Article Posted on : - Feb 09, 2011

A Eurofighter Typhoon

BANGALORE (PTI): A top UK defence official has dismissed suggestions that the offer of Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the contenders for the USD ten billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract in India, is "overpriced".

Responding to questions at a press conference here Tuesday, Air Marshal Leeson, Chief of Material Air, Royal Air Force, said he did not support the view that the Typhoon offer was "expensive". If one assessed its capability, it's actually a cost-effective solution", he argued.

"I don't accept that Eurofighter Typhoon is very expensive". He said Typhoon compares "extraordinarily well" vis-a-vis "through life costs".
The four Eurofighter partner countries are Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.

Meanwhile, Richard Paniguian, Head of UK Trade & Investment's Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), said the UK's defence, science and technology laboratories were set for signing a "letter of arrangement" with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation.

He termed this proposed agreement a "very important step in binding together our scientific and technology programmes". "In the UK, we want closer collaboration with India in science and technology", Paniguian added.

British Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology, Peter Luff, is leading a large defence and business delegation to Aero India 2011 commencing here Wednesday. Close to 40 UK companies are expected to visit the five-day show.

"Every UK company who has made this journey to Aero India is looking for the opportunity to build partnership with their counterparts here in India", Paniguian said.