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I note on another forum HAL Chief Sunil is due to retire April 2026. He will be determined to get this done before he goes, I guess.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/10/world/europe-new-sanctions-russia-strength-intl Selling crude @ 45 USD per barrel is a disaster for Putin's government. This could signal the beginning of the end for Russia financially + for its non-military economy. I hope the war does not stop. Russia...

I think that Japan is changing its thinking eg not complying with US pressure to co-develop F-3 with LM, now allowing arms exports, no veto on GCAP exports. Japan is pushing for GCAP delivery by 2035 to retire F-2. I see no need for F-47. If GCAP schedule slips it can build/buy more F-35.

Doing 5G without foreign funding is very expensive. Risky. Kaan may be preferred as a better Rafale/Eurofighter/F-15/Su-30 etc replacement.

IIRC UK, Italy, Japan spent heavily on 6G R&D and more after GCAP was formed. Japan was not pleased with treatment by US/LM in F-2 development. If GCAP goes ahead, the partnership will have a good idea of the risks and costs. I don't see Japan buying a US 6G.

IMO India would never gain 100% sovereignty developing an engine in conjunction with any US company. Perhaps that would not happen with RR or SAFRAN either. I think, however, that the promise of 100% from RR or SAFRAN (of whatever) would result in India getting closer to 100% than it would from GE.

Israel has sown. Iran has sown. It seems to me that the only thing these exchanges will achieve is to delay Iran's acquisition of a nuclear bomb (should it be developing one). PS A side effect has been to increase the price of crude, helping Russia to finance its war against Ukraine

Israel would sink all Iranian vessels, destroy materiel used to block the gulf, wouldn't it? The countries of Europe might not get directly involved in hostilities but would, I think, be very happy to see Israel crush Iranian attempts to stop shipping movements. Targeting oil fields in the...

Any update on engines? I think GE is supposed to start shipping the 11 more promised for 2025 round about now.

They won't win, will they? Israel has a strong air defence system. Israel has access to a more or less indefinite number of weapons from the US. I will not be surprised if Israel keeps attacking until it has destroyed Iran's air defence system.

I said it here yesterday or the day before and I say it again: beware dealing with Indonesia. Indonesia cannot be trusted. https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/seoul-jakarta-in-kf-21-compromise-kaan-commitment-downplayed/163346.article Sad for the KAAN programme.

If you are making a contract with a known bad payer or dishonest customer you take care to protect yourself against non-payment. I guess that insurance against non-payment for its Rafales by Indonesia was quite expensive after Indonesia had shown how little importance honouring its contracts was...

I followed the long saga of Indonesia failing to meet its agreements, promising to observe its agreements and to make good the development money outstanding then failing to do that again, then asking for a reduction in its share of development costs and (I believe) failing to build facilities in...

Congratulations to TAI on securing an agreement from Indonesia to buy 48 KAAN! Cautionary footnote: Indonesia did not honour its agreements with KAI

Su-35 gone, reportedly falling victim to an AIM-120 carried by an F-16. Cheap exchange for Ukraine (missile cost <500,000 USD v fighter cost 50,000,000+ USD). Never mind, Russia still has a bit of money left to buy another one. Better be quick, though, before the money is all gone.

Agreed, UK should not support a country systematically practising war crimes. About F-35, UK does not supply Israel with F-35 parts. UK cannot stop the US supplying countries with F-35 fighters or F-35 parts except by stopping supply of UK parts to LM. Sure, form a group of LM component...

Why would China want to help Russia? A weak Russia gives China - cheap energy - increased consumer good exports - a large share of the Russian car market etc It is not really a case of hoping things work out. All the data and stats I see indicate the non-MIC part of the Russian economy is...

Yes but I think that Biden was too timid to offer Ukraine the full support it had been promised, thinking that was less risky and a stalemate over time would benefit the US more than a short, decisive, defensive campaign would. What happened to Ukraine and its people became irrelevant to the US...

Europe looks determined to continue the support started when intel indicated that Russia intended to attack Ukraine. Europe can easily outlast Russia in financing the war. EU + UK + Norway GDP is more than 10 times that of Russia. Russia has been burning through its large but limited war chest...