eurofighter vs rafale


anyway.. the decision will only be made after malaysia general election, most probably after march 2012.

if we buy rafale, indon scare meh... 2nd hand f16 vs brand new rafale? no way!

buy rafale = new aircraft but possibly no aewc in the future

buy sh = risk of limitation set by US but possible for aewc purchase

oh mai
decision, decision.....kena lambung syiling la camnih

The First Self Guided Bullet

Sandia National Laboratories have invented a small caliber self guided bullet. The bullet contains an optical sensor, CPU, battery and electromagnetic actuated fins. It is able to track laser designated targets out to 2,000 meters.



The CPU tracks laser designed targets using the optical sensor in the nose and can make changes to its flight as often as 30 times per second. The below photo shows a nightime field test in which they attached a LED to the base of the bullet.



Reading in between the lines of the Sandia press release this invention is a long way from actually being able to hit targets at long distances. Computer simulations indicate that the bullet could theoretically get within 8" of a target at 2,000 meters. Sandia is looking to license the technology to a commercial partner to develop the technology.


sosej

Hard negotiations lie ahead for Dassault after Rafale's Indian selection

With its attainment of "L1 vendor" status in India's medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contest for 126 fighters, the Dassault Rafale is one step closer to securing its first overseas deal, but the road to a final agreement is still long.

Dassault on 31 January confirmed that the Rafale had been selected ahead of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Indian defence ministry, however, told Flightglobal that it has yet to make a formal announcement of the company's L1 status, and was uncertain about the timeframe for this. "Nothing is official yet," a defence ministry source said.

Assuming the formal granting of L1 status, final negotiations between Dassault and the Indian government's Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) could take between six months and one year, said an industry source familiar with Indian defence procurement policy.

The process can be a tortuous one. According to defence ministry tender guidelines, a CNC should be comprised of individuals representing the stakeholders involved in an acquisition. In the case of MMRCA, the source believes the Indian air force, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and other key parties will be represented.

The CNC will conduct a two-stage negotiation. The first will deal with details such as contract language and deliverables, and the second with pricing.

On clearing the CNC, the contract will need the approval of the Defence Acquisition Council and India's finance ministry. Finally, the package will go before India's Cabinet Committee on Security, which will give the final sign-off.

"The L1 price is not necessarily the price you will win with," said the source. "There will be multiple stakeholders involved in the decision and negotiations."

Industry observers estimate the value of the MMRCA deal at between $10 billion and $20 billion - India's largest foreign arms purchase. Under the terms of the award, 18 aircraft will be delivered in a flyaway condition, with 108 to be built under licence by HAL.

Although the Rafale has struggled in late-stage negotiations in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, recent French wins on the subcontinent bode well for the successful conclusion of Dassault's MMRCA campaign.

In July 2011, Dassault won a long-awaited $2.2 billion deal to upgrade the Indian air force's Mirage 2000H fighters to the 2000-9 standard. In early January, European firm MBDA confirmed a deal to equip the modified aircraft with Mica air-to-air missiles, although an official contract has yet to be signed.

sosej

Backwards parachutes ground some F-35s

At least 15 Lockheed Martin F-35s are grounded for about 10 days to repack improperly installed parachutes, according to the programme office.

The grounding suspends all high-speed ground and flight tests at Edwards AFB, California; Eglin AFB, Florida and Fort Worth, Texas, the F-35 programme said.

Eight F-35s based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, remain flightworthy.

The grounded aircraft are equipped with new versions of the Martin Baker US16E ejection seat, the F-35 programme said.

The wrong packing instructions were sent to the ejection seat manufacturer, the F-35 programme said. As a result, Martin-Baker packed the parachutes backwards, the programme said.

The ejection seats must be sent back to Martin Baker in the UK to reverse the parachutes.

The problem only involves newer ejection seats designated as -21 and -23. The F-35Bs and F-35Cs stationed at Patuxent River have older ejection seats with parachutes that were packed correctly, the programme said.

Despite two fleet-wide grounding orders last year, the programme completed all flight tests for 2011 in mid-November, although the number of test points accomplished lagged slightly behind.

sosej

EADS Cassidian responds to India's Typhoon rejection

EADS company Cassidian has voiced its disappointment after the Eurofighter Typhoon's defeat in India's medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition, but appears to have accepted New Delhi's choice of Dassault's Rafale.

"India has taken the decision to select our competitor, although this is not yet a contract signature and the negotiations are still ahead," Cassidian said. "We are disappointed. However, we respect the decision of the Indian Ministry of Defence," it added.

Dassault officials were informed on 31 January that their Rafale bid had been judged the lowest-priced compliant proposal in a two-way battle with the Typhoon. The announcement provided a major boost for the French manufacturer, which has long sought a launch export buyer for its "omnirole" combat aircraft. Exclusive negotiations between the Rafale team and the Indian defence ministry for the planned 126-aircraft deal are expected to take place over the coming months.

"Based on the Indian government feedback we will now carefully analyse and examine this situation, together with our European partner companies and their respective companies," said Cassidian.

The Indian decision represents the third disappointment for the Eurofighter team in a little over a month, with the Typhoon having also been rejected in competitions in Japan and Switzerland during December. The aircraft lost out along with the Rafale to the Lockheed Martin F-35 and Saab Gripen NG, respectively.

Prospects for further sales of the Typhoon exist in countries including Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. Previous export buyers include Austria and Saudi Arabia, with Vienna having acquired 15 examples and Riyadh having so far fielded 24 from a 72-aircraft deal.

sosej

Seoul kicks off F-X III competiton

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has issued a request for proposals for its F-X III fighter requirement, paving the way for the acquisition of around 60 fighters.

The submission guidelines were issued at a meeting in Seoul yesterday. The contenders for the requirement are the Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The Sukhoi PAKFA was previously mentioned as a contender, but media reports in South Korea and Russia indicate that Sukhoi did not attend the meeting. The reports suggest that Saab, which produces the JAS 39 Gripen, was in attendance, although it is unclear if the Swedish firm will submit a bid.

According to Seoul's Yonhap news agency, the aircraft will be judged by four primary criteria and 150 secondary criteria. The four main criteria are cost, capability, interoperability with South Korean forces and industrial benefits. Seoul is likely to require the F-X III winner to provide significant help with its indigenous KFX fighter programme.

Bids for the F-X III competition are due by 18 June, with a decision possible by late 2012. DAPA did not specify the number of aircraft it intends to obtain under F-X III, but in the past industry sources have said the number is around 60. The aircraft will replace the Republic of Korea Air Force's McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms.

Industry observers feel the race is primarily between the F-35 and F-15SE. The F-35 programme scored an important victory in the region recently when it won Japan's F-X competition for 42 aircraft, where it beat another Boeing aircraft, the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and the Typhoon.

Boeing's F-15 programme also received a major boost recently with the confirmation of an order for 84 F-15SA aircraft from Saudi Arabia, which also included upgrades to 70 F-15S aircraft.

At the Seoul Air Show in October 2011, Lockheed and Boeing representatives stressed the respective merits of their aircraft. Lockheed highlighted the ability of the stealthy F-35 to penetrate enemy airspace, while Boeing emphasised the F-15SE's heavy weapons payload coupled with new low observable features that would be of great utility in the early days of a war.

"We're moving forward with all the Silent Eagle's core capabilities," said Howard Berry, Boeing vice-president for sales "Silent Eagle is a bundle of new capabilities brought to the existing F-15."

Windtunnel tests will start by March or April on a scale model of the F-15SE with conformal weapons bays. The weapons bays, which are modified conformal fuel tanks, allow the F-15 to store weapons internally and lower the aircraft's profile to radars.

sosej

Russia to Field Air-Launched Missiles for T-50 by 2014



Russia will complete development of advanced tactical air-launched missile systems for the Sukhoi T-50 fifth-generation fighter within the next two years, the head of the Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV), Boris Obnosov, told RIA Novosti.

“The development of Kh-35UE (AS-20 Kayak), Kh-38ME, Kh-58UShKE (AS-11 Kilter), and RVV-MD (AA-11 Archer) class missiles will be completed in 2012-2013,” Obnosov said, adding the missiles were currently being tested.

By the time the T-50 fighter enters service with the Russian Air Force in 2014, its missile systems will be fully operational, Obnosov said.

Some of the missiles intended for the fighters – such as Kh-31PD (AS-17 Mod 2) class missiles – have already been tested using Sukhoi Su-34 (Fullback) fourth-generation strike aircraft and put into serial production, he added.

According to KTRV, the Kh-35UE tactical anti-ship missile has a maximum range of 260 kilometers; the supersonic Kh-31PD anti-radiation missile for use against air defense systems, can fly up to 250 kilometers; the Kh-58UShKE missile, designed to destroy pulse radars, can hit targets within 245 kilometers, and the short-range RVV-MD air-to-air missile has a maximum range of 40 kilometers.

The T-50, developed under the PAK FA (Future Aviation System for Tactical Air Force) program by the Sukhoi OKB, is Russia's first new major warplane designed since the fall of the Soviet Union. The jet made its maiden flight in January 2011 and two prototypes have since been undergoing flight tests

Boeing Begins Production of F/A-18E/F Distributed Targeting System

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 1, 2012 -- Boeing today announced that it has started production of the new Distributed Targeting System (DTS) for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter.

DTS provides enhanced targeting capability for the Super Hornet. It is part of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Network Centric Warfare Upgrades program and the F/A-18E/F Flight Plan, which will ensure that the Super Hornet remains ahead of emerging threats in coming decades.

The Navy granted approval for Low Rate Initial Production of DTS following successful completion of initial operational assessment flight testing at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., between September 2010 and March 2011. Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons VX-31 and VX-23 conducted the tests.

“Distributed targeting is going to be a real game-changer for Super Hornet aircrews,” said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18G Mission Systems director. “DTS increases pilot and aircrew situational awareness and precision targeting when engaging air-to-ground targets, in part by using geo-registration technology.”

Geo-registration technology compares images taken from tactical sensors with an onboard imagery database to produce highly accurate target coordinates.

DTS is on schedule to achieve Initial Operational Capability in January 2013.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 480 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered ahead of schedule and on budget