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| ARTWORK FOR LIVEFIST / SAURAV CHORDIA |
Of all the (now several) bits of U.S.-built kit that have entered Indian inventory in the last decade, the Apache stands out. In the catalogue of equipment the Pentagon opened up to the Indian government after the Kargil conflict, contracting for Apaches seemed a lot less likely than any of the other items India was interested in. The Apache was always going to be a complex item to contract, given the level of advancement in improved variants of the helicopter platform. That it took so long to nail down negotiations and sign up is testimony to the fact.
India has signed up for 22 of the AH-64E variant (the re-designated AH-64D Block III). Neither the Indian Air Force nor Boeing have revealed how many of the 22 will be Longbow versions, sporting the NorthropGrumman AN/APG-78 ‘Longbow’ fire control radar. In 2010, when the Indian Air Force opened the competition, it indicated that it wanted 12 Longbows. While it is not officially confirmed that this is the number that is finally being supplied as part of the 22, there’s no reason to believe it isn’t. And if 12 is the number of Longbows, it’s higher than the 1-in-3 ratio the U.S. Army sports. Here’s the most comprehensive set of schematics and specs on the AH-64E that India has chosen to acquire:
The specimen fielded by Boeing for three-week trials in 2010-11 was a modified Block II with a great deal of Block III parts, including composite rotor, fuel tanks etc. The platform had the performance of a Block III, says Boeing, but without the avionics.
recently US sold 22 Apache helicopters to India and 15 AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter to Pakistan ……. this is called business !!
making a killing on both ends (that remind me of Iraq and Iran war where US & Europe sold weapons to both countries and latter when both finished their war killing 5,000 civilians the settlement was also concluded by West/ NATO making huge profit in this case) ?
Now Question is: Then why you are running HAL/ DRDO ? and How many Indians are going to die after this deal as we suppose it was part of some package ??
Ha-ha ah-1z Pakistan got are free of cost for participation in war on terror.
Haha..Ah-1Z Pakistan got were Free of cost for participation in war on terror.
Ha-ha ah-1z Pakistan got are free of cost for participation in war on terror.
Russia sold sukhoi to both India and China.. Good business, eh?
@Anon 8:31 – Why are you assuming that India and Pakistan are going to war? Or is it that you want both countries to go to war? Any nation upgrades it's military capabilities as part of deterrence and security of it's assets. Just because India is buying Apaches and Pak is getting Cobras doesn't mean they are going head to head. Frankly I give a fuck about Pak but currently no western nation will want India to be in a high level conflict. Too many business interests and too much money to be lost. As far as the DRDO is concerned, agreed that it's not the most competent and quick manufacturing agency but it's getting there. And FYI, unlike Pak using its current Cobras on it's own territory, India has never used lethal force against it's own citizens or territory
Hmmm… Kashmir, NE, Punjab, Naxals… yep India hasnt used lethal force against its citizens…
Did we really need Apaches ?
Heavy lift helicopters definitely yes.
Attack helicopters No No.
We should have stuck to LCH & Rudra
Waste of money. We could bought a whole bunch of artillery with this money.
I hope Kamov plant comes real fast , the replacement of Cheetah & chetak needs to begin.
Dear friend apache order was decreased because of lch n rudra were promising. So its for SEAD operations .will remain in low number . rudra n lch are coming large numbers.
Good piece of information.
My previous comment was not trolling, it is a fact that Saudi Arabia and UAE have already lost more than 5 Apaches in the on going Yemen War. Sorry if you don't like facts.
Russia did sold Su planes to both China and India but the difference is China negotiated transfer of technology and portions of tech which left out, China reverse engineered itself
Now they have series of internal technologies on war planes, navy ships and tanks while India still thinks spending money (hafta) to area goon will spare him from the trouble !!
& stop comparing India with China, China is 11 Trillion dollor economy (bigger than US) and have proxy friends like Pakistan to contain India and North Korea to contain US
A strong cyber security capability and economic intelligence where it does surplus trade with India by bribing IAS lobby to arm Pakistan to Contain India and so far its very successful in it
"India has never used lethal force against it's own citizens or territory" –
– Wrong India has done it by using wrong policies ! Indian Policies killed thousands of soldiers in Kashmir alone in last 2 decades (5000+) by Pakistan by direct or indirect wars also displacing lakhs of KP's in 90's
& I didn't knew Pakistan has signed an agreement to not use Cobra against India !! but anyway its purpose is not to defeat India but to help its friends by containing India which so far he was successful in doing it during last 2 decades during which period China went ahead of India effecting poverty level of general masses because our security establishment has failed us, along with Policy makers.
They only boast about how they defeated Pakistan while forgetting the amount of loss Indian people suffered by loosing out its share of prosperity to China and Other countries !!
@Ishan Choudhary
Why bother defending DRDO? Let the critics keeping harping of the slowness of DRDO; its a useful distraction. Meanwhile, Private companies in India are increasingly contributing to defence equipment and at least the deliveries have been tracking ahead of schedule. Hopefully, we'll also soon hear about the performance of their products.
Perhaps the software escrow demand from India wasn't taken seriously so far. Any idea if these buys will help the engineering and design teams in indigenous development projects?
@Anon 2:50 pm – quite agree with you. Private defence sector is growing and is slowly creeping up. However I wouldn't want to write off DRDO completely. They are a crucial cog no matter how slow they are.
Hi Shiv Aroor,
My name is Narotham S. Reddy and I am submitting the following comments for your opinion article on LCA Tejas…
1. The LCA Tejas development is a noble idea but the practical aspects always limits how well and fast India can proceed on this system and later version II…
India must keep developing I and II but they need vital engine technology so they need to shell out whatever it takes to get GE F-404 for I and F-414 for II…
They need to pay for IP and sign joint design and development for these two engines to optimize them for various conditions of India -hot, humid, high altitude, etc…
They need to keep searching for partners for sub systems design and development and assembly in India with complete technology transfers…
India can't keep waiting for ceramic radome and fuel probes, etc and build 200+ LCA Tejas I & II…
So they must keep with it as one track…
2. For better or worse, 36 Rafales acquisition may be ok in these circumstances as India needs France support in many areas…
C
ancelling it will definitely cripple India's effort to get into UNSC and other weapons systems…
India must say no to more clearly at these prices…
3. India must make a hard bargain with Russia its primary supplier for the following three systems…We already have manufacturing facilities for SU-30MKI and Mig-29…
I. More SU-30MKI with advanced avionics – some from Russia and some from India…
II More Mig-29Ks for Navy and its Naval air stations…
III More Mig-29K converted to ground attack role…
IV One or two squadrons of Russian T-50 whatever they are flying and made in Russia to keep China and Pakistan at bay…
For ordering these, make a hard bargain to get full TOT for SU-30MKI and Mig-29K, etc
4. Complete the upgradation of Mirage-2000, Mig-29, Jaguar re-engine, etc vercy quickly…
I think these steps would afford India to get out of jam and also make Russia happy at opening up the technology pipeline to keep them flying properly…India can't afford to let them fall from skies like older Migs…
I think this is the best and sane advice to Indian government to go forward to keep the force and security levels at proper levels…
Sorry for writing this post here but I can't put it in Twitter…
Best wishes at composing a masterpiece…
Sincerely,
Narotham S. Reddy, Ph.D.
Rudra and LCH are not coming as French Engines are denied by france & Indian Govt. is too slow to act !!
BJP may be in Govt. but Congress is still ruing the nation therefore no visible change until BJP gains power in both houses
Anonymous… is a Porki… hahahaha… Dude who the duck are you to first talk about Kashmir… Kashmir was acceded to India by the royalty of Kashmir… Porkistan was a an invader of Kashmir… It has no legitimacy on Kashmir… Peblicide or no Peblicide… It is a matter between India and Kashmir… Pakistan has to vacate POK… and should recognise the truth that Kashmir is not any of their buiness… about Pakistan containing India… looks like you looser have been doing a great job in that department up until now… hahahahahahaha… China's economy is 11 trillion USD… well it is slowing down as it should while INDIA's economy is the world fastest now and will continue to be for decades to come… India has an advantage it's service economy is the best in the world… and competes with and beats developed nation… We lack in infrastructure and manufacturing… something India is geared up to address on a war footing now… and so we will… Don't forget our service economy beats China's hands down… We compete with USA in that and beat them too… Exceptional service economy is the sign of developed economies… India is an exception here… What it means is that India has brain capital now it just needs to get its muscle power up like what one does in developing economies… to have infrastructure and manufacturing competing qualitatively with the developed ones… And we will achieve that… Our suggestion to Pakistan either now you choose to contribute positively to India and the region or you will become extinct in the list of any noticeable relevance forget someone of significance. As for your atomic missile program… International community will take care of it one day by dismantling it completely… It's only a matter of time.
We can send stuff to Mars and have an efficient and effective state run space program. But we can't seem to build our own arms. The foreign military industrial complex has ruined us.
Just tell me fast the thing is I know a rotor craft is limited as to speed due to cavitation or is it entropy in forward velocity? Still, I hope the thing can do 200+
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