Recent content by Spitfire9

Timeline did not hold. First flight expected Mar-Jul 2027, I believe ADA or HAL now say.

Great news if GE has the capacity to produce 3 F404-IN20 per month but delivering 3 in one month does not demonstrate that. Delivering 3 per month for several sequential months or 12 per quarter for several quarters would be needed to demonstrate that capacity. One concern is India's purchase...

Perhaps 20 more Typhoon should be ordered if timely delivery of Qatari/Omani Typhoons cannot be guaranteed. I guess that BAE Systems will be needing to switch their Typhoon FAL over to GCAP assembly around 2033 if it is to be delivered to RAF by 2035. Perhaps GCAP deliveries to RAF are scheduled...

If they are being held back because of the Iran war they could stay where they are until Trump leaves office. If there is no sign of them being supplied until peace comes to the Gulf, is there a plan B?

According to this report, Putin admits that Ukrainian strikes against Sea of Azov and Black Sea ports have dramatically reduced Russian grain exports with a reduction to GDP of about 1%. The reporter mentions a fall of at least 80% in grain exports compared to 2025...

I have seen the same video of what looks to me like KF-21 assembly being passed off as AMCA assembly on Indian media for years in articles about AMCA. I don't think I have seen any video or pictures that are actually of AMCA. Has any form of assembly started? I imagine that there will be nothing...

https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-reportedly-fears-being-hanged-if-he-loses-ukraine-war If true, that is a compelling incentive not to stop the war until Russia has at least taken the rest of the Donbas. Without at a minimum doing that, Putin cannot sell the idea that he won the war, can he?

It looks like Russia has started on the sabotage option.

On the Mk1A radar/EWS integration problem, I think that with no definite timeline for integration of the Israeli kit it will not be integrated. With production units of Uttam radar slated to start delivery Q2 2027, I think that first deliveries of Mk1A will be in 2028, fitted with Indian...

India needs a 110kN or more engine for its 5G AMCA aircraft. So far it has spent about 10 years trying to decide which OEM to team with to develop an engine. Both SAFRAN and RR have made offers. RR recently made a more comprehensive offer. I don't expect a production engine for AMCA to appear...

Putin's rule is increasingly troubled by Russia's failure to win its war with Ukraine. Until recently the conflict did not have a discernable effect on 'ordinary Russians'. However, it has evolved into a conflict causing great inconvenience - fuel shortages, disruption to retail trade and...

Congratulations to TAI on flying the first production Hurjet!

Gripen reportedly 'downs' 3 out of 4 pursuing block 50 F-16 and Typhoon in Baltic exercise. Just an example of a skilled pilot's tactics winning out? The linked video promotes procurement of Gripen E by Canada but some observations and points made also suggest it will provide good service to...

It may not have any bearing on an aircraft best satisfying IAF requirements being selected but I would add commercial prospects in addition to geopolitics in considering which MTA to select. I suspect that over the years an Indian C-390 FAL would export more aircraft than it would supply to...

I doubt any military action will be involved. More likely to me are deniable sabotage, damage to undersea cable links to the UK, more novachok nerve agent poisonings, seizure of UK-registered shipping etc. Not really things that would fall under the NATO defence blanket. I wonder if the BBC's...