In 2007, the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a tender to purchase 126 Medium Multi Role
Combat Aircraft (MMRCA procurement programme). The objective of this
procurement was to bridge the gap between a light fighter (Mig-21, Mig-23,
Mig-27 etc and LCA Tejas) and heavy duty fighter Su-30.
Six fighter aircrafts
(F-16 from Lockheed Martin (USA), F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from Boeing (USA), Mig
35 Mikhoyan (Russia), Rafael from Dassault (France), Eurofighter Typhoon and
SAAB JAS 39 Gripen (Sweden)) came to participate in the MMRCA race. Out of
these six, JAS 39 Gripen and F-16 were unofficially out of the race before it
even began for them. Because one of the conditions of MMRCA was that aircraft
should have two engines and these two aircrafts are single engine.
In January
2012, Dassault Rafael was declared as the winner of the competition.
Negotiations went on with Dassault for years and the total `expected cost of
the procurement` went up from $10 billion to $16-20 billion. The government
could not strike a deal with Dassault for 126 Rafales and on 30 July 2015, the
defence ministry withdrew the MMRCA tender because the Government decided to
purchase 36 Rafale in fly away condition from France with weapons, training,
and support package.
In September 2016 a deal was signed for 36 Rafales for
roughly $7.87 billion. As per the deal, deliveries must start within 36 months
(i.e. from September 2019) and must be completed within 67 months (i.e. by
March 2022).
Now it would be interesting to see how, in the long run, these 36
Rafales will help IAF. The IAF will have a separate maintenance line for just
36 Rafales. Though IAF has been operating Mirage for long time and Rafale’s
maintenance chain would be benefitted from Mirages’, it will still increase
IAF’s maintenance pain.
While the Rafale deal was being finalised, Defence
Minister Parrikar had announced that the Government will soon take a decision
on a new line of fighter aircraft. In June 2016, IAF Chief Arup Raha went to
Sweden on a five-day tour and flew in Gripen. After ACM Raha’s trip, Defence
Minister Parrikar went to Sweden on a scheduled trip in Sep 2016. This showed
that Gripen was being considered seriously by India.
Within weeks after signing
Rafale deal, MoD issued another RFI for a single engine fighter aircraft under
`Made in India` initiative. Both Lockheed Martin and SAAB got another chance
and they made lucrative offers. Both have promised to setup production lines in
India with complete `Transfer of Technology`. How much ToT happens actually, is
to be seen carefully.
Source :- Sify News
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