Aircraft enclave for Indian Navies P-8I aircraft at Cochin airport

[Capt.Popeye]

Later this decade (ie by 2020) in all liklihood. The TUs and ILs have received serious upgrades not too long ago so will be relevant until atleast 2020.

That is precisely what I meant by the overlap. And its entirely by design. IN is not really in a hurry to jettison them; esp the Bears. With the 12-16 Poseidons that we can envisage for certain or 20-24 being speculated; the Bears will revert to LRMR and Anti-Shipping roles, the ASW role will move to the P-8Is. Apart from everything else that they are configured for. The Bears have a huge Strategic Significance.

 

[sancho]

Later this decade (ie by 2020) in all liklihood. The TUs and ILs have received serious upgrades not too long ago so will be relevant until atleast 2020.

Last Indian Navy Tu-142ME Overhaul Completed

...the aircraft have undergone a service life extension programme, including some equipment upgrading, which should see them remain in service until 2020...

Last Indian Navy Tu-142ME Overhaul Completed: key.Aero, Military Aviation

The Bears have a huge Strategic Significance.

Doubtful, the last modernisation for them and the IL 38s were not as comprehensive as IN initially wanted, since the Russians asked for too high costs. That's why they basically got some life extentions, but only minimum upgrades, which is the reason why the P8I and now the MRMR procurement gets more importance. Also the fact that the Bears can't be operated from too many airfields either, makes actually pretty clear, that the P8Is will replace the Bears 1 on 1 at INS Rajali.
For Russia they might have strategic importance, as long as they don't have a suitable replacement in the maritime surveillance role and as a LR bomber of course, but for India it has not anymore. The addition of P8Is and more and more drones will make the Bear useless in most long range operations and the MRMR will be more suitable for low level, long endurance roles, with modern techs and capabilities too, besides that they will be far more cost-effective to operate, with much more bases to place them.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Last Indian Navy Tu-142ME Overhaul Completed: key.Aero, Military Aviation



Doubtful, the last modernisation for them and the IL 38s were not as comprehensive as IN initially wanted, since the Russians asked for too high costs. That's why they basically got some life extentions, but only minimum upgrades, which is the reason why the P8I and now the MRMR procurement gets more importance. Also the fact that the Bears can't be operated from too many airfields either, makes actually pretty clear, that the P8Is will replace the Bears 1 on 1 at INS Rajali.
For Russia they might have strategic importance, as long as they don't have a suitable replacement in the maritime surveillance role and as a LR bomber of course, but for India it has not anymore. The addition of P8Is and more and more drones will make the Bear useless in most long range operations and the MRMR will be more suitable for low level, long endurance roles, with modern techs and capabilities too, besides that they will be far more cost-effective to operate, with much more bases to place them.

Well then; you just have to take my word for it.
BTW, if you think; those planned upgradations became redundant when the Poseidon got selected.
Otherwise; I stand by my statement of the Bear's Strategic Significance for the IN. And they were meant to operate ONLY from Hansa and Rajali. Progressively, they might operate only from Rajali. I explained one reason for that to @Abingdonboy earlier, just as there is a reason for the deliberate overlap of the Bears and Poseidons in IN service; for the very same Strategic Significance.

 

[sancho]

Well then; you just have to take my word for it.
BTW, if you think; those planned upgradations became redundant when the Poseidon got selected.
Otherwise; I stand by my statement of the Bear's Strategic Significance for the IN. And they were meant to operate ONLY from Hansa and Rajali. Progressively, they might operate only from Rajali. I explained one reason for that to @Abingdonboy earlier, just as there is a reason for the deliberate overlap of the Bears and Poseidons in IN service; for the very same Strategic Significance.

The reason should be the simple fact that we don't get all 12 x P8Is at once of course, the order will take till 2015 for the first 8 alone. So the overlapping basically ensures smooth induction on the one side and phasing out on the other. But feel free to explain what strategic importance you see for the Bears?

 

[arp2041]

So we now know for sure the P-8I will be deployed in Arakkonam and Cochin.

For the Western coast i think INS Hansa will serve the best, may be this enclave will be made for temporary/emergency stationing of P-8I.

Besides, it will take 1 & a half year for the enclave to be ready & IN is already getting 3 P-8Is this year. Doesn't makes sense??

 

[Capt.Popeye]

The reason should be the simple fact that we don't get all 12 x P8Is at once of course, the order will take till 2015 for the first 8 alone. So the overlapping basically ensures smooth induction on the one side and phasing out on the other. But feel free to explain what strategic importance you see for the Bears?

The Poseidons do not match the Bears in range. The Poseidons have no relationship with the Strategic arm of the IN, and they cannot. The overlap has nothing to do with the smooth induction of Poseidons, just as the Bears and the Poseidons will not overlap in tasking. They are exclusive of each other, the Bears now have an existence of their own. Can't say that about the Ilyushins.

For the Western coast i think INS Hansa will serve the best, may be this enclave will be made for temporary/emergency stationing of P-8I.

Besides, it will take 1 & a half year for the enclave to be ready & IN is already getting 3 P-8Is this year. Doesn't makes sense??

1. INS Hansa is saturating.

2. There is no problem to operate the P-8Is from most of the IN's existing facilities.

 

[arp2041]

The reason should be the simple fact that we don't get all 12 x P8Is at once of course, the order will take till 2015 for the first 8 alone. So the overlapping basically ensures smooth induction on the one side and phasing out on the other. But feel free to explain what strategic importance you see for the Bears?

@sancho Tu-142 of INs have undergone upgrades to serve atleast till 2020:

which should see them remain in service until 2020.

Last Indian Navy Tu-142ME Overhaul Completed: key.Aero, Military Aviation

 

[sancho]

The Poseidons have no relationship with the Strategic arm of the IN, and they cannot.

The range and endurance of the P8Is will be extended through mid air refuelling, besides that that is only a matter of jet engine vs prop engine, not to mention that neither t But you still didn't showed any point what would make the Bears special? Can they carry better sensors, do they offer better weapon capabilities, are they more suited in the anti ship role???
The fact is, in all these points the P8I will be clearly better, especially if we get more out of the US weapon package than we have so far. So what exactly do you mean with relationship with the Strategic arm?

@sancho Tu-142 of INs have undergone upgrades to serve atleast till 2020:

I know, see post #32

 

[manojb]

For the Western coast i think INS Hansa will serve the best, may be this enclave will be made for temporary/emergency stationing of P-8I.

Besides, it will take 1 & a half year for the enclave to be ready & IN is already getting 3 P-8Is this year. Doesn't makes sense??

My guess is ins hansa is for navy fighter sqdn. Harrier and mig29 , future nlca.

 

[Abingdonboy]

My guess is ins hansa is for navy fighter sqdn. Harrier and mig29 , future nlca.

Indeed, IIRC INS HANSA does operate IL-38s, but AFAIK the IN has wanted to distribute its aviation assets across its airbases to a greater extent. I feel INS HANSA will remain a fighter hub as this is where all the relevant training and maintence facilites for the IN's fighters have been and are being set up including,let's not forget, the SBTF that will be a real boon to training IN carrier pilots. Whilst MPA and Rotary wing assets are deployed in other hubs and bases all over India.

 

[JayAtl]

I don't know if you guys realize the magnitude and game changer this thing is...

it is a bad arse in detecting submarines, the technology capabilities on this is mind boggling.

This is a technology game changer like Awacs were when they first came out or stealth or aesa W/ bvr COMBO