Gripen, Viper, and Rhino competing in MMRCA repeat

After years of failing to conclude a deal, India is rerunning the MMRCA competition. Rafale was chosen in 2011, and negotiations have been ongoing. The initial deal would have been for 126 aircraft, but that's been cut down to 36 in a government to government sale. Eurofighter is sitting on the sidelines waiting in case negotiations fall through, but now SAAB and Lockheed are both offering to build their aircraft in India as part of any deal.

Lockheed is now offering the Block 70 F-16, with SABRE radar upgrade, new high speed datalink, and upgraded avionics. SAAB is offering to build the Gripen NG in India, as well as assist with developing the Tejas Mk IA, and the AMCA fifth generation fighter. Boeing is offering to build the F-18E/F Super Hornet in India, but not much else is known.

It's not clear if this is a negotiating ploy to put pressure on Dassault over the Rafale deal, or if this is an actual attempt to end the deal and replace it with something else.

Since April 2011, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) shortlisted the Eurofighter and Rafale for purchase, Swedish company Saab has believed its JAS-39 Gripen fighter was unfairly eliminated from that globally watched tender for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). Similarly, US aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin, which had offered an F-16 Block 50/52 variant called the Super Viper, feels hard done by. Yet, one of these companies might still have the last laugh after the eventual MMRCA winner, Dassault of France, failed to conclude a contract for the Rafale.

The Gripen NG and the F-16 Block 70 - improved variants of the fighters Saab and Lockheed Martin had earlier offered - are front runners in a truncated replay of the MMRCA contest. Boeing, meanwhile, has repeated its offer of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. All three offers are couched in the rubric of "Make in India".

Of the original six vendors in the MMRCA race, only Russia's RAC MiG has faded away. Dassault continues negotiating with New Delhi, albeit only for 36 Rafales under a government-to-government sale. Eurofighter remains poised on the sidelines; offering to step in should negotiations with Dassault collapse.

www.business-standard.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Did india finally realize there deal with russia was only gonna get them billions in lost development?

a reply to: Bfirez

They're still working with them, but they realized that working with the West will get them more.

a reply to: Zaphod58

For sure, I can't imagine they get more than a handful of PAK/FA's and god knows what the quality of those will be.

I often muse why every Purchasing consultant who ever bothers me is from India, thanks but I've got this covered pal!

Problem with India is not knowing which official to bribe...