crazy about defence: 2007-06-24

Hey guys good news! At last the joint comittie yesterday gave the go ahead to issue request for proposal (rfp) by next month.

This is said to be the mother of all defence deals, worth over $10 billion for purchasing 126 (MCRA) and has the clause of right to option for 50-60 aircraft more if the guv. fells the need for that and an 30% offset policy.

Defence sources says that the rfp would be issued to six contenders Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Boeing’s F-18 super Hornet of the US, Sweden’s Gripen, Eurofighter GmbH’s Eurofighter Typhoon and Russia’s MiG-35 but that is irrelevant as the time taken so far towards issuing the rfp only is so long, how can they gurantee that there will be no delays in selecting an aircraft for the IAF?

In my next posting I will be predicting which aircraft INDIA will choose/ have to choose depending on diffrent scenarios that will govern the aircraft selection and complex negotiations that have to be done.

TYPE 45 DESTROYER - DARING CLASS

The first Type 45 (HMS Daring) is expected to enter service during 2009. Subsequent vessels of a planned eight ship class (six ordered) are expected to follow at regular intervals between that point and around 2015. The current estimated unit production cost of each Type 45 is £561.6 million, based on the currently approved programme of six ships. This estimate includes the cost of the principal surface to air missile system (PAAMS), which is the primary weapons system for the Type 45 destroyer. Within the figure of £561.6 million overall cost, the cost of the PAAMS system is approximately one third or about £187 million.

In addition to its role as an air defence vessel the Type 45 destroyer will be a versatile platform that is planned to deliver a number of capabilities. These include naval gunfire support and, through its embarked helicopter, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. It will be capable of employment in a full range of tasks including maritime force protection, interdiction and peace support operations. With eight Type 45 destroyers in service, a minimum of five units would be available to the Fleet for deployment at various states of readiness. During 2004 the Defence Procurement Agency conducted an assessment of the potential to fit tactical Tomahawk missiles to the Type 45 destroyer. Although this assessment confirmed the practicability of either fitting or retro-fitting Tomahawk missiles it remains the position that there is currently no requirement for the Type 45 to be fitted with them.

TYPE 45 - DARING CLASS DESTROYERS Specifications
Length

152.4 m
Displacement
7,350 tons full load
Max Speed
29 knots
Range
7,000 nm at 18 knots
Complement
187
Armament (Estimated)

Missiles
SSM 8 x Harpoon (2 quad)

Surface-to-Air (SAM) 6 x DCN Sylver A 50 VLS PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System)

16 x Aster 15 and 32 x Aster 30 weapons or combination
Guns
1 x Vickers 4.5 in (114 mm)/55 Mk 8 Mod 1

2 x 20 mm Vulcan Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems