Recent content by Rajendra Chola

Extra information: Deliveries will start from 2028. Targetting 30 per year. It will be integrated with EW suite. RFI has already been released. Global companies are competing for the order. SAAB laser guidance system already integrated. Maintainance package. Launchers. No info regarding if...

India on Friday has cleared its biggest ever defence deal for buying 156 Made in India Light Combat Prachand helicopters for the Indian Army and Airforce from Hindustan Aeronautical Limited. The deal is worth Rs 62,000 crore. The decision was made by the Cabinet Committee on Security in its...

Great news…. Hope a new thread and discussions on this….

Moves in the last few days may make it possible to happen. India has realized US will provide us no support in event of war, and that they have to maintain minimum credible defence, forget offense. It’s possible, they may move forward with 114 & somehow find a way to fund Mk2, AMCA , Ghatak UCAV...

Mk1A flyaway cost is like 43m$. The deal for 83mk1A was like B dollars include armaments, base shelters & some maintenance work package. In fact Tejas Mk1 was even cheaper at around 30m. Second batch of 97mk1A will be slightly expensive cos orders will be placed with suppliers only after IAF &...

There are no existing second aerospace company competent in fighter assembly through ToT. The news have come in for AMCA JV. HAL to have 50% share and 4 private companies to have 12.5% each in this new company. They will work on AMCA manufacturing & assembly.

Mk1 and Mk1A are like to like replacements for the Mig21 interceptor which IAF had like 400 in their numbers. 220 Mk1 is the bare minimum they could procure to replace that capability. Only 30 Mig21 or so aircraft remains with IAF and HAL has delivered like 32 fighters and 6 trainers. Mk2 are...

Yes, India needs a second aerospace company. My main argument was private company line for Tejas Mk1A is too late in the game for discussion. A new company needs to be incorporated now, aiming for co production of Htt40, HJT36 and Tejas Mk2. And it’s important it’s “private” with govt...

That is exactly my point too. Bring in Tatas, Mahindras etc even HAL can be in as minority technological partner. Get them in low tech manufacturing, Super Sukhoi upgrade, Engsge them directly as production partner in Tejas Mk2. It needs to happen within the next 2 years. My main concern is...

IAF chief didn’t ask for a second Tejas line in that outburst. He is asking for HAL to get their things on the line. Second private company has been spoken for more than 20 years. 114 MRFA tries to do exactly that, similar to Tata Airbus JV in Gujarat. As for the cost, as you may already know...

NASM SR test done again today.

Private line for Tejas Mk1A is stupidity at best and it’s a knee jerk reaction news “leaked” to show how serious is MoD. But when actual price comes cos of this new line, MoD will be the first to backtrack. By then this news will no longer be pressing. Just media management. If MoD is serious...

The Sitara or HTT40 wasn’t costly to develop in the first place. Sitara, especially, funding was frozen after it did not meet expectations and HAL used their own internal money to revive the project. AMCA cannot be revived with HAL money if there is an issue. Everytime ADA goes to MoD for...

Nope, rather doesn’t fit into MoD bureaucrats of running things to save money. They see things from money perspective only & not research.

But no orders yet, in fact with the same, C295 Naval prototype can be developed today. But defence bureaucracy is the worst in the world.