Last month, the Indian Ministry of Defense called the ten-billion-dollar deal too expensive.
According to the Times of India newspaper, New Delhi would be ready to sign a new agreement with Moscow for the start of deliveries set at the 2018, compared to the originally planned 94 months. The delivery in 36 months, would facilitate the integration of the "FGFA" (two-seater version), a Russian derivative of the Sukhoi T-50 prototype (opening photo).
To replace the Rafales, India has also evaluated the possibility of buying the reliable and less expensive Su-30s, also of Russian design. India is Russia's largest trading partner in the defense sector. In 2014, India has allocated 45 billions of dollars for military spending.
The Sukhoi T-50, the Pak-Fa program, was launched for the first time in 29 January of the 2010 flight (devoid of avionics such as radar and weapon management systems). According to Russian estimates Pak-Fa will be constructed in a number between 800 and 1000 specimens, including exports (only Russians hope to put at least 450 online).
For the T-50, an operating cycle of forty years is expected, with an estimated cost of 100 million dollars per hunt. At the moment, however, these are only forecasts because, compared to the American F-22, the Pak-FA is a machine in the making, with an avionics that has yet to learn to "communicate" with all the components installed. The integration between the different sensors, in fact, can take years of work, while problems could also arise for the maintenance of the stealth coating, of which the Pak-Fa is equipped.
The T-50 represents the first experience for the Russians with absorbing radar materials (Ram), compared to the thirty-year experience gained by the Americans with the F-117 (photo on the right).
Five to date the prototypes completed for more than 400 flight hours.
All fighters were equipped with AESA radar and three-dimensional vector thrust control.
If the development were to proceed without particular problems, the fighter could enter into service already in the 2016 becoming the first fifth generation fighter made by Moscow.
Franco Iacch
(photo: web / Lockheed Martin)
