| ACIG
Exclusives Chapter 22 : Stuff on offer |
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| An Air show is the only place for companies to aggressively market their wares, even if actual prospects for sale are extremely unlikely and their respective governments haven't even approved of the sales, yet. 2005 saw the largest representation of American products ever, including an entire section dedicated to the US DoD. | |
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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner will use the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 as its lead engine. |
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Boeing 777-ER. Boeing has been selected by Air India, in preference to Airbus. |
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"Not a status symbol but something that gets the job done", they say. While the representative team was only too happy to praise the Gripen in every line, justification through technical facts simply could not be done without a "tech guy". Similarly, the aircraft's brochure is a marvelous example of resplendent presentation but hardly contains any engineering details. The Gripen team was also given a personal tour of Ramji's MiG-29. |
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A specially modified E-2C to operate from R-33 INS Vikramaditya, is proposed with 6 bladed propellers and reduced internal fuel. Unfortunately, the reduction in internal fuel meant a decrease in endurance from 5 hrs to just 1 hour, leading to a rejection in the proposal, at least for now. The Indian Navy has closely studied the E-2C for a while now. |
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Patriot PAC-3 missile. Unlike other stuff on offer, there is a genuine requirement for an ATBM of this class. For LLQRM requirements, the Israeli SPYDER and the French VL-Mica systems were demonstrated to Indian delegations, at the Shdema test range and Centre d'Essais de Lancement de Biscarosse respectively. |
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Not very likely, indeed. Roundel stickers don't say much and will change according to the next country which these models will visit. |
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LM claim that they are ready to develop a Block-70 version for the IAF, if required! Competitive bidding and lobbying will no doubt, contribute to additional delays in the IAF's MRCA acquisition plans. |
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Another proposed offer - the C-130J and to stretch things a little more - the F-35. If the latter were actually approved by the US Congress for sale, one would wonder why LM are offering both the F-16 and it's replacement at the same time? |
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Honeywell F125 engine. |
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Unidentified P&W engine. |
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P&WC's PW-100 turboprop engine. |
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Bell Textron Eagle Eye UAV, UH-1Y and AH-1Z models. |
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While an armed Bell 407 is not being contemplated, the abandonment of HAL's Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) programme has lead the Indian Army to look elsewhere for a Cheetah and Chetak replacement. Candidates include the Bell 407 and the Eurocopter AS550 Fennec. |
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The CFM-56 is probably the best known airliner engine today, 728 new engines being delivered in 2004 alone. |
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The first of the VVIP-configured Embraer Legacy jets for the IAF's 'Pegasus' Air HQ communication squadron, has already flown and will be delivered by June 2005. 'Meghdoot' and others will join Boeing 737s, 'Rajdoot' and 'Raj Hans' of the same squadron, replacing the HAL 748. The aircraft is equipped with a comprehensive self-protection suite from IAI, albeit with the indigenous Tarang system for ESM. Having sealed the deal during the last Aero India in 2003, Embraer did not fly the actual aircraft to the show this year. |
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