Advertisement

Tejas LCA
(click to view full)

India’s fighter strength has been declining in recent years, as the MiG-21s that form the largest component of its fleet are lost in crashes, or retired due to age and wear. Some MiG-21s are being modernized to MiG-21bis ‘Bison’ configuration, while other current fighter types are undergoing modernization programs in order to maintain the fighter force until replacements can arrive. On which note, an ongoing tender has Russian, French, American, Swedish and European manufacturers dueling for a multi-billion dollar, 126+ plane light-medium fighter sale.

This still leaves India without a low-end solution to the twin problems besetting its overall fleet: numbers, and age. The MiG-21bis program adds years of life to those airframes, but that extended lifespan is still quite finite; by 2020, it is very unlikely that any MiG-21s will remain in service. As for the MMRCA program, it may replace some of India’s mid-range fighters – but that still leaves replacement of the MiG-21 fleet unfulfilled. In this environment, the status of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project matters a great deal to the Indian Air Force’s future prospects, as their level of confidence in its longer-term success will affect their immediate buys. The choices made in the LCA’s design will also affect the lightweight fighter’s export potential, which in turn feeds back into the overall program’s costs and viability for India over its lifetime.

The latest additions to this article include a whirlwind of developments around the indigenous Kaveri engine. As some predicted, the Kaveri engine project’s performance failures have finally killed it as a fighter engine; its place will be filled by GE’s F404 for now, ad a foreign development partnership has been struck with France’s Snecma. The indigenous radar project has also run into severe trouble, so IAI Elta has been tapped as a foreign partner, and Israeli radars are about to be fitted so testing can go forward…

• LCA Tejas: India’s Lightweight Fighter, or Just a Lightweight?
• The Kaveri Engine: Keystone, or Killer? [updated]
• Updates and Events [updated]
• Appendix A: DID Analysis & Op/Ed (2006)
• Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

RG-32M
(click to view full)

The Republic of Ireland is a neutral power with a small armed forces, whose equipment is more suited to policing than war. Eire’s troops do deploy abroad on UN missions, however, where more protection and firepower are needed. French AML-20/AML-90 armored cars, and GD MOWAG’s wheeled LAV/Piranha vehicles have been purchased and deployed for those operations.

In September 2005, Ireland canceled a planned purchase of up to 66 light-armored tactical vehicles (LTAV), which would have provided its forces with mine-resistant patrol vehicles for use on its missions in Pakistan/Afghanistan, Bosnia, Lebanon and the Golan Heights, The Congo, Liberia, and the Western Sahara between Morocco and Algeria. Instead, the Department of Defence purchased 15 more Piranha-III wheeled APCs in January 2006.

That move has now been reconsidered. In early 2008, the EUFOR Chad mission was added to the above deployments, and in May 2008, the An Roinn Cosanta (DoD) restarted the LTAV tender competition. The new competition will be for 27 vehicles, plus a pair of options that could add 27 more and bring the total number of vehicles to 54. Tenders were received in early July 2008, and in September 2008 the 3 finalists were announced:

Continue Reading… »

Advertisement

Italian Navy EH101
(click to view full)

“India’s Navy Holding Maritime Patrol Aircraft Competition” describes India’s growing naval sphere of influence, and the competition for an aircraft that would improve India’s coverage of those territories. A complementary way to improve that coverage is to upgrade the naval helicopters that base from ships or land locations. In September 2008, Flight International reported that India’s defence ministry has issued a tender for “advanced multirole naval helicopters” to several manufacturers around the world, including AgustaWestland, EADS and Sikorsky. Russia’s Kamov/Rosboronexport may well be on this list too; India’s Navy currently uses Kamov Ka-28, Ka-31 AEW, and AgustaWestland Sea King helicopters.

The initial RFP reportedly covers 16 helicopters, with a potential expansion to 60 helicopters. Each manufacturer has choices to make within its line up…

Continue Reading… »

Austrian Alouette-III
(click to view full)

In 2003, India issued an RFP for 197 light helicopters to replace its Army’s aging fleet of Chetaks (Aerospatiale SA316 Alouette III) and Cheetahs (SE316B Alouette II). These helicopters are old designs, but they have consistently proven themselves in high altitude operations, and remain useful as long as their airframe’s remain safe. The problem is, at their age that isn’t a very long time. India’s Army Aviation Corps needs replacements, and wants new helicopters with better performance and support characteristics. These new machines will perform a variety of armed light utility tasks, including ferrying loads of up to 75 kg to troops based at heights of 23,000 feet around Kashmir, the Siachen Glacier, et. al. Operation at these altitudes has traditionally been very challenging for helicopters, owing to reduced rotor lift in the thinning air.

Indian officials were discussing a deal worth between $500-$600 million to buy 60 helicopters outright, with the remaining 137 being built under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Eurocopter’s AS550 C3 Fennec and Bell Textron’s 407 competed in the second and final round of summer trials, and as 2007 ticked toward a close, it looked like we had a winner. As often happens in India, however, the process ended up completely derailed. Now, there’s a new RFP – but inside lobbying from HAL has backed India off of its initial goal of 312 foreign helicopters. DID is able to offer more clarity regarding the new terms and competitors, which include performance deadlines for HAL…

• The Contenders [updated]
• Milestones & Developments [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

Old as the hills…
(click to view full)

In January 2007, the big question was whether there would be a competition for the USA’s KC-X proposal, which will cover 175 production aircraft and 4 test platforms. The cost for this first phase alone is likely to reach $35+ billion spread over about 20 years, but the USAF believes that adding new plane types to America’s 40-50 year old aerial tanker fleet is its #1 priority, lest unpredictable age or fatigue issues like the ones its F-15A-D fleet is experiencing ground its aerial tankers – and with them, a substantial slice of the USA’s total airpower. KC-Y and KC-Z contracts will follow in subsequent decades, in order to replace all 530 KC-135s/ Boeing 707s (195 active; ANG 251; Reserve 84) that were delivered until 1965, as well as the USAF’s 59 larger KC-10 tankers delivered from 1979-1987.

“US Debating Aerial Tanker Types, Mix” offers in-depth coverage of the lead-up to the KC-X RFP, explaining many of the military & policy issues in play as the USA contemplates its own choices. Then came the contractor decisions, and responses. What would Boeing propose? The KC-767, the KC-777, or both? Would Northrop and EADS elect to play, bringing their Airbus KC-30/A330 MRTT?

In the end, it was Team Boeing’s KC-767 Advanced (767-200 derivative) vs. the Team Northrop Grumman KC-30B (Airbus A330-200/200F derivative). Each aircraft system has its strengths, and each system also had risk factors as lobbying continued right down to the wire. Boeing claimed lower KC-767 operating costs, and received a union endorsement. EADS promised to open production of A330F civilian jets in the USA if it won. Most observers correctly pointed out that all this lobbying was important, as the financial stakes involved meant there was going to be a huge political fight no matter which side won.

That has proven to be the case. The Airbus A330 MRTT was picked, but an explosive GAO decision brought the competition to a halt. The Pentagon initially took the decision out of the USAF’s hands, and released a revised KC-X RFP – but now Secretary Robert Gates has canceled that effort entirely. The new tanker competition will have to be handled by the next Presidential administration, and its appointees…

• The Contenders and The Cargo Factor (i.e. continue reading…) [updated]
• KC-X: Teams & Locations
• KC-X RFP: Key Developments [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

Dutch G-Wagen, XA-188 APC
(click to view full)

The Netherlands’ Ministerie van Defensie has announced a EUR 250+ million project to replace nearly 8,000 light, medium and heavy wheeled logistics and patrol vehicles between 2011-2018. This will not include tactical vehicles such as the Landmacht’s Fennek reconnaissance vehicles, CV90/ YPR/ BvS10 armored personnel carriers, tanks, et. al., but it will replace a significant percentage of the Dutch patrol vehicle and truck fleet.

The project is looking to acquire 7,018 vehicles (including civilian vehicles) plus 3,617 modules, trailers et. al. to adapt the vehicles for specific tasks. The project also expects to order 1,020 modular protection kits, 120 Remotely controlled weapon systems and 1,260 gun mountings.

The accompanying briefing states that the operational vehicles, as opposed to vehicles bought under this program for civilian/domestic use, should be able to operate in the upper levels of the violence/war spectrum. This includes the option of modular add-on protection that can be changed as threat levels from projectiles, shrapnel, land mines, et. al. The mounting of electronic jammers to defeat remotely-detonated IED land mines is also contemplated, and the vehicles should be able to operate in extreme high and low temperature conditions.

The ‘light freight/cargo vehicle’ should be CH-47 transportable, either in the helicopter or underslung, as well as C-130 transportable. All of the operational vehicle types should be transportable in the C-17, AN-124 and A-400M, as well as with the country’s Rotterdam Class LPD ships, by civilian transport vessels and by train. Operational life should be at least 2 years, with a total lifespan of 10-15 years. MvD announcement [Dutch language] | Many thanks to DID subscriber David Vandenberghe for his translation assistance.

1991: HMCS Protecteur &
USS Wisconsin battleship
(click to view full)

The Canadian supply ships and oilers HMCS Protecteur, and HMCS Preserver have contributed to humanitarian aid missions in Florida and the Bahamas, peace-making off Somalia and East Timor, and have been poised for the evacuation of non-combatants from Haiti, to name but a few of their recent endeavors.

As part of its spate of military modernization announcements issued just before Canada Day (July 1) 2006, the Canadian government issued an RFP that began the process of defining and building 3 “Joint Support Ships.” The aim was to deliver 3 multi-role vessels with substantially more capability than the current Protecteur Class oiler and resupply ships. In addition to being able to provide at-sea support (re-fueling and re-supply) to deployed naval task groups, the new JSS ships were envisioned as ships that would also be capable of sealift operations, as well as amphibious support to forces deployed ashore.

JSS
(click to view larger)

This was expected to be a C$ 2.9 billion (USD $2.58 billion) project. DID describes the process, the 4 pre-qualified industry teams participating, and some of the issues swirling around Canada’s very ambitious specifications.

Specifications that ultimately sank the whole project, in a manner that was predictable from the outset. Leaving Canada’s navy with a serious problem…

• JSS: The Procurement Process
• JSS: Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: DID Op-ed/Analysis – June 30, 2006
• Appendix B: Additional Readings [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

BAMS Operation Concept
(click to view full)

The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis.

In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon is expected to work with at least one companion platform under the BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) and/or PUMAS (Persistent Unmanned Aerial Surveillance) programs. The BAMS UAV competition is widely seen as a fight between Northrop Grumman’s high-flying, jet-powered RQ-4 Global Hawk, and General Atomics’ turboprop-powered Mariner (a cousin of its MQ-9 Reaper); but Boeing entered an optionally unmanned G550 business jet.

This DID FOCUS Article explains the BAMS concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized RQ-4N Gloal Hawk.

The Lockheed Martin/General Atomics team had protested that award to the GAO – but their protest was recently denied, leaving the program free to move forward.

• Next-Gen Maritime Patrol Systems: Issues and Options
• BAMS: Requirements and Missions
• BAMS: The International Angle [updated]
• BAMS: The Industry Team [new]
• BAMS: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

Out with the old…
(click to view full)

Tanks and armored vehicles generally receive the lion’s share of attention, but field vehicles and trailers are the real backbone of any army. They transport personnel and combat supplies, haul those flashy armored vehicles around, evacuate casualties, and serve as platforms and prime movers for weapons systems. Some even offer C4ISR and electronic warfare capabilities, thanks to specialized equipment sets. Australia’s “Hardened and Networked Army” meta-program needed to pay attention to these vehicles as well, given an existing fleet that was bought between 1959-1994. Hence Overlander.

LAND 121 – also known as Project Overlander – is the largest land project in Australia’s Defence Capability Plan. Overall, this is currently an A$3 billion (USD $2.65 billion) investment in the Australian Army to replace its fleet of Army trucks, four-wheel drives, trailers and modules for Army’s high readiness units. As Defence Mnister Hill said in 2005: “Our current fleet is ageing and is becoming more costly to maintain and upgrade. The vehicles will range from lightweight four-wheel drives to heavy trucks and prime movers with interchangeable modules to increase operational flexibility.”

Now, Overlander is off. New defense minister Joel Fitzgibbon has canceled the award, and declared a renewed competition…

• Overlander: The Program
• Contracts & Key Events
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

TU-142: headed out?
(click to view full)

In November 2005 article, DID covered India’s $133 million deal for two P-3C Orion maritime-optimized patrol and surveillance planes. As it happens, that deal fell through on grounds of expense, support costs, and timing. Apparently, it would have taken 18-24 months for the US Navy to retrofit the two aircraft to the Indian Navy specifications once the lease had been finalized.

In December 2005, India’s navy floated an RFP for 8 new maritime aircraft. Subsequent statements by India’s Admiral Prakash indicate that they could be looking for as many as 30 aircraft by 2020. Lockheed was invited to bid again, and so were several other firms. The bids were submitted in April 2007. The plan was for price negotiations to be completed by 2007, with first deliveries to commence within 48 months.

India’s Ministry of Defence has extreme problems with announced schedules, but their existing fleet is wearing out, international requests for India’s maritime patrol help are rising, and some action is necessary. DID discusses the geopolitical drivers, the current fleet, and the known competitors.

Now that the bids have been submitted, technical evaluations have taken place, and price negotiations have reportedly wrapped up, we seem to be inching toward a winner…

• With Growing Naval Power Comes Growing Naval Responsibility
• The Competitors
• Listed, But Not Submitted
• UPDATES
  
  Continue Reading… »