F-18E/F 2017

[SpudmanWP]

Seriously, Please review your post AFTER you hit submit.

[geforcerfx]

tincan something to consider is the next carriers (INS Vishal) from India are suppose to be CATOBAR, they aren't just buying these for the current classes, they are looking a decade down the road. Vishal is expected sometime in the mid 2020's any aircraft they decide on in the next year or two wouldn't be in service until 2020 at the earliest, so 5-7 years later they have the CATOBAR carrier ready and they already have CATOBAR aircraft ready with experienced squadrons. As far as non CAT launches I see no reason why either the super or the rafale couldn't launch off there current carriers, if the Mig-29k can than what's stopping the two catorbar designs. Can they launch them at 70,000lbs> No, but improved reliability and sensors upgrade they would have over the 29k would make it worth operating them still, even with a lower range and payload.

[wewuzkangz]

I'm sure it will be a big improvement. However the F-18E will still be restricted to low payload operations. The F-35B would be much more effective. The problem with selling the F-35B is security, and technology transfer. India is too close to the Russians, and they might let them have a peak. We have the same problem with Turkey.[/quote]

So what is so interesting about an aircrafts IRST that is based off the F-16 or a radar based off an older GaAS model from an F-22? India is a neutral country and they are still complaining about costs being too high for T-50s which are cheaper than F-35s and there is nothing restricting the US from selling them for India nor is there any restrictions for India purchasing them . Still they are getting the sh*t version of SU-57s but still dont want to buy F-35s........Turkey is becoming restricted from Congress of getting F-35s purchased because of their recent actions.

[tincansailor]

tincan something to consider is the next carriers (INS Vishal) from India are suppose to be CATOBAR, they aren't just buying these for the current classes, they are looking a decade down the road. Vishal is expected sometime in the mid 2020's any aircraft they decide on in the next year or two wouldn't be in service until 2020 at the earliest, so 5-7 years later they have the CATOBAR carrier ready and they already have CATOBAR aircraft ready with experienced squadrons. As far as non CAT launches I see no reason why either the super or the rafale couldn't launch off there current carriers, if the Mig-29k can than what's stopping the two catorbar designs. Can they launch them at 70,000lbs> No, but improved reliability and sensors upgrade they would have over the 29k would make it worth operating them still, even with a lower range and payload.

Your very correct about the future Indian Carrier, and I'm sure you know more about the subject, then I do, but do have some Questions, about none CATOBAR operations. I think it would help our discussion if we know at what weight the MIG-29K operates at. The F/A-18E/F/G is heavier then the MIG-29K, but it does have more powerful engines. I also don't know the acceleration rates of the aircraft, and their stall speed. I do know the F-18 comes in hot, so it may have a higher stall speed then the MIG-29K. Higher stall speed means higher take off speed. I just don't know if we know all the variables.

[tincansailor]

I'm sure it will be a big improvement. However the F-18E will still be restricted to low payload operations. The F-35B would be much more effective. The problem with selling the F-35B is security, and technology transfer. India is too close to the Russians, and they might let them have a peak. We have the same problem with Turkey.

So what is so interesting about an aircrafts IRST that is based off the F-16 or a radar based off an older GaAS model from an F-22? India is a neutral country and they are still complaining about costs being too high for T-50s which are cheaper than F-35s and there is nothing restricting the US from selling them for India nor is there any restrictions for India purchasing them . Still they are getting the sh*t version of SU-57s but still dont want to buy F-35s........Turkey is becoming restricted from Congress of getting F-35s purchased because of their recent actions.

[/quote]

I don't know if India has shown no interest in the F-35, or that we just haven't offered it for sale to them. Very glad to hear that Congress is restricting F-35 sales to Turkey. Do you have anymore details on that? Thanks in advance.

[wewuzkangz]

I'm sure it will be a big improvement. However the F-18E will still be restricted to low payload operations. The F-35B would be much more effective. The problem with selling the F-35B is security, and technology transfer. India is too close to the Russians, and they might let them have a peak. We have the same problem with Turkey.

So what is so interesting about an aircrafts IRST that is based off the F-16 or a radar based off an older GaAS model from an F-22? India is a neutral country and they are still complaining about costs being too high for T-50s which are cheaper than F-35s and there is nothing restricting the US from selling them for India nor is there any restrictions for India purchasing them . Still they are getting the sh*t version of SU-57s but still dont want to buy F-35s........Turkey is becoming restricted from Congress of getting F-35s purchased because of their recent actions.

I don't know if India has shown no interest in the F-35, or that we just haven't offered it for sale to them. Very glad to hear that Congress is restricting F-35 sales to Turkey. Do you have anymore details on that? Thanks in advance.[/quote]

here is Turkey source with other articles making same mention. https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... ssy-brawl/

[zerion]

India requested info about the F-35 a number of years ago (2013-14?) but the Obama administration never responded.

[talkitron]

Preventing Turkey from purchasing the F-35 when they have been a major NATO and F-35 program member for many years would be a major escalation in political conflict between Turkey and the US. Turkish companies presumably are subcontractors on the program as well. President Trump is a wildcard but I doubt National Security Adviser Kelly and Secretary of Defense Mattis would be in favor of such a move.

India has a much deeper defense relationship with Russia than Turkey does. The Turkish purchase of the S-400 SAM system is relatively new and the S-400 is considered to be a leader in its class. I also believe Turkey continues to cooperate in SAM development with France and Italy.

[tincansailor]

Preventing Turkey from purchasing the F-35 when they have been a major NATO and F-35 program member for many years would be a major escalation in political conflict between Turkey and the US. Turkish companies presumably are subcontractors on the program as well. President Trump is a wildcard but I doubt National Security Adviser Kelly and Secretary of Defense Mattis would be in favor of such a move.

India has a much deeper defense relationship with Russia than Turkey does. The Turkish purchase of the S-400 SAM system is relatively new and the S-400 is considered to be a leader in its class. I also believe Turkey continues to cooperate in SAM development with France and Italy.

Turkey is on the way out of NATO. Their moving into a Russian alliance. The country is becoming an anti-democratic, anti-liberal society. Having elections doesn't mean your a democracy. Liberal democracy doesn't mean left wing thinking. It means independent courts, and rule of law, separation of legislative, and executive powers, free media, freedom of speech, assemble, religion, and expression, multi parties, guaranteed minority rights. Turkey is rapidly losing all of these freedoms.

To let a country like that have first strike aircraft, that can attack any of their neighbors, with virtual impunity, and let them pass that technology to our advisories would be foolish. If Turkey gets the F-35 we will all live to regret it. We will not be helping the cause of peace in the region. Helping Russia, and China advance their stealth technology will put the whole free world in greater danger. There is no up side to this. LM can sell F-35s to a lot of other countries.

[KamenRiderBlade]

I'm with TinCanSailor on the assessment of not letting the F-35 be sold to Turkey.

They used to be a Liberal Democracy, but given the Regime change and the Authoritarian nature of it's current government, I'm not for supporting them.

Honestly, what does Turkey have now on the F-35 currently is what I'm worried about.

[tincansailor]

http://www.popsci.com/planes-zhuhai-j-20-gets-news-but-there-is-much-much-more-from-new-bombers-to-marsupial-drones "

"KLJ-7A Developed by the Nanjing Electronics Technology Research Institute, the KLJ-7A AESA radar is powerful despite its small size, with a range of 170km, and enough processing power and capability to track fifteen targets, while targeting four. Its addition to the JF-17 fighter will make it a much more attractive export prospect"........In some sense I do believe the Chinese will greatly benefit from an avionics standpoint but as for stealth I have no idea on what material each country uses for their aircraft to determine stealth. One of them gave up stealth for agility in which Japan might be doing the same considering what the ATD-X prototype uses.

I'm not sure what point your making? Are you saying China will be exporting lots of these new aircraft? Who do you think will be buying them? What will China benefit from, regarding their avionics technology? Are you suggesting Japan will emphasize agility over stealth? Are the Chinese doing the same thing? Can you clarify?

[tincansailor]

New Super Hornet news. The president announced today that Kuwait will be buying a number of F/A-18 Super Hornets. He didn't say how many, or what model, but this time it seems to be true, unlike the last time when he said Finland would be buying them. I could only guess these will be Block III birds, or Advanced Super Hornets. It seems there's still some life left in the program after all. With sales of F-15SA, and new F/A-18's Boeing will still be in the fighter business for years to come. LM won't have the whole market to themselves.

[SpudmanWP]

There has been a Blk2 SH order in the works for a long time.

https://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/file ... _16-21.pdf

[popcorn]

Trump and the SuperHornet... Kuwait, Finland.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardabo ... b8aa0a3254

[neptune]

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... da-441067/

US clears suspended Super Hornet export to Canada

13 September, 2017
BY: Leigh Giangreco

The US State Department has approved a potential sale of Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to Canada, but bad blood between the Canadian government and Boeing may have already spoiled the deal. The proposed sale would include 10 single-seat F/A-18Es and eight two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, along with a host of equipment including 100 Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles, according to the 12 September State Department notice. Canada announced plans last year to buy 18 Super Hornets as an interim solution for replacing a subset of the CF-18 Hornet fleet due for retirement within five years. The government submitted a letter of request for the Super Hornet to the US government in March, but suspended negotiations three months later after Boeing initiated an anti-dumping trade case against Bombardier Commercial Aircraft at the Department of Commerce.


The recent State Department approval does not indicate relations have patched up, but that US government continued with its process to respond with a letter of formal proposal. “Our position on Boeing has not changed, and as a result of the current trade challenge, Canada is reviewing military procurement that relates to Boeing and has suspended direct engagement with the company,” a spokeswoman from the Canadian Minister of National Defence office tells FlightGlobal. “In this case, our engagement is not, and has never been with Boeing, it’s been with the US Government, through the US Foreign Military Sales Program.” As the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency states with all arms export approval notices, Canada is under no obligation to purchase the aircraft. The government will continue exploring options to supplement its aging CF-18 fighter fleet until a permanent replacement fleet is fully operational, the spokeswoman says. One of those options could include procuring used Boeing F/A-18A/Bs. Last week, Canadian defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced the government visited Australia to inspect the F/A-18A/Bs, which the Royal Australian Air Force intends to phase out when Lockheed Martin F-35 deliveries begin in 2018.