Indian Air Force floats tender for 126 fighter jets

Posted on: Aug. 28th, 2007 || Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Indian Air Force floats tender for 126 fighter jets

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday floated a global tender for 126 combat jets worth $10 billion in the country's biggest ever defence deal, but it could be six years before the first planes start arriving.

Eighteen of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will be purchased in flyaway condition and the remaining 108 manufactured in the country under a transfer of technology (TOT) agreement with the chosen supplier. The aircraft are envisaged to have a lifecycle of 40 years from the time of delivery.

The 211-page request for proposal (RFP) has been sent to the manufacturers of six aircraft: the US F-16 and F-18 Super Hornet, the Swedish Gripen, the French Rafale, the Russian MiG-35 and a European consortium's Eurofighter.

India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had cleared the RFP at a meeting here June 29 chaired by Defence Minister AK Antony.

The six companies, which have been given six months to respond, will also be asked to sign a confidentiality clause against revealing the contents of the RFP to a third party.

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