India's new government to speed fighter jet deal

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - India will soon hold field trials for the purchase of 126 fighter planes in a $10.4 billion contract that is one of the world's biggest current arms deals.

Boeing's (BA.N) F/A-18 Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) F-16, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Saab (SAABb.ST) KAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies, are in the race for the lucrative contract.

France's Dassault Aviation was knocked out last month on technical grounds, but could be back after answering queries related to its aircraft, a defence official said.

"All the paperwork is over and a technical evaluation report on the fighters has been placed with the ministry," defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSDEL32755420090522

[TheCoxwain]

1. Military Industrial Complex is spreading its tentacles .... God forbid Nasty things like

World Peace

[Uncle Joe]

5. Combined with the effects of global warming climate change,

the world is going to be a mess over the next century. When the mountain glaciers melt and the rivers they feed dry up, world peace will stand a snowball's chance on Earth of ever becoming a reality.

If humanity had evolved to the point of putting military industrial complex money and research in to renewable energy instead, we would stand a much better chance of survival.

I hate to say it, but I'm thankful in not having any children of my own.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3889446

[fujiyama]

2. Kicking

Anyone have a list pros/cons for these fighter jets? India has largely relied on Migs until now, but I get the impression they aren't terribly reliable. One of the models was referred to as a "flying coffin" or "widow maker".

[caraher]

3. It's rarely obvious which is the "best" choice

Often the ancillary parts of the deal matter more than the actual plane selected. MiGs have picked up a bad reputation for poor reliability in recent years. But India has close ties to the Russian manufacturer, and they are more likely to get a good deal from them in terms of technology transfer, local production, etc. And how the plane looks on paper might actually matter more than real-world performance if the whole point is to deter a threat from Pakistan.

Or... they could go with whoever has the best dance number.

[bahrbearian]

4. Unreal!

[cosmicone]

6. This is all because of American support of Pakistan

If the US didn't arm Pakistan to the teeth with funds, hardware and training, India wouldn't have to play catch-up.

It is that simple. Stop all aid to Pakistan and let the pieces fall in place naturally.

[caraher]

7. What made it worse was the utter lack of oversight

Arming Pakistan tended to take the form of high-tech toys of no use against Al Qaeda and tha Taliban, with the results we see today. Their military always wanted the weapons that made them look scariest to India, not necessarily the ones they actually needed.

[bdab1973]

8. India is by far a superior military power to Pakistan...

If anything, it's the other way around...Pakistan nowhere near has the capabilities of the IAF. And the primary US aircraft that Pakistan owns, the F-16s, are very dumbed down versions that for a long time weren't supported by the US (due to the nuke issue). Of just over 460 combat aircraft in the PAF, only 40 or so are US made...the rest being French Mirages and Chinese-made fighters.

[ohio2007]

9. There's bigger fish in the ocean that are building bases around India

like a string of pearls as they speed up their own defense building projects at the same time.



http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/?p=3607

But since they are only a developing nation..........this can't possibly be seen as a threat to anyone from the Yellow sea to the Red sea

India should chill

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/07-china-bigger-threat-than-pakistan-indian-air-force-chief-ha-04

[TheMightyFavog]

10. And it's not like these two nations ever fought a war or anything...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War

[ohio2007]

11. Who actually owns those mountain top peaks still in dispute today due to the lack of settlers from

either side staking claim.
In due time,it will be brought to the front burner when the crowded oil route sea lanes heat up.

[Haole Girl]

12. That seems like a very large order

Ugh.