Press Release, 16 January 2002
INDIAN AIR FORCE MOVES TO PROCURE RUSSIAN STEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Following recommendations from the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MIG), the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now believed to be considering adding stealth modifications to an existing $340m programme to upgrade 125 of its MiG-21bis fighters to MiG-21-93 standard. Sources for Jane's Defence Weekly have revealed these secret events in a report published in today's edition of the magazine.
Extensive tests to demonstrate Russia's ability to upgrade Indian fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities took place in front of Indian defence ministry officials at the Sokol aircraft plant in Nizhniy Novgorod on 29th May 2000. The demonstration was highly successful and is understood to have resulted in the Russian government and RSK MIG urging the IAF to adopt the stealth modifications across its MiG-21-93 fleet.
The core of the demonstration saw two MiG-21bis--one upgraded with stealth technology and one without--being tracked by what is believed to be a Mig-31 in a controlled test of radar-absorbent materials (RAM) and coatings developed at the Moscow Institute of Applied and Theoretical Electrodynamics. During its flight the radar signature of the upgraded Mig-21bis was shown to be between 10 and 15 times weaker than the regular MiG-21bis.
Another related article in this week's Jane's Defence Weekly reports on the talk given by India's Army Chief General S. Pamanabhan on 11 January 2002, in which he warned Pakistan of India's defence capabilities and stated "I have mobilised to be ready for war." (END)
http://www.janes.com/press/press/pc020116.shtml
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