Farnborough: The IAF is set to come out
"within the next few days" with the results of the flight
tests of six warplanes competing for a multi-billion dollar
deal for 126 multi-role combat aircraft, a media report said
today.
The evaluation report is for the purchase of 126 fighter
jet planes with the option for 63 more, and possibly
additional follow-on orders. The entire deal is estimated to
be worth more than 10 billion US dollars.
The IAF is set to come out with the report "within the
next few days," aviation journal Shownews said quoting a
Russian news report.
The six firms bidding for the contract are Saab (Gripen
E/F), Dassault (Refale), Boeing (F/A-18 E/F), Lockheed Martin
(F-16 E/F), EADS (Eurofighter) and RSK-MiG (MiG-35).
The Defence Ministry is likely to shortlist three or four
of the six aircraft by December this year or January next.
"The final decision on the specific aircraft to be
purchased will be political in nature and may only be taken at
the end of 2012," the report said.
It also claimed that if the Russian MiG is kept out of
the final phase, "there might be a decision to buy 50-60 of
them outside the tender process."
India is going in for the MRCA to replace its ageing MiG
fleet of Russian origin. At present, the number of IAF
squadrons are down to below 35 and the Air Force has been
pressing the government for a quicker decision on inducting
the warplanes.
-PTI
