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Fighter project stares at another delay as India, Russia wrangle over design

The ambitious Indo-Russian project to develop futuristic stealth fifth-generation fighter Aircraft is unlikely to progress any further during the Russian President?s visit on Monday as the two sides are yet to ?freeze? the design of the aircraft.

The ambitious Indo-Russian project to develop futuristic stealth fifth-generation fighter Aircraft (FGFA) is unlikely to progress any further during the Russian President?s visit on Monday as the two sides are yet to ?freeze? the design of the aircraft. The project has already been delayed by three years.

Sources told FE, ?India and Russia were all set to ink the full and final design ? or R&D phase contract ? for the fifth-generation fighter by year end. However, due to differences over design, nothing related to the fighter aircraft will be signed.? India inked the $295-million preliminary design contract (PDC) with Russia in December, 2010. The R&D contract is pegged at $11 billion, with India and Russia chipping in with $5.5 billion each.

India’s quest for a futuristic stealth fifth-generation fighter, which will see the country spend around $35 billion over the next 20 years in its biggest-ever defence project, has stalled again.

Hindustan Aeronatics (HAL) is to build the FGFA, a derivative of the Sukhoi T-50, in India. Not only is the FGFA a quantum leap for India?s armaments industry, it has also ensured that India?s aerospace sector will step up to joint development.

India is keen to produce some of the aircraft?s computers, software, guidance systems and other systems, while Russia will provide the Saturn 117S engines and some stealth technology elements for the FGFA.

Ahead of the R&D contract, under which India wants to induct over 200 stealth fighters from 2022, a senior team of HAL engineers and IAF experts had gone to Russia to ensure that ?full documentation and other work? of the earlier PDC was completed for it to be signed during the 13th edition of the annual summit between two countries.

During his visit to Moscow earlier this year, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne reviewed the performance of the 5th Gen fighter, called Sukhoi T-50. While the Indian fighter will primarily be based on the T-50, it will be customised for the IAF.

?The three Russian T-50 prototypes have flown around 180 sorties till now. HAL’s Ozar facility at Nashik will get three prototypes in 2014, 2017 and 2019…they will be flown by IAF test pilots,” said a source.

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First published on: 24-12-2012 at 03:42 IST
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