Supriyo Gupta warns of a coming Artificial Intelligence apartheid, akin to the nuclear, missile and supercomputer apartheid India faced and argues that India should get ahead of AI apartheid through fighter technology.
Our pseudonymous analyst Mark is back with his take on the story so far of the IAF’s quest for fighter aircraft. He last contributed a much talked-about two-part analysis of the MMRCA tender in April 2012.
Check out the Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter as Air Commodore Khalid Mehmood takes us around the aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2015.
Wing Commander Alok Kumar Thakur was convicted by court martial for allegedly accepting bribes from the representative of French aircraft manufacturer Dassault in a reported sting during the Bangalore Air Show in 2011.
This is the second and concluding installment of the two-part analysis of the process of acquisition of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
This, first of a two-part analysis, examines the MMRCA process and invites you to draw your conclusions as to the veracity of the claims of transparency and adherence to the rule book.
A cost escalation of 50 percent (INR 63,000 crore, in this case) or more, requires approval again from the Ministry of Finance, before the Defense Acquisitions Council (DAC) can proceed with it. With the cost of the tender for India safely ranging from INR 83,000 crore to 1,25,000 crore, the revision of the estimated expenditure on the MMRCA would require the approval of the finance ministry.
Assuming both surviving vendors, the four-nation Eurofighter consortium and France’s Dassault, had managed to match the budget of INR 42,000 crore in their own currency when they submitted their bids, today that amount would escalate to over INR 50,000 crore.
The commercial bids of the two surviving contenders in the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) are ready to be opened, according to the defense ministry.
The spurned vendors and countries failing to receive invitations by the Indian Ministry of Defense to extend the validity of their commercial bids for the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), which expired on Thursday, have issued cautious responses indicating that they do not consider the matter closed and that there is, still, much left to be discussed.
Significantly, the Swiss Air Force is now also looking for additional capabilities in the aircraft like an AESA radar and is planning to increase the order size from 22 to 36.
The Price Negotiating Committee for the Alternate Engine of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk-2 issued a statement on Thursday, saying that it had finalized the Comparative Statement of Tenders. “After evaluation and acceptance of the Technical offer provided by both Eurojet and GE Aviation, the commercial quotes were compared in detail and GE Aviation was declared as the lowest bidder,” said the statement.
The European arms firm MBDA has offered its services for stockpile management to the Indian armed forces, saying it can help achieve cost savings of up to 30 per cent, besides configuring life extensions of existing stock and improving safety.
Our man seems to be no less enthused by fighter aircraft than the average guy. Turns out, he walked unannounced into the Eurofighter stall and going straight to the Flight Simulator, clambered in, said eyewitnesses.
The bids are subject to be changed or revised because the terms of the bids are valid only for two years and could lead to cost escalations, even before the winner is selected.
