More Duds: The fiasco of the IAFs Mig 29s

Posted on 02 August 2009. Tags: IAF, Indian Airforce, The fiasco of the IAFs Mig 29s

The world is still recovering from laughter about the sale of the dilapidated Russian Air craft carrier which according the to Indian CAG costs 60% more than a new carrier. “Of this, $948 million was to be spent on refitting the 45000 tonne vessel and the balance on the MiG-29 combat jets and Kamov anti-submarine warfare” (Statesman). The funny thing about the sale of the Admiral Gorshkov is not its multi-billion Dollar price-tag, the funny thing about the sale is that by the time Bharat actually gets the Aircraft Carrier, it will be very near its expiration date.

Then there are the news reports about the diminishing fleet of aircraft–many of which are simply duds.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is guarding the country with less. It has 32 flying squadrons when it must have 39.

“Unless immediate steps are taken to arrest the reduction in Indian Air Force’s force levels, the nation will for the first time in its history lose the conventional military edge over Pakistan”. That is what Air Marshal S P Tyagi said in a letter to the Government in September 2006 when he was the IAF chief. IBN Live (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/air-force-navy-struggle-with-old-fleet-of-troubles/97938-3.html)

World Record: 500th Flying coffin crashes. The aviation industry is still confused on how to categorize the case of the Mig-21 Flying Coffins. Analysts wonder whether it was a comedy of errors or a tragedy or mistakes. More Flying coffins?

The Dud Report listed all the missile, plane and bomb failures. The Delhi Dud Report on Indian Defense: Arms that don’t work

Navy under water: The Indian Navy is no better. Delays and upgrades that take forever have meant that a frontline submarine is today waiting to be put to water for years.

INS Sindhukirti, a frontline Kilo class attack submarine of the Navy, has been in dry dock at Vizag for a refit programme for close to five years.

Hindustan Shipyards, a government-owned contractor with little experience in submarine upgrades, will take at least another five years before the submarine can be put to water again.

Russia took just two years each to upgrade six similar Kilo class submarines for the Indian Navy. The Indian Government insists that it’s building national capability with in-house upgrades.

“That kind of expertise didn’t exist in India before and this is for the first time we are trying it out here,” says Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta.

It took a recent Comptroller and Auditor General report to reveal that the Indian Navy’s submarine arm faces a crisis of numbers.

Only seven of India’s 16 submarines are available for combat at any time. Ten of these 16 aging submarines will be due for phase-out by 2012.

To maintain current numbers, one submarine needs to be inducted every two years but there has been no induction since 2001 and India’s only submarine-making facility in Mumbai was kept idle for 12 years. IBN Live

The MiG-29, which was thought to be one of India’s most potent weapon, is a defective aircraft. The stunning disclosure that the MiG-29 is structurally flawed was made by the Defence Minister in Parliament a few days ago.

The MiG 21s have already lived their life. Only six of the 13 squadrons will remain in service after 2012. The MiG 27s are being upgraded and the Mirage-2000s also due for upgradation. IBN Live

Now, the world is hearing about the Mig-29s. When Russia first grounded the planes (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4190497), Bharat said that its planes were fine and it know more than the original manufacturer of the plane. After Moscow’s grounding, when will Delhi ground the New Flying Coffins? After spending billions on planes the IAF forgot to order BVR (Beyond Visual Range) for its aircraft. Oops! The Indian Air Force (IAF) had first proposed the $800 million upgrade after the Pakistan Air Force added beyond-visual-range missiles and other advanced weaponry in 2003, something that the IAF’s 78 MiG-29s presently do not carry. Moscow sale to Delhi: Russian Mig 35s are simply Mig29s with new decals. It now appears that the Indian Migs will not have BVR for another year at least.

We agree the story is more than hilarious and almost unbelievable. We produce the original report from the Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/02/stories/2009080260450900.htm)lest Indian nationalists think that Rupee News made up the news.

Mig 29 grounded

The IAF is worried over the likely delay in the MiG-29 upgrade programme.IAF-Russian defence deal. The Indian Air Force (Indo aircraft carrier deal could soon haunt another mega Gorshkov-billion dollar Admiral multi

BANGALORE: The cost escalation and time overrun that is plaguing the Navy too.

For the IAF, already facing a serious depletion of fighter squadrons owing to a number of aircraft being ‘number plated,’ the delay in deliveries of the frontline MiG-29 could mean compromising India’s air superiority.

In a contract signed in March 2008 of nearly $850 million between India and the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MiG) , the MiG-29 was to have been upgraded from an aerial interceptor and air dominance aircraft to a fighter-bomber capable of striking mobile and stationary targets on the ground and at sea with high-precision weapons under all weather conditions.

As per the contract, 54 single-seat fighters and eight trainers are being refurbished.

While six aircraft will be upgraded by the MiG-29’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the remaining aircraft will be refurbished with kits supplied by RSK MiG at the IAF’s 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Nasik. As per the original schedule, the first upgraded MiG-29 was scheduled to fly into India in March 2010.

However, officials from the OEM told The Hindu that there will be a delay of at least eight months in the arrival of the first upgraded aircraft. The Russians are attributing this to a delay in the IAF finalising the ‘buyer furnished equipment.’

The delay will translate into a year-long delay in the start of production aircraft at 11BRD. Fourteen aircraft are scheduled to roll out of 11BRD between April 2010 and March 2011.

Under the contract, the IAF have to indicate to RSK MiG the list of equipment and their physical dimensions that they want fitted on the upgraded MiG-29’s. Many of these items are to be sourced or integrated by Indian companies.

The upgrade programme had also run into rough weather last year after a Russian Air Force MiG-29 crashed in December, with talk of the IAFeven toying with decommissioning the fighter.

However, with the Russians furnishing the reasons for the crash – structural faults in the aircraft due to corrosion on the fin root ribs – and after the IAF conducted a thorough inspection of its entire fleet, flying recommenced.

Extension of life

The upgrade will allow the IAF to extend the life of the MiG-29 from 25 years (and 2,500 hours) to 40 years (3,500 hours). The Air Force had first proposed the upgrade after the Pakistan Air Force added beyond-visual-range missiles and other advanced weaponry in 2003, something that the IAF’s MiG-29s presently do not carry. The Hindu. MiG-29 upgrade may be delayed by Ravi Sharma

Delhi’s deeply frozen Israeli Missiles: Windfall profits for Delhi politicians but no Baraks

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