INDIA TO BUY RAFALE?
“It’s the biggest fighter aircraft deal since the early 1990s,” said Boeing’s Mark Kronenberg, who runs the company’s Asia/Pacific business. India’s planned multi-billion dollar, 126+ plane jet fighter buy became a contest between Dassault, Saab, MiG, American competitors and EADS’ Eurofighter.
"We have a procedure as per the defense procurement policy that stipulates the contract goes to the lowest bidder," Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told the US monthly Aviation International News at the Singapore Airshow.
“It’s the biggest fighter aircraft deal since the early 1990s,” said Boeing’s Mark Kronenberg, who runs the company’s Asia/Pacific business. India’s planned multi-billion dollar, 126+ plane jet fighter buy became a contest between Dassault, Saab, MiG, American competitors and EADS’ Eurofighter.
"We have a procedure as per the defense procurement policy that stipulates the contract goes to the lowest bidder," Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told the US monthly Aviation International News at the Singapore Airshow.
The race for the world's biggest fighter jet deal which ended on Tuesday saw the French Rafale fighter emerge as the winner. The Indian Air Force will buy 126 fighters from France for Rs 52,000 crores.The Rafale fighter jet built by the French firm Dassault emerged as the lowest tender in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition beating the only other rival Eurofighter.The Rafale has been selected thanks to the aircraft's competitive life-cycle costs and top-level operational performance. Negotiations will include important technology transfers guaranteed by the French Government. The realisation of the Rafale project will illustrate the depth and scale of the strategic partnership between France and India.The Rafale is an Omni role fighter which means it can carry out ground attack, air defence and reconnaissance roles. It can carry anti-ship, air to air and air to ground missiles. It is powered by two engines adding to reliability. It can also carry nuclear weapons.Air Marshal PS Ahluwalia said, "This deal is very good for the Indian air force we actually started a process in 1998 it has continue till now and coming 10 years till it conducted in air force it decently increase the potential of the air force and also of Indian military it will contribute to national security."The fighter does not yet have the sophisticated AESA radar which will enable tracking of multiple targets simultaneously. But air force sources said it is currently under development in France and will be given to India. Technology transfer and offsets will be critical to successful conclusion of contract negotiations.The irony is Dassault had informally offered India an advanced version of the Mirage called the Dash Five including its assembly line nearly a decade ago. The offer included some Rafale fighters too. The Air Force and Defence Ministry in their infinite wisdom refused what today will cost more than 52,000 crore could have been had at a far lower cost.
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