Manchester: At a time when NATO forces
were destroying the bases of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Britain
gave a secret presentation to the Indian Air Force (IAF) about
the performance in the Libyan war of MBDA missiles, which have
been offered to New Delhi.
"A presentation was given to the Indian Air Force two
months ago where senior officers including the present chief
(Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne) were present, about the
performance of the Brim Stone precision guided missile," Frank
Morgan, a senior MBDA executive, told a group of Indian
reporters here.
MBDA is a four-nation European missile manufacturing
consortium and has its facilities spread across Italy, the UK,
France and Germany.
The Brim Stone precision guided missile is part of the
MBDA's missile package on offer to the IAF for its tender for
procuring 126 medium multirole combat aircraft (M-MRCA).
Morgan said the presentation to the IAF was made by Air
Commodore E Stinger, the Air Component Commander of the Royal
Air Force at the Air Headquarters in New Delhi.
The IAF is in the final stages of the contract for
procuring the aircraft and is also looking to finalise the
missiles to be equipped on them.
India has shortlisted two European aircraft
manufacturers for the tender -- the four-nation Eurofighter
and the French Rafale -- after holding extensive trials of six
aircraft such as American F-16 and F/A-18 E/F, Russian MiG 35
and Swedish Saab Gripen.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, October 16, 2011, 12:14