Unfortunately, the Airbus in India video only has a running commentary, and does not present EADS' A319 MPA proposed solution. Neither do Airbus Military Derivatives and Airbus Military Company so it can be posted here.
As EADS still has to develop this special mission platform, no details are available (publicly at least) as of yet, other than those in the link at the start of the thread.
Quote: "According to 'Defense News' the Indian Air Force is said to have modified the specifications for the indigenous airborne early warning and control system. These include changes in the radar requirements and other equipment, increasing the payload.
The Air Force has recommended the use of a larger Boeing or Airbus based platform rather than Embraer and Gulf Stream planes shortlisted for the program by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO is now seeking additional funding for this project from the Ministry of Defence as a shift to the Boeing/Airbus platform will result in a 40-45% price increase (approximately $210-220 million)."
So it's no longer "indigenous". Embraer and Gulfstream must be very pissed.
Indian Navy Studying Options For $800 Milliom Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Order
Dated 19/6/2007
Quote: "Indian Navy officials involved in the eight-plane, $800 million maritime surveillance aircraft program will study Boeing and Airbus aircraft in France, Germany, Spain and the United States, a Navy official said.
This was reported by 'Defense News'. Quoting the source:
The team will evaluate the nascent Boeing P-8A in the United States June 18-29. They will see the A319 at Airbus facilities in France July 7-15; visit EADS' center in Hamburg, Germany, for lab testing; and watch trials of EADS-built systems, installed aboard a P-3 Orion, in Madrid in late July.
The Navy official said India is evaluating systems under development in other planes: a Boeing 737-800 for airworthiness trials and a C-40 for operations-and-maintenance trials. The evaluation will go to the Defence Ministry by September, a request for bids will emerge shortly thereafter(?), and a short list of bidders evaluated for technical parameters. Finally, price negotiations will begin within two years."
Quote: "The 53-foot-long trailer houses a 737 commercial airplane cockpit with out-the-window visuals as well as functional P-8A operator workstations. Visitors will get an up-close look at the 21st century workstations and operational mission software, and can take the P-8A for a simulated test flight and experience the performance qualities the aircraft will exhibit in a tactical environment.
Additionally, high bandwidth satellite connectivity enables distributed simulations and network centric demonstrations with the trailer and Boeing Integration Centers across the country.
'This trailer gives us an opportunity to take our advanced technology on the road and show people how much we've accomplished on the program to date,' said Jack Zerr, Boeing vice president and P-8A program manager. 'We will demonstrate how the P-8A provides the Navy with a huge leap forward in anti-submarine warfare technology. Visitors will be able to watch or participate in realistic maritime patrol scenarios, see the systems in work and also learn about the P-8A's advanced open architecture mission system, weapon system, worldwide commercial logistics, maintenance and training among other things'."
Quote: "As neither the P-8 nor the A319 derivative yet exist, the flight trials conducted in the USA and Spain involved simulations, flying leased commercial Boeing 737 and A320 family aircraft on representative flight profiles and mission system evaluations using US Navy and Spanish air force P-3s. EADS Casa is offering its FITS mission system, which has been installed in Spain's upgraded P-3Bs.
The mission system for Boeing's P-8A uses developments of sensors already operational in US Navy P-3Cs, but the company's offer of a P-8I variant to India would allow the integration of indigenous systems such as communications, datalink and identification friend-or-foe equipment. The US company is negotiating agreements with several Indian companies to meet industrial participation requirements."
Meanwhile, there was this long article about the P-8A MMA.....
Indian Navy To Purchase Two More Russia Ilyushin IL-38 Reconnaissance Aircrafts
Dated 22/7/2007
Quote: "News wire reports indicate that the Indian Navy is keen in acquiring up to two more IL 38 maritime reconnaissance aircrafts. This was initially reported by the Press Trust of India. This acquisition is to bolster the now depleted fleet of Indian Navy spy planes. The new planes to be purchased would be the upgraded version of the aircraft fitted with advanced Sea Dragons suits says PTI. The Ilyushin Il-38 (NATO reporting name: May) is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft developed from the Il-18 turboprop transport. The Il-38 is a product of Ilyushin."
Could the uncontested acquisitions of the latest 40 Su-30s and the 3 previous Il-38s plus this be repeated in the current tender for 8 ASW aircraft? Would this process be as speedy as those two, and not drag on like the MMRCA tender?
Indian Navy To Float Global Tender For Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Dated 3/12/2007
Quote: "The Indian Navy will soon float a long-delayed global tender for maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA), a top military commander said Monday.
The navy is also in talks with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for developing a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said.
'We have completed our evaluations of various long range maritime patrol aircraft and a request for proposals (RFPs) should go out very soon,' Mehta told reporters here ahead of the annual Navy Week celebrations from Tuesday."
Interesting that the three remaining Il-38SDs are now expected to be taken on strenght by the end of 2008, after an earlier delivery was rejected.
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 28091 posts, RR: 60 Reply 10, posted (2 years 2 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 3313 times:
Quoting DEVILFISH (Reply 9): Interesting that the three remaining Il-38SDs are now expected to be taken on strenght by the end of 2008, after an earlier delivery was rejected.
Quote: "Spirit AeroSystems has begun production of the fuselage for the first Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime-patrol aircraft, a derivative of the Next Generation 737 under development to replace the US Navy's Lockheed P-3 Orion.
Loading of the assembly jig began at Spirit's Wichita, Kansas plant on 11 December, and the first fuselage is scheduled to be dispatched by rail car 100 days later to Boeing's 737 final-assembly line in Renton, Washington on 19 March 2008."
This would let them gain valuable headstart for a potential Indian derivative against would-be rivals for the Indian Navy's MMPA competition.
India Eyes Deal With U.S. To Replace Aging Russian Warplanes
Dated 29/1/2008
Quote: "India has begun talks with the United States on the purchase of P-8i long-range maritime reconnaissance patrol aircraft to replace Russian-made Tu-142M bombers, the Times of India said on Tuesday.
The newspaper said that the P-8i jet with antisubmarine warfare capabilities, based on the Boeing-737 commercial aircraft, had been deemed the best choice to meet the Indian Navy's requirements, ahead of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company's A-319 maritime patrol aircraft and other contenders.
'The contract will be signed soon. The first P-8i will be delivered within 48 months, i.e. in mid-2012, and all eight by mid-2015. They will replace the Navy's eight aging Tupolev-142Ms,' the newspaper said, citing a source in the country's Defense Ministry."
DEVILFISH From Philippines, joined Jan 2006, 3191 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (1 year 11 months 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2386 times:
Update:
There were some noteworthy semantic changes - from "has begun talks" to "close to winning" - that seem to indicate progress in the negotiation for this tender.....
Quote: "With the bids due to expire on 31 March, sources close to the defence ministry expect a deal with Boeing to be sealed soon. 'If necessary, the ministry could ask the candidates to extend the deadline by a few months. - but they want to wrap this up as soon as possible,' says one source."
And as always, the usual caveat.....
Quote: "But observers caution that nothing is confirmed in India until the deal has been officially signed. Last year, for example, Eurocopter was close to clinching a $500 million contract for 197 light utility helicopters until the tender was cancelled at the last minute because of unconfirmed allegations of irregularities in the bid.
EADS officials have argued that their MPA bid is almost 20% cheaper than Boeing's, and that the USA could restrict the transfer of technology to foreign buyers of the P-8. But Boeing officials have denied those charges. 'We are the only ones negotiating with the Indians - and that says it all,' says one."
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