27 mai 2015 Info-Aviation

Le ministre de la défense de l’Inde a confirmé que son pays limitera sa commande à 36 Rafale pour financer la production nationale du Tejas LCA.

Cette déclaration de Manohar Parrikar, ministre de la défense, met un terme à l’appel d’offres MMRCA et marque l’engagement du gouvernement indien dans son programme d’avion de combat local Tejas LCA (Light Combat Aircraft).

L’appel d’offres MMRCA visait initialement l’acqusition de 126 avions de combat. Mais Delhi a finalement réduit sa commande à 36 Rafale afin d’investir dans la production de son avion national Tejas.

« En achetant 36 Rafale au lieu de 126, j’ai sauvé le coût de 90 Rafale », a déclaré M. Parrikar, précisant que ce montant était d’environ 15.51 milliards de dollars. « Nous allons affecter cet argent à l’achat de Tejas LCA dont le coût unitaire est d’environ 1.5 milliards de roupie indienne (23 millions de dollars) », a t-il ajouté.

Le Tejas LCA va remplacer 10 à 12 escadrons de MiG-21 et de MiG-27 mis à la retraite à partir de 2022, a t-il confirmé.

Le Tejas est un chasseur supersonique monoplace et monoréacteur de quatrième génération. Il est doté d’un radar multimode à effet  Doppler, disposant des modes air-air, air-sol, air-mer. L’appareil dispose également d’un pod FLIR et d’un désignateur laser.

Le ministre indien a néanmoins refusé de révéler le coût d’achat des 36 Rafale, qui avait été annoncé par le Premier ministre Narendra Modi le 10 avril à Paris, et qui est actuellement en négociation. M. Parrikar a toutefois confirmé que le contrat comporte une obligation de compensation de 50%.

Le Ministère indien de la Défense était en négociation avec Dassault depuis 2012 pour l’acquisition de126 Rafale au profit de l’Indian Air Force (IAF).

Parmi ceux-ci, 18 devaient être achetés sur étagère et 108 construits sous licence en Inde par Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd à Bangalore.

Les déboires du Su-30

Une enquête préliminaire a révélé que des problèmes de moteur pourrait expliquer le crash d’un chasseur Su-30MKI de l’IAF dans l’Etat d’Assam, le 19 mai 2015, selon des sources officielles. Le crash était le sixième accident impliquant un Su-30. L’avion est entré en service dans l’IAF en 1997.

Un tribunal d’enquête sur l’accident est en cours. L’avion s’était écrasé lors d’une mission de routine. Des « problèmes techniques » sont apparus peu après le décollage de la base Salonibari de Tezpur. Les deux pilotes se sont éjectés en toute sécurité.

En mars 2015, Parrikar a déclaré au Parlement que la flotte de Su-30 était en proie à « une panne de moteur en vol » et que l’IAF avaient répertorié 35 anomalies liées au moteur russe Saturn AL-31FP Powerpack.

Cependant, les responsables de Sukhoï nient ces problèmes et attribuent les six accidents de Su-30 à une « erreur humaine », chose que conteste vivement l’IAF.

L’IAF a opéré entre 200 et 272 chasseurs Su-30 acquis pour plus de 12 milliards de dollars.

February 21, 2015 by Shiv Aroor - Livefist

European missile house MBDA is making a strong effort at the highest levels to give the comatose long-proposed joint Indo-French SR-SAM development programme new life. Top MBDA executives sought time with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, meeting him twice in the last one month, to brief him about the SR-SAM (proposed to be called 'Maitri'). Sources say Parrikar heard out the MBDA executives but made no commitment, only saying that the representation would be looked into.

To be sure, it's a tricky situation for MBDA. The SR-SAM programme was all but sunk last year when the Indian Air Force said the Indian Akash SAM it deployed was sufficient for the short range air defence role, and that it didn't feel the need for a separate SR-SAM. The Akash SAM being a DRDO success means the latter is now perceived to have little or no incentive to partner with MBDA on the SR-SAM, but simply to continue working on the Akash and extend its range and capabilities for an anticipated Mk.2 version that the IAF and Indian Army are reportedly keen on.

"The aim of this programme, one of several initiatives within the Indo-French strategic dialogue, was to contribute to the development of the Indian defence industry. This would enable India to set up automated production lines for seeker, sub-assembly and full missile production. Despite SR-SAM ticking all the boxes regarding ToT, timescale, capability and equally economics, a decision is still to be made," MBDA officials told me.

Other developments:

• The Indian Army's $6 billion VSHORADS programme for 1,000 launchers and 6,000 missiles has just completed a final round of tests in Bengaluru and Dehradun for sighting systems and radar. MBDA's Mistral competes with the Saab RBS 70NG and KBM Igla-S. With field evaluations complete, the three companies have been notified of a meeting with the test team early next month at which point they will be informed about their performance.

• MBDA has received an RfP from HAL to supply munitions for the Mistral ATAM system already integrated on the ALH Rudra helicopters being supplied to the Indian Army.
• The company has also received an RfP on the integration of the Mistral ATAM system on the Light Combat Helicopter.
• While there's been no word on the PARS 3 LR that's been field evaluated as an air-to-ground weapon for the Rudra against other systems, MBDA has opened preliminary discussions with the Army and DRDO on its new Missile de Moyenne Portée (or Medium Range Missile), successor to the Milan weapon system. The MMP was test-fired for the first time earlier this month.

February 24, 2015 idrw.org Source Asian Age

India and France are hoping for a major breakthrough on Tuesday on the proposed multi-billion dollar 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal when visiting French defence minister Jean Yves Le Drian will hold a 90-minute crucial meeting with defence minister Manohar Parrikar.

Talks are stuck on contract-negotiation with French firm Dassault — manufacturer of the Rafale aircraft — after certain problems allegedly cropped up regarding acceptance of complete responsibility by the French firm for the 108 aircraft (out of 126) that will be manufactured in India by the lead integrator—stae-run HAL.

Sources said France could agree to firmly adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the manufacture of the 108 aircraft in India but French sources said it is up to HAL to stick to deadlines.

In the proposed deal, 18 aircraft will be supplied in “fly-away” condition by Dassault. Work had already begun earlier on the draft for the proposed deal amid speculation that the deal could be to the tune of about $20 billion when it is inked. Dassault was earlier selected as the “L-1” (lowest financial bidder) among the two firms selected after the completion of the technical trials.

The IAF is eagerly looking forward to clinching the deal to bolster the number of its fighter squadrons. It remains to be seen whether the French Government provides any guarantees to India to clinch the deal during the talks on Tuesday which is being seen as a make-or-break attempt to reach an agreement on the deal. If talks are successful, the proposed draft of the deal is expected to be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for clearance before the deal is formally inked with Dassault. The Modi Government is going all-out to ensure that crucial defence acquisitions are not delayed.