THE TIMES OF INDIA
MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2004
Russia begins delivery of Sukhoi kits
PTI
MOSCOW: Russia on Monday began the delivery of kits for the licenced production of state-of-the-art multirole fighters SU-30MKIs by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, a senior official said.
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Under the transfer deal, largest ever single defence contract signed between the two countries, HAL is getting licence for the production of all the components indigenously, including unique thrust vectoring AL-31FP Lyulka Saturn engines.
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This is quite significant.
Sukhoi hardware is the match of anything produced by American aerospace companies. Although fighters and related technology from US firms such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are available for sale to nations within the US orbit (indeed, such sales are pushed to assist the aerospace industry's profit margins) it is very rare - perhaps to the point of zero - for technology transfer to happen.
The Sukhoi deal is intriguing precisely because, unlike American style transactions of this sort of tech, Hindustan Aerospace is not merely buying advanced aircraft (or "weapons systems" to use industry jargon) but also acquring the right and methods to manufacture everything domestically.
It's only a matter of time before Hindustan Aeronautics makes their own modifications and produces a purely Indian product. It's also only a matter of time before these aircraft - as I wrote at the beginning, the match of anything in the US' air arsenal - are available to other non-Western countries.
Undoubtedly, it is awareness and fear of this potential that is partly behind the American joint strike fighter project -
http://www.jsf.mil/NSFrames.htm
Of course, the other side of the motivation coin is the usual game of funds transfer from public to private as tax dollars support the effort to create this aircraft - intended to prolong American air dominance well into the 21st century.
The Russians are becoming quite the tech wildcard as they spread advanced equipment and techniques around the globe for profit. This must be causing headaches for Pentagon strategic planners concerned with long-term trends.
.d.