Is EJ230 going to happen?

[perfectgeneral]

Eurofighter are seeking to include India in tranche 3 (MRCA) and expand the capability of the EJ200 (using a new low pressure fan?) to 100kN+ (afterburning) for LCA and tranche 3.

However the four existing partners are looking to limit costs on the tranche 3 orders they have almost certainly committed to (a heavy pull-out penalty fee).

How big an order from India would offset the development costs of the EJ230? We have seen in Singapore that procurements based on future capabilities are less likely. Will GE aim to limit development of Typhoon's EJ200 by subsidising any bid based on the GE414?

 

[JWCook]

Eurofighter are seeking to include India in tranche 3 (MRCA) and expand the capability of the EJ200 (using a new low pressure fan?) to 100kN+ (afterburning) for LCA and tranche 3.

However the four existing partners are looking to limit costs on the tranche 3 orders they have almost certainly committed to (a heavy pull-out penalty fee).

How big an order from India would offset the development costs of the EJ230? We have seen in Singapore that procurements based on future capabilities are less likely. Will GE aim to limit development of Typhoon's EJ200 by subsidising any bid based on the GE414?

The development costs are relatively minimal as the engine was designed for the increase, it can run hotter to give this sort of thrust but its time between overhaul is reduced.

The present customers really want the time between overhaul to be increased from IIRC 600 hours, they are quite happy with the thrust as it is.

India has a good opportunity to get the EJ2xx technology and fund the new core to increase thrust, this has the knock on effect of using it in its own programs.

The order of 126 aircraft would be likely to make a Typhoon sales rep wet his knickers.. So the incentives offered would be large indeed, India has a lot to offer the Eurofighter program - it remains to be seen if Eurofighter can offer India what it needs.

Tranche 3 should include conformal tanks and CAESAR.

Cheers

 

[Feanor]

To be honest India recently prompted boeing whether the F-18's being offered could potentially be used on the Admiral Gorshkov, and the reply was a yes. That could give some indication of which direction this is going in. The other likely candidate to me seems to be the MiG-35. Maintenance base for it already exists, high commonality with current MiG-29 fleet and MiG-29K's that are being ordered from Russia (first four deliveries to happen this year).

 

[swerve]

To be honest India recently prompted boeing whether the F-18's being offered could potentially be used on the Admiral Gorshkov, and the reply was a yes.

The answer "yes" was based on a simulation, & completely untested. No F-18E has ever flown off a ski-jump.

 

[Feanor]

Interesting. So the yes was a "Yes, at your own risk"? My comment was more in regards to the likely hood of a Typhoon sale to India.

 

[perfectgeneral]

Sending Typhoon off a carrier ramp would require new nosegear. An arrested landing would require even more of a redesign. You might get the RN/MoD to share the development costs, but I think they will be happy with F-35b or F-35c if they go the arrested landing route.

 

[perfectgeneral]

GE have their foot in the door

With GE advising LCA it seems that adaption to GE414 is more likely now. The EJ230 will have to wait for a mid life re-fit, although it will probably push 110kN by then.