CAG Accuse Indian Navy For Buying MiG-29K's Without Weapons

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report slammed the Ministry of Defence and the Navy for buying war planes that do not have weapons. It also pointed a finger at the Indian Air Force (IAF) for having ‘let off’ three of its officers who caused a loss of Rs 302 crore when a sensitive aerostat radar got damaged.

 

The CAG, in its report tabled in both Houses of Parliament, said the Indian Navy followed a flawed approach in acquiring its fighter aircraft fleet by not finalising the associated weapon package. The CAG said that 11 out of 16 MiG 29K aircraft, acquired at a cost of $740.35 million (Rs 3,405.61 crore), been delivered in December 2009 and May 2011. No matching armament, for which a contract was signed in March 2006, has been delivered as on October 2010, thereby adversely affecting the operational capabilities of the aircraft.

Further, the Navy has selected a ‘beyond visual range’ (BVR) missile with an unsatisfactory track record. Lastly, the complete armament package finalised for the aircraft contains certain ammunition, worth $20.98 million (Rs 93.68 crore) which did not have the approval of the competent authority.

The MiG 29K is a deck-based fighter meant for seaborne aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov). At present, the fighters are based at a land base in Goa as the aircraft carrier itself has not arrived.

The agreement was signed under an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between India and Russia in October 2000 for the procurement of an aircraft carrier along with the MiGs for onboard operations. The Ministry of Defence in January 2004 concluded a contract with Russian Aircraft Corporation (RAC-MIG) for procurement of the MiG 29K aircraft. The weapons package was postponed and de-linked from the negotiations for the aircraft.

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Russian Military Rejects MiG-29K For Admiral Kuznetsov

At the MAKS-2011 August 16 revealed that the Defense Ministry refused to buy from the RAC "MiG" 24 aircraft for the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov". Not only that the machine gives the characteristics of a heavy Su-33, so still it turned out that she has a problem with the onboard electronics. In addition, it is still unclear why the plane crashed two months ago on trial in Akhtubinsk - literally fell apart in the air during a complex maneuver.

Electronics ship "MiG" was originally created to supply to India. This country, in 2004 we bought the cruiser "Admiral Gorshkov" aircraft and 29. The fulfillment of this contract has not yet been completed.

Western avionics of the native "guts" of the aircraft are incompatible with Russian hardware. Therefore, for the Ministry of Defence RAC "MiG" Russian Aircraft retrofitted devices - and their quality did not suit the customer.

The military also talk about an inflated price of aircraft.

At the RAC "MiG" is calculated by year's end to finalize the on-board electronics and sign the contract. "Otherwise, the company faces closure after the Indian contract", - the deputy director of the Institute of Military Studies, Alexander Khramchikhin.

The only possible alternative to the "MiGs" is the Su-33 company "Sukhoi". His fighting ability was confirmed by August 17 at the exercises in the Barents Sea, during which two dozen Su-33 successfully boarded by being on the high seas cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" and returned to base. This machine is also interested in China, which has not yet created such a machine for its aircraft carriers.

- MiG-29 is physically newer, as the Su-33 was produced in 1990, and everything else is second - recognizes Khramchikhin.

The problem is that the Su-33 for four years is not performed.

- To restore its production at Komsomolsk-on-Amur, or in another plant will need two or three years - said the representative of the United Aircraft Company, which consists of all Russian aircraft factories and design offices.

Defense talks with the RAC "MiG" continuing, but they are hampered another challenge. Two months ago, crashed during testing of the MiG-29K in dvuhpilotnom version ("SPARK"). Test pilots Kruzhalin Alexander and Oleg Match died.

Cause of the accident is still unknown. According to preliminary reports, the plane dropped off down the wing, may not withstand the stresses.

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Russia Tests Upgraded MiG-29 Jets For India

Russia's MiG corporation Friday carried out the first test fight of a MiG-29 fighter modernized under a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF).

"On Feb 4, a MiG-29UPG fighter carried out its first test flight. The flight lasted for an hour and was flawless," MiG said in a statement.

The IAF has awarded the MiG corporation a $900 million contract to upgrade all of its 69 operational MiG-29s.

These upgrades include a new avionics kit, with the N-109 radar being replaced by a Phazatron Zhuk-M radar.

The aircraft is also being equipped to enhance beyond-visual-range combat ability and for air-to-air refueling to increase flying time.

In 2007, Russia also gave India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) a license to manufacture 120 RD-33 series three turbojet engines for the upgrade.

The first six aircraft are being upgraded in Russia while the remaining 63 will be refitted at the HAL facility in India.

Russian Aerobatics The Swifts And Knights Turns 20

The Russian aerobatics groups known as ‘The Swifts’ and ‘The Russian Knights’ have marked 20 years since the establishment of the ‘Swifts’ team by performing a series of spectacular stunts above the heads of international spectators at a military airfield near Kubinka west of Moscow.

‘The Swifts’ fly MiG-29, and ‘The Russian Knights’, Sukhoi-27 jets. ‘The Swifts’ are the world’s only aerobatics group flying fully armed combat aircraft.

IAF Chief Witness Flight Demonstration OF PAK FA And Upgraded Mig-29UPG In Russia

According to Russian Media Indian Air Force chief Pradeep Vasant Naik witnessed flight demonstration of 5th Generation fighter aircraft PAK FA along with upgraded Indian air force’s Mig-29UPG .

Event was witnessed by the President of the United Aircraft Corporation, CEO of Sukhoi and RSK MiG Mikhail Pogosyan, the representatives of Rosoboronexport, the Russian Air Force. and the flight demonstration was held at Gromov Flight Research Institute in Moscow .

India and Russia have recently agreed to work on FGFA a variant of 5th Generation fighter aircraft based on PAK FA , and the first flight flight is expected by 2016 , at the moment Sukhoi has built Two Technology demonstrator of T-50 aircraft’s and is carrying out first phase of test flight and the first Prototypes will be ready by end of next yea

Russia Delivers Another Batch OF Mig-29K Fighters To India

MiG aircraft Coporation delivered a new batch of five MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters to the Indian navy in May, the company said.

"A flight training simulator and other technical equipment has also been delivered," MiG said in a statement on Monday.

The two countries signed a contract stipulating the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29Ks and four two-seat MiG-29KUBs to India in January 2004. The contract is part of a $1.5-billion deal to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian Navy.

India's first four MiG-29Ks and MiG-29KUBs officially entered service in February 2010.

In March 2010, Russia and India signed a $1.5-billion contract on the supplies of 29 additional MiG-29K Fulcrum-D carrier-based fighter jets to New Delhi. The start of the supplies is scheduled for 2012.

Source:  http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110531/164329503.html

Chinese MiG-29 Fulrum Fighter Jet

Chinese MiG-29 Fulrum  Fighter Jet

Russia Eyeing $3 bln in New Arms Contracts

Russia, the world's second largest arms exporter, may seal three new orders worth more than $3 billion for fighter aircraft over the next year, the top Russian defence think tank CAST said on Thursday.

The new orders would be a boon to an industry which has watched its export market shrink after the Arab Spring revolutions and been criticised at home by President Dmitry Medvedev over the quality of its weapons systems.
India is looking to sign a new $2 billion contract for 40 Sukhoi-30MKIs, according to CAST data, and the Russian Defence Ministry itself may soon sign a deal for 24 Mikoyan-29Ks to renew the ageing fleet on its sole aircraft carrier.
"There is a very strong chance that the Indian air force may sign a contract to buy up to 40 Su-30MKI fighters, even by the end of this year," CAST Director Ruslan Pukhov said.

The Su-30MKI was developed by both Russia and Hindustan Aeronautics, and travels at 1,300 miles per hour at altitude.

"They can't get enough of Russian arms," Pukhov said of India.

India, cautiously watching regional rival China's growing military might, has been the top importer of Russian arms, and the two countries are working on a fifth-generation fighter in a deal reported to be worth around $35 billion.

Delivery of the supersonic jet is expected to begin in 2017.

A Russian fighter was cut from the shortlist in an $11 billion fighter tender in April in favour of two European variants.

"There was a political component to their decision. They knew that they were buying too many arms from the Russians and they knew for diplomatic reasons they had to start balancing out their suppliers," said Pukhov.

The $960 million contract for 24 Mi-29Ks, expected to be signed next year, is for Russia's aircraft carrier, which currently relies on outdated Su-33 planes.

Another deal will be for six Yak-130 light attack aircraft originally intended for Libya before the United Nations imposed an arms embargo on Tripoli, cutting Moscow off from $2 billion in signed deals and another $2 billion in potential contracts.

The top customer for the light attack aircraft is Kazakhstan which is trying to boost its regional clout, Pukhov said, citing defence industry sources.

Russia's arms exports rose to a near-record $10 billion last year and are expected to stay around there for the next few years -- though Middle East violence has since threatened those forecasts.

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