IAF to buy all 126 aircraft from one company

Posted on: Jul. 2nd, 2007 || Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

NEW DELHI: Putting aside rumours of multi-vendor acquisition, the Indian Air Force (IAF) says it will acquire its 126 Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) from a single manufacturer.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major said in an interview to a defence magazine: "The world's single biggest fighter jet order jet will go to one supplier.”

"It doesn't make any sense to go to two or three sellers just to keep different countries happy."

He said there was no proposal at the moment to increase the order to 200 aircraft but "a review after induction, based on cost-benefit analysis, is of course possible in future".

The Air Chief said although the process of issuing tenders had taken time, "all possible issues" are being verified in advance.

"The first squadron of 18 new jets will be inducted within five years (by 2012)," he said.

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