Sri Lanka nears MiG-29 purchase

[tigershark]

Sri Lanka nears MiG-29 purchase

Sri Lanka is in advanced talks with Russia over the procurement of five MiG-29 fighter aircraft, the head of the country's state-owned procurement agency has said.

Jayantha Wickramasinghe, chief executive officer of Lanka Logistics and Technologies Limited (the company created by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence in 2007 to procure equipment for the armed forces), said that the acquisition of four MiG-29SMs and one MiG-29UB was "well under way".

"Negotiations about these aircraft are continuing," Wickramasinghe told Jane's on 13 March. "We are discussing all possibilities."

The procurement follows the emergence of the air division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which used Zlin Z 143 light aircraft to bomb the airport and Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) base in Colombo in March 2007.

link
http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jdw/jdw080314_1_n.shtml

[Webmaster]

Ah, so the rumour was true. What a big mistake by the way! 

[tigershark]

Webmaster I totally agree what a poor choice for there needs.  Somebody got something under the table for this deal.  This small country soon will now has four different types of fighters:Mig-29 in some form, Mig-27, Kfir, and P-7. 

Mig-29 Russian
Mig-27 Ukraine
Kfir C-7 or C-3 Israel
P-7 China (Or also known as a F-7 Chinese copy of the Mig-21 but with a wider wing)

A better base security is need on the ground big time and a basic SAM system would do the trick.   A twin engine semi high maintenance fighter will triple there operational cost.  Out of the choices I listed above I would have went for something like the deal Colombia got on the Kfir package, the C-10CE would have covered all there needs for a good price.  The Israeli's could have set them up to use a wide range of different weapons and from more then one country as well.  Doesn't India use the Derby and an Israeli radar in there Sea Harriers?  India has good ties with Israel and maybe service and repairs contracts could have been worked out?   This just seems like the wrong choice from top to bottom, four different types of aircraft in one small air force what are they crazy? 

[Globetrotter]

It semms like killing a fly with a panzer!! Maybe they should buy some IA-58 Pucaras from us Seriously, it's a slower aircraft, I think it can handle Zlins better than a Mach 2 fighter and it is way much cheaper!! Actually they used some of them... but 2 went down bu the hand of that group, and don't know how many they have left or if they are using them... what do you think?

[tigershark]

They would be a better fit then a Mig-29 Fulcrum.   What kind of radar does the IA-58 Pucaras's have could they track aircraft?  If so they could they really would be a better fit then a Mach 2 fighter.   Globetrotter did Argentina do any upgrading to them over the last few years?  I always like smaller aircraft that carry a punch there cool looking.

[Webmaster]

Zlins are so slow moving. They just need a better surveillance system, and then you can send anything after them. But indeed better base security would also fix this problem. SAM? No need, just a network of spotters with some well placed unguided fast-firing AAA will do. Better to spend it on night vision equipment or search lights, lol.

I'm not even sure the MiG-29's radar they are getting is capable to pick up such a slow moving, small, low-flying target because of the ground clutter.

The 30mm cannon is an interesting weapon to strafe targets though. 

Indeed prop-powered Pucara or Bronco or the single-prop COIN aircraft would be a better option. Su-25 or A-37 would be the only sensible jet options, imho, but then they can't rely on the IAF to support them. The Chinese and Indians just havent got a proper COIN platform to offer them. But maybe even some armed helicopters would be fine.

I give it five years before all MiG-29s are grounded for lack of spares/maintenance/fuel/pilots/usuability... if the deal will happen. Let's first see about that.

What kind of radar does the IA-58 Pucaras's have could they track aircraft? 

Two pair of human eyes, lol. As far as I know, they don't even have weather or collision aviodance radar.

[Globetrotter]

Pucarás have no radar. I thought they could be guided by ground radars, as the agressor's planes are so... how to say it, low performance.

In the malvinas, it was just one pair (back seat only), Niels, but it worked well against the brittish, so I guess they'll do fine against Zlins. About the Tucano, yes, it may be cheaper to mantain, though I don't think they're considering mantanience at all. As you said, everything get's broken before 5 yyears of being there (climate, treatment?). But they have some experience with the Pucará (they bought 3 or 4), so that might be a point to it...

About the upgrades, I know they have been upgrading them over years, but I would have to look for details

[Sergei]

Guys, I with you agree - MiG-29 not that plane which is necessary for destruction piston Zlin-143. It's simply ridiculous.

I think, military command of Sri Lanka kills two hares by one shot: creates an aviation component of the future system of antiaircraft defence of Sri Lanka, and receives planes with which help it is possible to strike high-precision blows on to insurgents from the organisation "Tigers of Clearing Tamil-Ilama".

P.S.: there is an information that will be put not MiG-29SM, but MiG-29SMT! 4 from 15 Russia MiG-29SMT returned by Algeria.

[Webmaster]

If that's true, then it makes a little bit more sense, using their precision strike capabilities. But if they're the older version then it's basically of no use against the Tamil Tigers.