At the Indian airbase Yelahanka, the largest in Asia aerospace exhibition Aero India 2011 completed its work. The exhibition was attended by 29 countries, 380 exhibitors of military and civil purposes were demonstrated, most of the new products presented, 295 copies, were from Indian firms.
The entire world defense industry traditionally shows interest in the tenders that India holds. According to experts, at the beginning of the next decade, India will purchase military equipment and weapons totaling $ 100 billion.
Russia also participates in a dozen of competitions held by the Indian Ministry of Defense. The total initial cost of these tenders is estimated at three tens of billions, while the Indian side declares the possibility of increasing the number of purchased equipment.
The largest tender was an aviation tender for the purchase of 126 multirole fighters under the Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program with a total value of $ 10-12 billion.
The Indian side put forward rather stringent requirements for this tender. Only one list of which, totaled 700 items. The winner of the tender is obliged to reinvest 50% of the contract value in the Indian defense industry and supply 18 aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The remaining 108 aircraft under the terms of the tender will be manufactured under license at the facilities of the Indian corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Completion of all work on the execution of the order is scheduled for 2020.
The competition involves the Russian MiG-35, American: F / A-18E / F Super Hornet of Boeing Corporation and F-16IN Super Viper of Lockheed Martin, French Rafale of Dassault Aviation, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen NG of Saab and EF-2000 Typhoon the European consortium Eurofighter.
F / A-18E / F Super Hornet
F-16IN Super Viper
Rafale
JAS-39 Gripen NG
EF-2000 Typhoon
All aircraft were presented for testing, which took place in various climatic conditions in India. Combat vehicles were evaluated in the highlands in the Ladakh region and the Rajasthan desert. Comparisons were also carried out at temperatures up to minus thirty degrees, in winter. All competing airlines were based at an airbase with an elevation of 3,500 meters above sea level.
After conducting preliminary tests, the Indian Ministry of Defense issued a request for a proposal to increase the number of aircraft purchased to 189 copies. The price of the issue has correspondingly increased. This proposal of the Indian Ministry in the ranks of contenders for victory caused a serious struggle in the information field. The last exhibition Aero India 2011 became the field for the next such fights.
So, for example, an official representative of Boeing made such a forecast that only twin-engine fighters will remain in the list of participants in the MMRCA tender.
In turn, representatives of Saab and Lockheed Martin, in response to the incorrect statement by Boeing, drew attention to the advantage of single-engine fighters in terms of the cost of the entire life cycle.
The experts from Eurofighter did not lag behind. Having made a forecast for the export market of multi-role fighters for the next 20 years and estimated it at 800 aircraft, they "modestly" stated that the niche of their brainchild, the EF-2000 Typhoon, will be at least 250 aircraft.
Boeing was not limited to some loud statements, the company also brought to the exhibition a model of its new development for the creation of a new generation of the Hornet airline complex, made as part of the F / A-18 International Roadmap Platform program.
The demonstration of the layout was, to put it mildly, "ostentatious". After the first few hours of the air show, all the plastic trims were removed and the public saw a regular F / A-18 Super Hornet.
An unpleasant embarrassment occurred with the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper during a demonstration flight. During the flight, the hatch located in the area of the gun's location was blown off from the fighter. At first glance, nothing extraordinary happened, one might say, a normal workflow. But, given the fact that prior to this incident, American specialists had made a special emphasis on the highest operational reliability of their aircraft, we can say that this incident was a "test shot" in this advertised myth.
Special attention and surprise of specialists, participants and visitors of the exhibition was caused by the absence of the MiG-35 at the air show. Mikhail Pogosyan, Acting Head of the United Aircraft Corporation, rather vaguely commented on the reasons for the absence of a Russian bidder: “On the whole, we have successfully tested the MiG-35 aircraft, now we are working on its modernization and awaiting the results of the tender.”
Mikhail Pogosyan
The real reason remained unknown. One thing is for sure the MiG-35, by its non-presence, aroused the greatest interest among all those present. This circumstance gave rise to a wave of gossip and speculation. Someone hastened to conclude that Russia estimates its chances of winning as minimal and therefore did not spend money on the exhibition.
Although according to the rules of the same advertising and election campaigns, at the final stage, the clear leaders are advised not to participate in the debates. The last stage usually gives the opportunity to score points to those who lose the race.
