Article Posted on : - Apr 17, 2009

A file photo of Dassault Rafale

NEW DELHI (BNS): The French Rafale twin-engine multi-role fighter has been knocked off a $10 billion contract for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force. One of six contenders, Rafale was officially rejected by the Ministry of Defence for what an official called the failure to meet qualitative requirements of the contract.

With this, the race was reduced to five competitors -- US' F-16 Fighting Falcon from Lockheed Martin and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from Boeing, European consortium EADS' Eurofighter Typhoon, Swedish Gripen NG from SAAB and Russian MiG-35 from United Aircraft Corporation.

Now, these remaining five competitors would be called for the flight trials of their aircraft, for which the IAF headquarters was currently working out the modalities. "The flight trials will now begin in the next three months and the Air headquarters is working on the modalities for holding the flight trials," sources said.

The exit of the Rafale could be interpreted as another setback for France in India. France was earlier upset after the Eurocopter helicopter (a multi-country programme in which it is a participant) failed to bag the contract for acquisition of 197 helicopters for the Indian Army’s aviation wing.

India had issued the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 126 MMRCA in August 2007 to the six companies, who had submitted their bids by April 2008. The Indian government has officially stated that it would require 100% Transfer of Technology (ToT), as well as license manufacturing permission for the aircraft. It has stated that the first squadron of aircraft will be bought directly from the manufacturer, while later versions will be built in India, by HAL, initially from kits, and later, on its own.