|
New
Delhi, 27 March 2005
Blaring
masthead headlines in Indian, Pakistani and US
papers on India’s Hindu New Year Day that is
celebrated as Holi, referred to the telephone
conversation President Bush had with PM Manmohan
Singh and the overdue announcement of release of F
16s to Pakistan by the US government and
simultaneously the clearance of F 18s and Nuclear
plants for India. These are welcome moves because
they signify a closer relationship, and albeit fuel
the arms race in the sub continent. However, the
commercial aspects deserve some scrutiny and we
offer a professional’s view.
Separately
we have posted on this site a reference to the Left
partners of the UPA Government resenting undue close
military cooperation with USA. The Russians will
also now see competition in the nuclear field. India
needs energy and Condoleezza Rice has scored brownie
points by her visit and the news of this
announcement must have been mentioned in confidence
to her interlocutors. Indian bureaucrats and
political leaders love to hear such news directly
rather than from New York Times or Wall Street
Journal and Condoleezza Rice was told so. Even if we
do not buy these big-ticket items lets ‘get all
the gen’ as they say in the Services.
F-16s
and F-18s A Comparison
In
1974–76 the USAF ran a competition for a
lightweight fighter. General Dynamics entered the
YF-16 and Northrop entered the YF-17. Both were good
aircraft. The USAF chose the YF-16, partly because
it shared the same engine with their then favorite
fighter, the F-15, which was already flying.
Choosing the F-16 helped to reduce the cost of
F-15s.
The
US Navy liked the twin engine YF-17 and, after some
modifications and the involvement of McDonnel
Douglas, it became the F/A-18. Production was
awarded to MDD, which was subsequently bought by
Boeing. The Navy and the Marines were delighted with
the plane and Malaysia and Australia operate the
planes too. Meanwhile, Lockheed bought the F-16
plant of General Dynamics.
The
basic technology of both F-16 and F-18 is of 1970s
vintage. The F-16 is in the same class as the Mirage
2000, both in performance and cost. And now, the
USAF has taken delivery of its last F-16. The line
is being kept open only for international customers
like UAE, which has the latest Block D, F-16s. See
the story below and we reckon the F 18 will cost
some $45m a piece and F 16 some $32m.
The
US air force, navy and marine corps have already run
a competition to replace the F-16, F-18 and AV-8
Harrier aircraft. Boeing and Lockheed entered their
designs. Lockheed won the competition with their
F-35 JSF (Joint Services Fighter). There are three
versions F-35A, F-35B and F-35C. Details are
available on the Lockheed Martin website. The UK had
also opted for the plane and Singapore and others
also funded the project. Britain joined the program
in the early phases itself. A total of 11 countries
are already in the program and many of them will get
some work share. If the IAF and IN want to upgrade
and modernise their fighter fleet with US aircraft,
then the F-35 JSF is the appropriate aircraft, but
the cost will be phenomenal.
"WRIGHT-PATTERSON
AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio. (AFPN) ––
The
general who was the F-16 System Program Office
director here when the contract for the aircraft was
awarded, delivered the Air Force's last F-16
Fighting Falcon on March 18. While the Lockheed
Martin Aero plant in Fort Worth, Texas, will
continue to produce F-16s for international
coalition partners, this aircraft is the last of
2,231 F-16s produced for the Air Force, officials
said. The first delivery was in 1978.
Brig.
Gen. Jeff Riemer, now the director of operations at
the Air Force Materiel Command headquarters here,
flew the jet from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort
Worth to Shaw Air Force Base. "It seemed
fitting for General Riemer to make this historic
flight, and we were pleased that he was able to
accept the invitation," said Col. Scott Jansson,
Aeronautical Systems Center Fighter Attack Systems
Wing's F-16 Systems Group commander.
For
his part, General Riemer said that having flown the
very first F-16B while stationed at Edwards AFB, he
was delighted to have had the opportunity to fly the
last F-16 produced for the Air Force.
“Today's
F-16 has significant combat capabilities. This
(version of the) jet has a new computer,
multifunctional color displays, an advanced
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator,
upgraded data link system and a new helmet with an
automatic target-cueing system. It has been upgraded
with the latest software and cutting-edge precision
weapons. Although this is the last new F-16 expected
to be produced for the (Air Force), the F-16 Systems
Group continues to technically transform the
existing fleet of more than 1,300 jets, enabling
evolutionary weapons delivery capabilities through
2025 and making possible a smooth transition to the
F-35, the world's premier multi-role fighter of the
future," Col. Jansson said."
Commercial
Atomic Energy Generation
Fifty
years ago nuclear energy was considered the panacea
for our future energy needs. However, the high
environmental costs, especially the huge cost of
closing down and entombing a nuclear plant after
40–50 years of operation, has changed everything.
The developed world has practically discarded new
commercial nuclear energy plants. India and China
are the only two major countries where new
commercial nuclear plants are being built.
It
is only a question of time before India and China
change their policies about commercial nuclear
plants. So any offer by US of commercial nuclear
plants is no substitute for the gas pipeline from
Iran.
|