Fight over India: F-35 against our T-50
By offering its fifth-generation fighter, the Americans hope that Indians will no longer work on the Russian competitor
The United States is willing to offer India's newest combat aircraft of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II, which has so far only tested on the program "One Strike Fighter (JSF)». In the present Congress in the Pentagon report on this subject says: "If India has expressed an interest in JSF, the U.S. would be willing to provide information on the JSF, its performance characteristics (design, safety), and other data in order to support India in its intentions" . In fact, the biggest loser in this case could be Russia. But - first things first.
The desire to support anyone - it's noble of the Americans, but did not like the quality characteristic of them in such a delicate and lucrative areas such as arms trafficking. There is no doubt that from them all the purely rational, and based in Washington, the initiative lies naked pragmatism. What is it?
Well, first of all, there is tough competition for Indian arms market. Former favorite - Russia, which has recently been here almost a monopoly - is closely from all sides. And the Americans in this tough competition play a role. In addition, recently New Delhi has announced it will nearly double the amount of the contract under which started on Friday tender for 126 fighter jets for its air force. Previously, for the renewal of the fleet Indians were willing to shell out $ 11 billion. Now - 20 billion. Unexpected generosity is easily explained. The first calculations were made by the Indian side in 2007 prices. But inflation - the trouble is not just a Russian. Suffered by her and others. Do you want to - or not, and purse in New Delhi has to plow wide.
Whatever the case is over now, one thing is clear: with the tender, Russia trouble. Moreover, Moscow is also trying to fight for victory in this tasty tender, the preliminary assessment that began four years ago. Then, in the first stage, their applications submitted six countries. We Americans - including. On our side to win confidently claimed multirole fighter MiG-35 (deep modernization of MiG-29). From the U.S. - F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-18 Super Hornet.
All these years, Moscow exuded complete confidence that the MiG-35 - an absolute favorite in the fight for a multibillion-dollar jackpot. Based on experts' opinion, this machine is in fact looks very much. According to Nikolai Bountina, program director of the MiG-35, the chief designer of the Engineering Center "Yakovlev Design Bureau. AI Mikoyan, "" the aircraft of "4 + +" is designed for demanding customers - such as the Air Force of Russia and India. Getting to the development of the MiG-35, we proceeded from the fundamental requirement: it must excel in combat and operational qualities of the fourth generation fighter aircraft and cope in aerial combat aircraft of the fifth generation. "
In general, many people imagined that the Indians will choose exactly the Russian fighter. But in April this year, the MiG-35 lost in a crash. Did not win and the Americans. The main contenders for the lucrative contract so there were only a French multi-role fighter of the fourth generation Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
アメリカ5世代戦闘機 F-35 Lightning II
Photo: ITAR-TASS ロシア5世代戦闘機 T-50 PAK FA
The F-35 Lightning II
However, if Russia with the loss of billions of Indian resigned, the U.S. decided to fight till the end. They laid out on the table one more trump card - the fifth-generation fighter F-35 Lightning II. And now waiting for a new answer.
It would seem that we are now so tender, about which can only hurt pout? In fact, the latest American initiative for our country is fraught with troubles far more important than "flight" by The coveted billion. If the F-35 will be on arming the Indian Air Force, under the question can be posed the most ambitious Russian program of rearmament. Talking about domestic fifth generation fighter T-50 or PAK-FA, the first samples that tested today in Zhukovsky near Moscow.
The logic here is simple and ruthless. Today, T-50 we are doing with the Indians on equal footing. Airframe, engine, part of the avionics and weapons - it's ours. Electronics of aircraft - the avionics, control systems, navigation equipment and so forth - in the face of India is engaged in the campaign Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Moreover, the Indian version of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) will differ from the Russian two-seat cockpit, engine and something else. The total cost of the program so far is estimated at $ 30 billion, but over time probably will rise considerably.
T-50 PAK FA or
Cooperation, according to the project participants, is very successful, and in 2015 the Russian Air Force may well get a first drill squadron supersamoletov. The Indians expect about the same time to start getting their first FGFA. But we need them as much as 214 of these war machines.
Such a perspective is clearly afraid of Americans who are still in the possession of monopoly of the fifth generation fighter aircraft. Not be ruled out that their proposal to buy the Indians almost ready F-35 - this is mine and for the Russian T-50. Because if New Delhi fork in the latest American aircraft - why should New Delhi continue to spend on the development of Russian fighter of the same class? And if the Indians suddenly come out of cooperation with us - whether Russia will pull in huge financial costs alone? What will replace the electronics in the Indian T-50? But even if our country will be able to cope with the difficulties encountered - not melt in a fog of time re-home Air Force?
Tell me: what about the international agreements signed? Oh, here we have in recent years have given enough examples of partners as to ignore its own high signature. Take the aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov", which is a modernized version was supposed to enter into the Indian Navy under the name of "Vikramaditya". Under the agreement, this event was to happen in 2008. Has not happened so far only the fault of the Russian side.
Even earlier, in 2007, the Indian navy hoped to lease for 10 years, the Russian multipurpose nuclear submarine "Nerpa". But as they had no our "Seal" and not to this day.
Slips of the Russian-Indian program to create a joint military-transport aircraft. Does not begin construction of our specialists Indian Kudankulam nuclear power plant.
So we are pushing their own hands longsuffering partner to the question, and whether it is necessary to communicate with Moscow, if there are other ways?
Comment deputy director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin.
"SP": - Do you think the Indians can purchase American F-35?
- I do not think that this deal happens. In the F-35 a lot of problems. His experience, experience, and the aircraft still no. In addition, the growing cost of the machine. So while there is nothing to buy.
"SP": - But Americans are not idiots. They are something to expect.
-Of course, count. They have invested billions into the program such that simply must go to the end. It seems to be to persuade India to be patient too.
"SP": - But if we imagine that the F-35 still bring to mind, and India will buy it, it could call into question the participation of Indians in the development of our T-50?
- If you buy it - with our promising fighter can really get complicated. Then the question will be that, whether our partners want to have in their air force once two types of fifth generation fighter. Although this is not excluded. After all, we are creating a heavy fighter. The F-35 - light machine. In the United States decided that they needed and heavy and light fighter aircraft. Heavy F-22 they already have. The F-35, it is possible to be. Why India did not go the same way? Only instead of the F-22 buy Russian heavy fighter?
"SP": - Because it requires U.S. financial opportunities.
- You can also reduce the amount of the purchased equipment to manageable limits.
"SP": - In any case, guess what will decide in New Delhi - a thankless task. It is possible that they still come out of the joint program to develop a fifth generation fighter? Especially in the light of recent scandals in the military-technical cooperation between our countries?
- What does come out - this is unlikely. Do not want to quarrel with us. Even with all of us lost tenders in India, 80 percent of their imports have continued to account for Russia. In such hands, the quarrel seriously dangerous.