Rafales has made many in roads after a slow start in its sales. It feels like in those days it was Rafales against the world. Many countries loved the idea of Rafales serving in their airforce but due to unfair disadvantages created by their competitors Rafales lack success in its international sales. The Koreans for one was very keen in deciding on the French fighter only to be politically pressured by US to choose the F15. Brazil's government was also keen on Rafales only to delay their decision because of cost, however found themselves pressured again by US government to move their choice to F18. The matter is still undecided until today. Singapore too was interested in Rafales but had chosen F15 because they had better relationship with America. Saudi was duped into choosing Eurofighter only to learn that was it not a mature fighter or a multirole one and was not allowed to used Litening pod, ended up using Damocles pod made of course by who else but the French.
This was to change when India unaffected by the unfair pressure of Rafale competitors chosen the best aircraft offered to them or rather the best in service to this date. The Indians found the French aircraft would be the best because of so many reasons ie. it's overall capability being a multirole fighter, France most fair stance on international matters and relationship ( ie. no arms embargo especially at crucial times) as well future potential of the aircraft. Hence the buy of 126 with further for more option went through.
Super Hornets in turned had a great start. Well F 18 A/B/C/D was great aircraft to begin with. Everything that was good from the old Hornets were incorporated in the F 18 E/F. Short comings from the old aircraft were addressed Ie. its size was increased to add more range, hard points and a better size radar. Better avionics were installed to allowed AESA radar and JHMCS. Most important of all and what matters to its probable clients are its potential in future development. Boeing has a stealth upgrade as well as all glass cockpit upgrade available for the Super Hornet while its arsenal ie. missiles and weapon system are always improved while new ones are developed.
However the infamous source code hingers around any sales of American fighters. Further weakness of the Super Hornets is it is just a 7.5G capable fighter. it is said the earlier Hornets are able to take in more Gs and are more manoeuvrable than E and F type. It too has 11 hard points while most fighter types has a lot more now. By the way the Harpoon air to sea surface missiles used by it is subsonic as compared to Russians and French made ones are of supersonic. Maybe these are the reasons most countries especially the current F 18 operators are moving away from F 18s for future fighter aircrafts.
Most current F18 C/D operators were very interested because they were very good for its time. However F35 stole some of the market away. Only Australia has so far bought into its Super Hornets. That also is just because there is delay in the F 35 programme. Some of its airforce officers too have question this decision favouring the Typhoon instead. Kuwait being one of the old Hornet user now is interested in Rafale too. She is waiting for UAE to leap first along with Qatar and Oman into buying them. While Switzerland has opted Gripen based on cost although they favoured the Rafale. Malaysia too because of cost is still contemplating on Super Hornets or even the lease of Gripen, and trying very hard not to forget Rafale because of its capability and Typhoon because of its potential.
Rafales do not have the same weakness as Hornets has above, furthermore what is best about this omnirole fighter is that it has the ability to use US and European made arsenals apart from its own, that is of the French which by themselves are quite excellent by the way.
Of course Rafales only weakness is that it is not a stealth aircraft. It is also does not has a electronics warfare type like the Growler although I hear Spectra is gud enough. One that worries most airforces the most about it is its avaibility of future development. However it is a ready made plane for all its intent and purposes, more than enough for today existing threat.
Dassault presently has manage to sell 126 Rafales abroad while Boeing has only manage to sell 24 F18 abroad units abroad. It is the sales of the aircraft abroad instead of local ones that sayhow good the aircraft is, would you agree?
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Rafales and Typhoon...to lease or not to lease?
Many countries can only dream to own fighter jets in especially in the numbers they desire. However only the rich or dire straits countries can or find excuses to afford them. Truthfully they are too expensive for anybody. Many countries we know have delayed not only their acquisition but their choice in the types of aircraft, not once but again and again.
Many true 4.5 generation fighters are too expensive for many especially Asian countries. That is why they opted for Russian fighters or Gripen and even second hand F16s. Thailand too having second thoughts of buying the second batch of Gripen while Malaysia has delayed its tender for MRCA many times over. Indonesia is struggling to form full squadron of her SU 30s and F 16s. Philippines still in want has nothing much to show. Only Singapore and India you can say comfortably bought the expensive F15s and Rafales. The same parody plays around the world where non oil rich countries lies.
Saab is smart to take this opportunity by offering Gripen for lease. By doing so they can block other war jets being sold. In the long run if the country accept their lease the said country might just buy into them at the end of the lease because the Gripen by then is fully develop to address its weakness and the country's economic condition has improved or grown enough after the years to own them. After all many European countries for decades have practised leasing fighters for decades and some of them have actually bought them in the end.
I am quite sure if Bae or Dassault offer leasing as an other option many countries would jump to the opportunity. Typhoon much like the Gripen, Multirole fighter that lacks maturity would best follow Gripens path.
Dassault with a mature multirole Rafales may do better of course. Even Brazil being at the other end of the world of Asia would take this leap of faith leasing the aircraft. Malaysia's RMAF that will seriously consider Saab offer should MRCA programme be delayed again will gladly lease other types especially Typhoon and Rafales should they be offered the same.
Off late it would seem Dassault has made a good pitch to the Malaysian Goverment. It's best to also include leasing Rafales as the other or last option. By doing so if Rafales is chosen for leasing, no other aircraft is chosen and they later could be bought at a later date when Malaysian economy is doing much better. A number of 24 units can also be offered instead of the 18 that RMAF wants if these numbers are found to be cheaper if bought rather than leased.
Malaysian also bares no risk because let say in ten years she decide on any stealth fighters she can just return Rafales to the French. By that time the French may be able to afford and need more fighters. They got a ready made ones if they decide on this path. They can be sold as second hand which with great sureness many country would jump to the excellent opportunity to buy.
Of course the Europeans got to be really careful not to be too greedy in making to much profit through sales or even leasing. Just remember anyone can come up with the viable idea of leasing Super Hornets as well or better yet especially if the term is so right, the cheap lease of second hand but upgraded (with the Boeing Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) )F18 Ds. That will put the rest definitely out of the game.
Many true 4.5 generation fighters are too expensive for many especially Asian countries. That is why they opted for Russian fighters or Gripen and even second hand F16s. Thailand too having second thoughts of buying the second batch of Gripen while Malaysia has delayed its tender for MRCA many times over. Indonesia is struggling to form full squadron of her SU 30s and F 16s. Philippines still in want has nothing much to show. Only Singapore and India you can say comfortably bought the expensive F15s and Rafales. The same parody plays around the world where non oil rich countries lies.
Saab is smart to take this opportunity by offering Gripen for lease. By doing so they can block other war jets being sold. In the long run if the country accept their lease the said country might just buy into them at the end of the lease because the Gripen by then is fully develop to address its weakness and the country's economic condition has improved or grown enough after the years to own them. After all many European countries for decades have practised leasing fighters for decades and some of them have actually bought them in the end.
I am quite sure if Bae or Dassault offer leasing as an other option many countries would jump to the opportunity. Typhoon much like the Gripen, Multirole fighter that lacks maturity would best follow Gripens path.
Dassault with a mature multirole Rafales may do better of course. Even Brazil being at the other end of the world of Asia would take this leap of faith leasing the aircraft. Malaysia's RMAF that will seriously consider Saab offer should MRCA programme be delayed again will gladly lease other types especially Typhoon and Rafales should they be offered the same.
Off late it would seem Dassault has made a good pitch to the Malaysian Goverment. It's best to also include leasing Rafales as the other or last option. By doing so if Rafales is chosen for leasing, no other aircraft is chosen and they later could be bought at a later date when Malaysian economy is doing much better. A number of 24 units can also be offered instead of the 18 that RMAF wants if these numbers are found to be cheaper if bought rather than leased.
Malaysian also bares no risk because let say in ten years she decide on any stealth fighters she can just return Rafales to the French. By that time the French may be able to afford and need more fighters. They got a ready made ones if they decide on this path. They can be sold as second hand which with great sureness many country would jump to the excellent opportunity to buy.
Of course the Europeans got to be really careful not to be too greedy in making to much profit through sales or even leasing. Just remember anyone can come up with the viable idea of leasing Super Hornets as well or better yet especially if the term is so right, the cheap lease of second hand but upgraded (with the Boeing Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) )F18 Ds. That will put the rest definitely out of the game.
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
The new Europe should be in Asia to compete
European build fighters jets are considered among the dearest in the world. This is so true when you compare them Russian and American made ones. Their high aquisition cost negatively effect their sales, and we have not begin to compare them to present or even future Asian made jets. At the end Europe Aviation companies will lose out to their competitors, especially the Asians.
One way out of this mess is that the Europeans must build assembly lines in a few Asian countries to bring down the cost of manufacturing them so that they can be successfully sold back to the Europeans as well as other customers in the middle east and Asia at cheaper rate.
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and even the Philippines are countries Europeans can build their parts in. The parts can later be export to Europe for the final assembly in European factories. Better yet assembly lines should be build in Asia to build these aircrafts. Both option will definitely make their aircrafts a whole lot cheaper, the second option more than the first of course. That way European fighters are more affordable and many sales can be made there on. Money gain from the sales shall be used to finance the design and build their future stealth fighters and even futuristic drones as well as weapons. Furthermore they need to compete with Americans and Russian stealth products right now instead of later. And this is the only way to do it.
Even by the ways mentioned above the Europeans can dratiscally bring down on their acquisition as well as their maintainence cost when they buy into these aircrafts. Of course this will cause more unemployment in Europe. However money saved from buying cheap aircraft and operating it and also the profit made from selling cheaper aircraft can be use to create future as well as other lines of products where new jobs are made available for them.
One way out of this mess is that the Europeans must build assembly lines in a few Asian countries to bring down the cost of manufacturing them so that they can be successfully sold back to the Europeans as well as other customers in the middle east and Asia at cheaper rate.
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and even the Philippines are countries Europeans can build their parts in. The parts can later be export to Europe for the final assembly in European factories. Better yet assembly lines should be build in Asia to build these aircrafts. Both option will definitely make their aircrafts a whole lot cheaper, the second option more than the first of course. That way European fighters are more affordable and many sales can be made there on. Money gain from the sales shall be used to finance the design and build their future stealth fighters and even futuristic drones as well as weapons. Furthermore they need to compete with Americans and Russian stealth products right now instead of later. And this is the only way to do it.
Even by the ways mentioned above the Europeans can dratiscally bring down on their acquisition as well as their maintainence cost when they buy into these aircrafts. Of course this will cause more unemployment in Europe. However money saved from buying cheap aircraft and operating it and also the profit made from selling cheaper aircraft can be use to create future as well as other lines of products where new jobs are made available for them.
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