Why India Suspended $520 Million Deal for 10 KA-31 AEW&C Helicopters from Russia

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has disrupted India's plans to procure KA-31 helicopters from Russia for its new indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

Despite discussions to purchase 10 KA-31 Airborne Early Warning helicopters, the proposed $520 million deal faces significant uncertainty.

Sources indicate that sanctions imposed on Russia have complicated payment, even as India and Russia explore ways to circumvent them. Furthermore, there are concerns about Russia's ability to deliver the helicopters given its military commitments in Ukraine.

India already possesses 14 KA-31 helicopters and intended to procure 10 more, but doubts have arisen about Russia's capability to fulfill this order. The Indian Navy sought these helicopters to enhance its warships' radar capabilities, providing early warning against surface and low-flying threats within a 200 km radius.

The Russia-Ukraine war has prompted the Indian Army and Navy to assess its impact on India's security and military hardware supply. India has a long-standing dependence on Russia for military equipment, with estimates suggesting a significant portion of its current arsenal originates from Russia.

Furthermore, concerns exist about Russia's ability to deliver the second unit of the S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems to India on time due to the ongoing conflict and sanctions. While some training equipment and simulators have arrived, the first of five S-400s was delivered in December 2021.

 

[PKPRS]

Merlin crowsnest. If we want we can use dhruv as a platform and use the sensors on it .dhruv being a bit smaller platform still can be used and if such system is developed we can scale them up when naval imrh becomes a reality.

nothing can beat the diminutive size and payload carrying ability of KA-31 or KA-226t, they both are wonders.

 

[Rajesh]

We should have gone in for multi year contracts for the MH-60R's (locking in the base price), long back. That's the only viable option today for the Ka-31's today.

To the max we can use the mh-60 platform in place for merlin helicopter and use the radar and sensors along with equipment for an awacs but romeos can't supplement ka-31 to its potential. every body forgets the crowsnest system used on merlin helicopter on british carriers as their awacs.

 

[Anant]

only on coma, everything will arise shortly, nothing will be dead as some French pseudo’s wish, let them have wet dreams.

Sir, while I am all in favour of getting a good solution fast, I am highly skeptical this kind of deal will go through for as long as the war is on. And the war doesn't show any signs of coming to an end in the foreseeable future, short of either the West stopping support for Ukraine or Putin and a bunch of his peers being out of power. Neither of those is likely.

Regardless, I'll continue to remain optimistic that something will happen, though the realist in me feels this deal is not going to go through.

 

[PKPRS]

Agree👍. But we have some advantages also, like we can start the designing keeping emal in mind, DRDO is working on the development which will take time, but IACII is also long way.. IN should go for EMAL, finding way to absorb the cost escalation.

we need to build helicopter in the size of LUH fitted with coaxial rotor deleting the tail rotor and fit two engines to make it even compact for smaller ships and at the same time carry high payload, we missed great opportunities to make helicopters like KA-31 and VTOL jets like YAK-141 during good old day, now it is too late to regret.

 

[Ravindra Kapoor]

HAL.....It may take upto a Decade to develop a Helicopter with similar role and capability...... Atmanirbhar definitely a must......as an interim measure.... till such time Indigenous equivalent is available.... issue definitely needs a RELOOK in wake of Operational capability.......

 

[PKPRS]

Sir, while I am all in favour of getting a good solution fast, I am highly skeptical this kind of deal will go through for as long as the war is on. And the war doesn't show any signs of coming to an end in the foreseeable future, short of either the West stopping support for Ukraine or Putin and a bunch of his peers being out of power. Neither of those is likely.

Regardless, I'll continue to remain optimistic that something will happen, though the realist in me feels this deal is not going to go through.

I don’t feel it’s realistically even possible if I think pragmatically knowing the history.

 

[Anant]

I don’t feel it’s realistically even possible if I think pragmatically knowing the history.

Fair enough, Sir. Let's agree to disagree and see where this goes moving forward.

 

[desigandu]

None. You'd have to build one. The only substitute-ish are land-based AWACS aircraft, but they have their operational limitations.

US has drones used as awacs like global hawk i believe but their are power limitations…we should get some and also fly them from our carriers - yes there is a carrier version too, but unsure if we can get them off from our ski-jumps…

 

[desigandu]

Might not be practical, Sir. IAC-II, as of now, is planned to be a modified Vikrant. If you want to put in an EMALS that can launch AWACS, there are a number of challenges:

1. The entire design of the ship would have to be changed. Elevators may have to be moved, and a lot of internal rearrangement would be needed.

2. We don't have a working EMALS set that is large enough as of yet. That is still several years away. Moreover, purchasing an EMALS set from the US is considered to be too expensive given the late-2010s offer of EMALS + AAG for over a billion USD.

3. We don't have a fixed wing AWACS either. To do so, we'd have to buy a few E-2s from the Americans.

4. The limited size of our carriers also means AWACS such as the E-2 may not be feasible. We'd need significantly larger hangars, larger elevators, and more deck space for such aircraft, which may not be practical here.

These ideas must be used only for our 65000 ton twin carriers which will hopefully have EMALS Catobar…can we see these getting operationalized by 2040? i really hope…

 

[desigandu]

Sir, while I am all in favour of getting a good solution fast, I am highly skeptical this kind of deal will go through for as long as the war is on. And the war doesn't show any signs of coming to an end in the foreseeable future, short of either the West stopping support for Ukraine or Putin and a bunch of his peers being out of power. Neither of those is likely.

Regardless, I'll continue to remain optimistic that something will happen, though the realist in me feels this deal is not going to go through.

Look, the war is a creation of the west due to its eastward expansion, even though Putin pulled the trigger…But in this great game Russia is weaker, NATO stronger, West has diversified its energy supplies and the cost of inflation and say $500B of direct aid/cost is chump change for the west which has a GDP north of $50T…hard facts - no matter which side you are on…Putin and Russia are the losers big time whichever way you see it…. I think Putin overestimated his capability and did not realise the response from the west…

 

[desigandu]

IAC-II is closer than it first seems. We should definitely go for EMALS on IAC-III, and the decade or so we have until she is approved will be enough to get a working EMALS as well as potentially integrate nuclear propulsion.

nuclear propulsion i would love on the 65000tin carriers but given we need to start building them in early 2030s may not be possible…but for sure if say we build 4 such carriers, 5 years apart the carrier 3/4 can have nuclear propulsion…we must have a roadmap and plan linked to a formal NSS….

 

[Anant]

nuclear propulsion i would love on the 65000tin carriers but given we need to start building them in early 2030s may not be possible…but for sure if say we build 4 such carriers, 5 years apart the carrier 3/4 can have nuclear propulsion…we must have a roadmap and plan linked to a formal NSS….

Sir, I feel IAC-III will start construction after IAC-II is cleared for sea trials at the very least. Based on that, assuming that DAC approval is given by the end of this year, IAC-aiII's construction will not start until after 2035.

As such, there is a more than decent chance that Vikramaditya may be retired a year or two before IAC-III is ready. In any case, that much time (a decade or so from now) is enough time to increase yhe size of IAC-III to 75,000-85,000 tons as well as get the 190 MW reactors ready for installation as well.

 

[Anant]

These ideas must be used only for our 65000 ton twin carriers which will hopefully have EMALS Catobar…can we see these getting operationalized by 2040? i really hope…

I highly doubt it, Sir. The way I see it, IAC-III will be operational by 2045 or so, and if we assume an identical IAC-IV, that ship may enter service by 2050 or so.

2040 would be a good timeline to have to have IAC-II fully operational and see Vikramaditya going into the reserves or something.

 

[NSR]

Oh, and Sir, it had escaped my mind back then, but thanks to Sh. Deepak Hegde's comment, we should also remember that the MH-60 and Ka-31 aren't interchangeable. The former is an ASW helicopter, whole the latter is an AWACS chopper. Granted, the MH-60 can give some level of airborne scanning, but this will be a sup-optimal use of the helicopter, and will pose operational constraints.

Anant, Ka 31 deploys an antenna from its underbelly to scan for aerial threats.

On the other hand, MH-60R has a Multi-Mode and Synthetic Aperture Radars to do aerial surveillance.
Not sure at all about comparison of both aerial surveillances.

But as I said before, MH-60R is one of the best ASW helicopter in the world.

Remember one thing that most of our warships and carriers have 400+ kms MF-STAR AESA radars and trying to install Spanish Lanza surveillance radars which look up to 450+ kms.

So all in all I am happy at the way Indian Navy taking care of its own interests unlike the other two services.

Best regards, sir.

 

[PKPRS]

Fair enough, Sir. Let's agree to disagree and see where this goes moving forward.

World politics is seesaw, players are same but positions change, every few decades.

 

[vamkris]

Best option for india is to tie up with japan south korea and France

 

[vikrant rao]

Hi,"INCREDIBLE INDIA",has always picked the wrong partners starting from "RUSSIA",who still are lagging in technology,the worst part even after so many setbacks we are still partnering with them when the world is the market,where we can pick & choose 😡😡😡

Do some reading. US has delayed supply of AH64 Apaches to the Indian Army promised 4 years ago and now delaying remaining Apaches. GE Aerospace delaying F404/414 engine components and Tejas MkIA rollout for obvious reasons while French Safran and Dassault refusing ToT after 'promising' everything... Like it or not Russia is India's most reliable and stable partner and if Ukraine has proven anything it is that, NATO weapons are paper tigers designed to defeat people who can't fight back!