IAF Chronicles - A side view of whats going on behind the closed doors in New Delhi

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engines are hard. the hardest really.

the metallurgy is especially hard.
To study and produce a plane (ie the frame) takes 4 years to the best.
To study and produce an engine from a empty page takes 10 years. it has to start from -30°C to 50°C, run from -50°C to 50°C, external temperature may be -50°C and interior one +1600°C, change from idle to full reheat in a few seconds, be lighter.... HARDER.
It's a mix of metal, composite, ceramic, fully electronicaly supervised. A crown jewel of technology.
 
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We already make Al31F engine in India. I don't see why people are ranting that India is not able to make any engine at all. India is not able to develop an engine by itself till date and that is not because of incapability but political reasons.

The technology used in making Al31F can be used to make a smaller engine with appropriate adjustments.
 
We already make Al31F engine in India. I don't see why people are ranting that India is not able to make any engine at all. India is not able to develop an engine by itself till date and that is not because of incapability but political reasons.

The technology used in making Al31F can be used to make a smaller engine with appropriate adjustments.
You have to realize that according to current standards, the Al31F is shit. That's why you have so many problems with your Su-30 MKI.
 
You have to realize that according to current standards, the Al31F is shit. That's why you have so many problems with your Su-30 MKI.

Actually there are very little problems with Su30. The main drawback is high RCS due to full metal body. However, the Al31F engine is better than P&W F100 and similar to GE F110 in thrust to weight and absolute thrust. Even engine like F404 has similar thrust to weight as Al31F. So, overall, Al31F is a very decent engine.

First batch 36 with Macron travel in India to be produce in MII, then RFI, RFP SPP approach compatible with F4.
Will engine also be MII? Because I don't see any reason for India to design another engine in addition to Kaveri, Al31F (and any AMCA engine) for Rafale. The M88 is a small engine and it is not possible to derate other engines to fit the fuselage necessitating design of new engine or import of M88 eternally from france if ToT is not given
 
Can Dassault respond by only an update F4.1 of the coming F3.R Rafale ?

F4.2 planning was only for France, if needed they could accelerate the planning.

It depends. IAF may ask for operational capability for technical trials. If Dassault enters the competition with early prototypes, it may not be a good idea.

But only those who know what the RFP says can comment on this matter.
 
Actually there are very little problems with Su30. The main drawback is high RCS due to full metal body. However, the Al31F engine is better than P&W F100 and similar to GE F110 in thrust to weight and absolute thrust. Even engine like F404 has similar thrust to weight as Al31F. So, overall, Al31F is a very decent engine.
The thrust-to-weight ratio is not the right criterion for judging an engine, we must also take into account maintenance needs. A technological breakthrough allowed either to increase the thrust of the M88 from 7.5 t to 9t or to increase the engine life by 60%. France has chosen the second solution, if we had chosen the first we would be closer to the characteristics of Russian engines.
The M88 are maintained "on condition" and do not need overhaul for example.
 
Things are set to go back on track for the IAF.

They have ordered 83 LCAs and 36 Rafales which will come in until 2025. If we are lucky, we will see another 36 Rafales added to the list to make up for the gap between 2022 and 2026 where we won't be inducting any other jet apart from LCA.

So we should see the addition of 119 to 155 jets by 2025 with another 120+ on order through MMRCA 2.0 right up to 2032.

There's the request for Phantom-35 also.

Me gusta.
 
Things are set to go back on track for the IAF.

They have ordered 83 LCAs and 36 Rafales which will come in until 2025. If we are lucky, we will see another 36 Rafales added to the list to make up for the gap between 2022 and 2026 where we won't be inducting any other jet apart from LCA.

So we should see the addition of 119 to 155 jets by 2025 with another 120+ on order through MMRCA 2.0 right up to 2032.

There's the request for Phantom-35 also.

Me gusta.
Rafale (36+36) + 123 LCA = 10 sqd will help us to maintain 33-34 sqd till 2024-25. After that 100-120 LCA Mk2 + 90-126 SE/Rafale orders will take sqd numbers to required 42+ sqd easily.

FGFA is the Black Swan here. :sneaky:
 
Rafale (36+36) + 123 LCA = 10 sqd will help us to maintain 33-34 sqd till 2024-25. After that 100-120 LCA Mk2 + 90-126 SE/Rafale orders will take sqd numbers to required 42+ sqd easily.

FGFA is the Black Swan here. :sneaky:

We have to start replacing Jaguar ; Mig 29 and Mirage 2000 from 2030 onwards
 
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AMCA can NEVER be made unless we Get the technology from FGFA

AMCA is a scam ; ADA has no capabilities ( forget the Financial Requirement of 15 THOUSAND CRORE for Three Prototypes )
Disagree. India is in a comfortable position to develop every Fifth-generation technology in next 10 years. Defence R&D budget would be 3-4 times of now and access to technology is only increasing for indian firms. If dreaming and planning towards it is a scam then maybe it is.
 
Rafale (36+36) + 123 LCA = 10 sqd will help us to maintain 33-34 sqd till 2024-25. After that 100-120 LCA Mk2 + 90-126 SE/Rafale orders will take sqd numbers to required 42+ sqd easily.

FGFA is the Black Swan here. :sneaky:

The IAF has a request for only 3 more squadrons after the 123. Those 3 could be the Mk2 if necessary. Their plan is to replace the Mig-21s with 180 LCAs. The Mk2 has to change completely into a Gripen-class MMRCA if more are to be bought because even the Mk1A will end up better than the Mk2 from the way things are going. The current version of Mk2 is still only an LCA.

Mk1A and Mk2 are basically a competition between HAL and ADA, HAL will win this easily because they have real world experience. The current designs, both Mk1A and Mk2, are only suitable as Mig-21 replacements, nothing more. Getting to 180 will be a huge achievement.

The good news now is the SE and TE have combined into one, so we will now see 200-300 of these jets being ordered. And something extraordinary has to happen for Rafale to lose from here on. It appears we can go back to talking about getting ~400 Rafales for both the IAF and IN.

The only thing stopping FGFA is money, nothing else. But if FGFA is canceled, we will still buy 3 squadrons of PAK FA to replace the Mig-29s. With ADA asking for private production partners for AMCA, it looks like HAL will not have anything else to do after 2025. My bet is FGFA will go ahead and we will eventually buy 300+ over the next 30 years.
 
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