Article Posted on : - Jul 16, 2010

Some of the global fighters contending for the $12 billion MMRCA deal.

NEW DELHI (BNS): The Indian Air Force has completed its evaluation report of the field trials conducted for six global fighters contending for India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft deal.

The report is expected to be submitted before the Defence Ministry by July-end following which it would be discusses by the Cabinet Committee on Security, media reports said Friday.

Once the Ministry finalises the shortlisted contenders, the complex process of negotiations will begin leading to the awarding of the deal to the winner.

India had floated a $10.4 billion tender in August 2007 to acquire 126 fighter aircraft for the IAF.

Six global fighters – Lockheed Martin's F-16 Super Viper, Eurofighter's Typhoon, Russian United Aircraft's MiG35, France's Dassault Aviation's Rafale, Swedish SAAB's Gripen and Boeing's F/A-18 – had submitted their bids in response to it.

The flight trials began in August 2009 and continued till May this year during which the aircraft were tested in harsh climatic conditions.

IAF aims to start acquiring the new-generation fighters by 2014 to strengthen its combat capability.