Looking at the news and there is all the sudden there is a lot out there about India and the F-35.
One word: desperation. As in desperation of the U.S. government and lockmart (one in the same) to keep the F-35 program alive by any means necessary.
Now several words. There are a variety of problems with this idea.
India has not signed a nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Is it such a good idea to give them what Washington thinks is our most advanced technology--even if it is not?
Then there is the issue of national sovereignty for India. U.S. sales of fighter aircraft have other strings attached as Turkey or Pakistan would tell you. F-16s for these customers have devices in them that limit what they can do when located in certain geographic locations.
Then you have observe what happend to Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan. When they did something that was not in the interest of the U.S. they got logistics support for fighter aircraft cut off.
Object lesson.
With that, look at this deception of statements from a U.S. official on Indian TV back in 2007. It was an effort of desperation to get India to close out the fighter competition.
The message; F-16 sales to India lead directly to F-35 involvement. Where, the price of the F-35 is that of an F-16. I'm not even confident the guy is sober.
We all know how that theory of price comparison turned out.
6 comments:
yeah. The idea India is going to buy F-35 is pure fantasy.
1. Price. for that much money they might as well keep building Su-31MKI. Simplify everything and cheaper. (the point of their mid range program is to have cheaper fighter to replace mig-21)
2. logistic. India is a big country with complex diplomatic relationship. More often than not in diametric position than US. Right now US has need for india to whack pakistan and china vis a vis afghanistan. But historically, India is on the other side of isle when it comes to western interest. What happen if Russia-US clash again and India has to take side? (say, syria, burma, indian ocean, sri lanka, bangladesh, nepal. etc. etc.)
3. India is going to bargain hard. engine, open weapon control, avionic adjustment, open radio, and no spying on equipments. (note globemaster III complications. it has no radio.)
I don't know if it is desperation, I think there are too many variables and time will tell what really is going on.
Is India using LMT to put pressure on Eurofighter/Dassault? Nothing wrong for India to squeeze as much as they can from the Europeans.
Not sure India wishes to introduce ANOTHER fighter from ANOTHER country, they already source Russian, European,Isreali and local. Seems quite a lot for a country and IAF that has some problems when it comes to spares,training,etc...
Not sure LMT and USA have really thought this thru, Indian operates Sukois, they know pretty much everything about it, they should have a pretty good idea about PAKFA/FGFA in terms of LO, engines,thrust, armament, range....and isn't India a world leader in software? Once LMT gives them a briefing ,even with just regular info not the full classified stuff, one would expect IAF to run their own simulation/modelling with their info about SUs and threats to India? Maybe DOD and LMT expect India just to buy it thru powerpoint but I doubt it. IAF seems to value performance not just avionics, notice that IAF eliminated both F16 and F18. Could IAF feel LO and networking aren't enough, they might want something that can move too?
Last but not least, what about the price? Do they get a discount or pay the real price? Does India get the same deal as Australia or other partners? and why should they? What happens if India says: "hey , we buy a bunch of these and more than some partner countries, why are we paying full price???"
The IAF made it very obvious with the elimination of the F-18E/F and the F-16I from the MMRCA that superior avionics was not the only desirable characteristic they we're looking for.
Enter the F-35 with middle of the pack speed, high wing loading/miserable sustained turn rate, locked down proprietary code and avionics and a huge and growing price tag.
India will have a much superior stealth fighter with the T-50/FGFA which they will actually have a hand in designing and building.
Lockmart and company at this point are running out of options and are desperately trying to show that the JSF has someone who might buy it in the future.
It's simply not going to happen with the IAF no matter how much spin they put on the ball.
Mabe USAF should buy/license build the twin-seat FGFA from India starting with sub-work made in India and final assembly in US?
Install with F110 engines and Super Hornet avionics?
LOL. Can imagine the small print of such an "offer". But it isn't one anyway. Would never go through export control. This is just a (quite desperate) attempt to de-rail the competition. LMCO @ work!
"India has not signed a nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Is it such a good idea to give them what Washington thinks is our most advanced technology--even if it is not?"
If NPT was a dealbreaker then Israel would be out too.
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