Moscow: Russia today said it was not
aware of its MiG-35 fighter`s failure to make to the
short-list in the USD 10.4 billion tender for 126 medium
multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air force,
according to a local daily.
Commenting on Indian media reports about IAF favouring
the French Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon, an
official of the United Aircraft Corporation - the Russian
bidder told Kommersant daily that India has not informed them
about its decision.
"The MiG-35 is not leaving the tender, and I have no
official information about this," UAC First Vice-President
Mikhail Pogosyan was quoted as saying by the daily.
A MiG source quoted by Kommersant said it was too
early to say what the Indians had decided.
"The official results of the tender have not yet been
announced," said UAC`s Press Secretary Konstantin Lantratov.
Several sources quoted by the paper listed a number of
problems related to the MiG-35 programme, including a lack of
financing to support it.
The MiG-35 is said to be a cheaper aircraft than its
rivals but is said to have problems with engine life.
"Time between overhauls should be at least 2000 hours
and overall life 4000 hours, but the RD-33 doesn`t meet these
parameters now," Kommersant quoted an unnamed MiG source.
Reports in the Indian media had said that other
contenders of the `mother-of-the-deals` -- Sweden`s SAAB
Gripen, US Lockheed Martin`s F-16 and Boeing`s F-18 Super
Hornet -- have also failed to win the hearts of the IAF.
PTI
