All four other contenders are out :
StratPost can also confirm that according to the IAF and the ministry, the other aircraft in the fray, the US Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, the US Lockheed Martin Corporation’s F-16, the Russian MiG-35 and the Swedish SAAB’s Gripen did not pass the technical evaluation conducted by the IAF.
This news comes as a confirmation of what Shiiv Aroor had said before.
We will now wait until tomorrow (April 28th) to learn more as we still wait for official comments by the Indian MoD, and other contenders...
Update : Confirmation that Saab, Lockheed and Boeing are out
Here is a letter from Saab (click me).
In this article from The Hindu, the U.S. ambassador Mr. Roemer :
“The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi was informed yesterday that two aircraft offered by the U.S. Government through the Foreign Military Sales process were not selected for procurement by the Indian Ministry of Defence,” the statement said.
“We are reviewing the documents received from the Government of India and are respectful of the procurement process. We are, however, deeply disappointed by this news,” Mr. Roemer said.
I thing the Rafale will be the winner this time .
ReplyDeleteTyphoon seems to have a wider industrial (and political) base whereas Rafale package seems to offer a more refined airframe with better development roadmap for the French jet. Cautiously optimistic.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't choose shortly ,the next year Rafale will go to India for exercise with AESA and this is big avantage for them .
ReplyDeleteThe Typhoon until now they don't finish the developing and many of capability's of that design can't use from the user's .
Typhoon is in danger of winning the MMRCA given that the IAF has far experience working alongside RAF Typhoon (eg. most recently, Exercise Indra Dhanush III) than it does with French Rafale. Given that the technical aspect of the evaluation is over, political and industrial factors will play an important part in phase of selection.
ReplyDeleteIndia is very big country and every body wont to have closer political relation .
ReplyDeleteThe most important for them is to have acces on the technology of the aircraft and the industrial factors.
The key of this competition is on technology access .