Typhoon dropped from Singapore competition.

[jwcook]

In response to media queries, MINDEF confirms that it has narrowed down the selection for the next fighter replacement programme to Dassault's Rafale and Boeing's F-15. MINDEF has decided not to consider the proposal from BAE Systems any further.

The Typhoon is a very capable aircraft. However, the committed schedule for the delivery of the Typhoon and its systems did not meet the requirements of the RSAF.

It seems the Typhoon could not deliver the required syustems within the Singaporean timeframe, it remains to be seen what the requirements were.

[JQ01]

I supose that it´ll be all relative to ground strike capacity. Today Eurofighter is only an Air to Air combat plane.

[Rob L]

Eurofighter considers new bid for Singapore contract

By Mark Huband in London and John Burton in Singapore
Published: April 22 2005 03:00 | Last updated: April 22 2005 03:00

The Eurofighter consortium is considering resubmitting a bid to provide Singapore with combat aircraft, in spite of the Asian government's decision yesterday to drop the company's Typhoon fighter from the selection process.

Singapore's defence ministry said the Typhoon had been dropped because it could not meet the schedule of the state's air force. But the consortium, comprising BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica, was holding discussions yesterday on whether to make a new bid.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/b5842caa-b2ca- ... 511c8.html

[art]

Singapore's defence ministry said the Typhoon had been dropped because it could not meet the schedule of the state's air force. But the consortium, comprising BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica, was holding discussions yesterday on whether to make a new bid.

Interesting news, but on what grounds? Can they change the timescale for the capabilities in question?

[jwcook]

You'll find that the liberal application of money will solve most problems!!!, Interesting news though.

I wonder why the news of the Typhoons elimination occured before Eurofighter GmbH had a chance to 'modify' their offer???.

If its a weapon intergration/timetable problem it does take the agreement of all partners, which makes it a cumbersome process.

I hope they publish some of the results though...


Cheers

[toan]

My personal opinion:

The SAF will use the new F-X fighters to replace its A-4SU attackers, which means that the striking capability should be an important factor for the choice of new fighter.

The F-15T has no problem for its long-range striking capability, and it has proved this capability in the real wars.

The Rafale F2 fighter has entered service since this year, and it has proved its capability to carry and to shoot SCALP-EG cruise missile for two times at least up to now.

And how about EF-2000 right now??? Has the Tranch I fighters gotten the capability to use LGB and/or JDAM now??? The Tranch II fighters may not enter the service formally until 2007, and it seems that it will not get the capability to use STORM SHADOW until post-2008 at least.

To see is to belive. You can declare that EUROFIGHTER will have the best and the most perfect choice of weapons in the "foreseeable" future. But if you can't prove it right now before the customer makes his final decision, the customer won't take it seriously.



In 2001, the price of the competitors of South Korea's F-X fighter project (including the costs for weapons, training, and logistics):

EF-2000: more than 120 million USDs per fighter

F-15K: 110 ~ 120 million USDs per fighter (The final winner)

Rafale: 100 ~ 110 million USDs per fighter

Su-35: 81 ~ 85 million USDs per fighter


The original plan of South Korea was 80 million USDs per fighter, but all of the competitors exceeded this price. The Su-35 was the cheapest one, but the South Korean AF's evaluation for it was also the worst one, so it was the first plane to be kicked out of the plan.

The EF-2000 was the most expensive one, and although it has the best capability for air-combat, it won't have enough striking capability until 2008~2010 according to the time-schedule of the plan. The South Korea AF wanted a long range striker, not an expensive interceptor with only limited striking capability (LGB, JDAM) until 2010, so it was kicked out of the plan next to Su-35.

The Rafale was more advancing and cheaper than F-15K, and the South Korean AF's evaluation for Rafale was also better than F-15K. However, the score difference between the two fighters was less than 3%, and the USA has much more political, economical, and military influences on South Korea than the France has. Therefore, the F-15K of Boeing became the final winner.

For the same kind of reason, I think the F-15T of Boeing will also win the competition this time.