IAF moves on $5-bn combat aircraft deal

[Endangered]

NEW DELHI: The IAF will soon issue request for proposals (RFPs) to the five contenders in race to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to India, in a deal estimated to be upwards of $5-billion.

The companies vying to bag the lucrative contract are French Dassault (Mirage-2000-V), Russian RAC MiG (MiG-29 M2), Swedish SAAB (JAS-39 Gripen) and, of course, the American Lockheed Martin (F-16) and Boeing (F-18) companies.

"The RFPs will be issued (to all the five) any day now," said IAF vice-chief Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani on Friday, while flagging off a team of 196 personnel and six Mi-17 helicopters headed for the UN peace-enforcing contingent in strife-torn Sudan.

The IAF had initially pitched for the Mirage jets since it already operates three squadrons of these fighters and did not want to further diversify its already very large inventory of 26 types of aircraft. The government, however, asked the force to go in for a wider inquiry by inviting proposals from other aviation majors also.

The deal, though still in the proposal stage, incidentally, has seen the US aggressively hawking its fighters to India. The US has even offered to put their sale on the fast-track "foreign military sales" programme through a government-to-government contract. And there is a likelihood of the government taking a "political decision" for strategic reasons.

[giggs88]

Old news.

I still want to find out what they got.

[ajaybhutani]

somehow i m increasingly getting a feeling that its gonna be either this deal or the LCA production(after the 20 already confirmed ordered). Ordering both dsnt make sense unless its for getting some good tech ToT (like AESA) .

[indianguy4u]

somehow i m increasingly getting a feeling that its gonna be either this deal or the LCA production(after the 20 already confirmed ordered). Ordering both dsnt make sense unless its for getting some good tech ToT (like AESA) .

I hope for both. B'coz whatever we buy for MRCA will be on LCA too, like radar, weapons, avionics. So no trouble, it will give us a better LCA in the end.

[SuperFlanker]

The LCA is supposed to be a cheap replacement for the low end MiG-21s we have. The MRCAs are supposed to fill the gap between out high and low end aircraft. Therefore, the IAF needs both the 200 LCAs and the 126 MRCAs.

[Garry]

I hope Indian Government realizes what would happen with spare parts supply to those F-16 once they consider a gas pipeline from Iran..... AESA is good when it is flying!

[indianguy4u]

I hope Indian Government realizes what would happen with spare parts supply to those F-16 once they consider a gas pipeline from Iran..... AESA is good when it is flying!

None has been selected yet, or u think F16s are in pole position?

[Garry]

None has been selected yet, or u think F16s are in pole position?

why not? There is a clear will of two countries to become closer...... a fighter deal may be a great symbol.

[indianguy4u]

why not? There is a clear will of two countries to become closer...... a fighter deal may be a great symbol.

Me thinks, it will be gr8 white elephant . Mig35s would be the best bet.

[SuperFlanker]

Spares wont be a problem because India will only purchase the aircraft if it gets a ToT and full manufacturing rights.

[ajaybhutani]

I hope Indian Government realizes what would happen with spare parts supply to those F-16 once they consider a gas pipeline from Iran..... AESA is good when it is flying!

F16 is in but with the complete ToT of AESA Engines etc.

[indianguy4u]

F16 is in but with the complete ToT of AESA Engines etc.

Whats the ratinale of buying AC which many countries are phasing out. We need the AC for next 30 yrs atleast, so it needs to be good investment for the future.

[SuperFlanker]

I wonder why the government isnt just buying more Su-30MKIs and increasing the production rate. They are much better than anything else on the market and hte indigenously built ones cost only $25 million versus the $50-70 million price tags of the MRCAs.

[ajaybhutani]

I wonder why the government isnt just buying more Su-30MKIs and increasing the production rate. They are much better than anything else on the market and hte indigenously built ones cost only $25 million versus the $50-70 million price tags of the MRCAs.

1. because they are big and consume a lot more fuel and need 2 pilots.So in the long run they are much more expensive than the
2. They need longer runways (double than mig21) So wherever they are stationed first the airstrip needs a revamp..U cant operate them on borders as longer the airstrip more time consuming to make and more visible it is. (like what we expect from LCA).
3. Theres a lot of technology new and better that can be trapped from outside via MRCA. for our LCa project and future versions of MKi.
4. They are complex monsters and making them isnt that easy. So prod rates arent too high. achieving 14 pa. is itself a big challenge.

[ajaybhutani]

Whats the ratinale of buying AC which many countries are phasing out. We need the AC for next 30 yrs atleast, so it needs to be good investment for the future.

not in case we get an AESA. As the same radar can be used in LCa directly.furthermore its just 125 planes. Its much more about access to technology than just hte plane