Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale selected for the final phase of the Indian tender MMRCA for 126 Multirole Jet-Fighters

[Principe Alessandro]

http://www.stratpost.com/india-selec...mrca-shortlist

The Indian Ministry of Defense has issued letters, on Wednesday, to two of the six vendors competing in the estimated USD 10 billion Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), asking them to extend the validity of their commercial bids, which will expire on Thursday, tomorrow.

StratPost can confirm that the European Eurofighter Typhoon consortium and the French Dassault’s Rafale have been invited to do so, effectively making up the shortlist.

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.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It is noteworthy that this comes just a day before the commercial bids of all six vendors were to expire.

It would not be unsurprising if this move by the ministry and it’s coincidentally sharp timing were to raise the hackles of the spurned vendors. Industry insiders are already expecting to see a robust response from these vendors and their countries of origin, at least in private, to this decision.

One question some of the vendors losing out are already asking is why the ministry asked all the vendors to resubmit their offset proposals early this month if they already knew the outcome of the technical evaluation submitted by the IAF last summer, and waited till a day before the expiry of the commercial bids to effectively announce a shortlist by inviting extension of commercial bids from only two vendors.

The commercial bids of the other four vendors will lapse on Thursday, tomorrow.

Something else the uninvited vendors are ready to question is the basis for judging technical compliance, with robust speculation that none of the MMRCA-6 aircraft were actually completely compliant with the IAF’s 643 parameters listed in the Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs) for the tender.

It seems clear that these issues will not be settled quickly. Watch out for more on this tonight, at StratPost.

Seems that Euros has done a good advertisement job in Libya.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Nothing like 24/7 footage of both types pummelling Libya to get potential customers interested...

[Nyxos]

The Eurofighter is multi role ? oh well, I guess we learn something new every day.

But yeah, Libya is definitely going to help sales.

[Adar]

Stratpost also got a newsarticle from 2009 stating "Rafale wins Brazilian order" so it's not really over yet (which the article also states).

But I find the entire Indian acquisition process interesting since they also a re developing indigenous aircrafts (HAL Tejas as their lightweight fighter and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft as a multirole combat aircraft with stealth)

So aircrafts like Gripen and the F-16 might be considered to be in competition with the HAL Tejas while the heavier aircrafts could be considered to be competing with the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

To me it looks like Eurofighter is the most natural fit since it was developed as a dedicated air superiority fighter. Buying the Eurofighter means that they will have access to one cheap lightweight fighter, one medium stealth multirole aircraft and a dedicated air superiority fighter.

Operating both the Eurofighter and the AMCA means that they are going to have the most robust airforce in the 2020s and 2030s. By committing to both the Eurofighter and AMCA they are going to have great freedom in future development since they are going to have access to both the high level stealth of the AMCA and the superior aeronautics of the Eurofighter. In effect this mean that they will be in a good position regardless if low/high frequency radars make current stealth techniques obsolete or efficient passive sensors makes reduce the value of the Eurofighters superior aeronautics.

The Eurofighter is multi role ? oh well, I guess we learn something new every day.

But yeah, Libya is definitely going to help sales.

Tranche 3 is supposed to be multirole. But even the British Eurofighters operating in Libya got Litening pods and started to conduct airstrikes a few weeks ago.

[Poach]

Congrats to the Typhoon and Rafale, and I agree with the above posters: nothing like an ongoing air campaign to show off your kit to potential buyers.

[Menelik_I]

Congrats to the Typhoon and Rafale, and I agree with the above posters: nothing like an ongoing air campaign to show off your kit to potential buyers.

Do Kaddafi get a cut for creating the whole situation

Congrats, altought the US was selling substandard aircraft anyway.

[SPECTREtm]

What did you think it was?

Super-Hornet is far from substandard.

[Menelik_I]

What did you think it was?

Super-Hornet is far from substandard.

Could be a very good beast et al, but it isn't the latest US technology in combat aircraft, might be a reason why they preferred the Eurofighter and Rafale as it is the latest thing in the EU-dudes were selling inventory.

[mrmouth]

Could be a very good beast et al, but it isn't the latest US technology in combat aircraft, might be a reason why they preferred the Eurofighter and Rafale as it is the latest thing in the EU-dudes were selling inventory.

This has to do with politics because the F-16, while technically a 4th gen fighter, has the avionics of a 5th gen, similar to the F-22. It's even more of a no brainer when you factor in the 0-day infrastructure integration for the IAF.

It has been real world tested more than any fighter on the planet. Goes well beyond dropping bombs on Libya. You read about some of the unorthodox missions F-16 pilots have undertaken in A-stan and Iraq, and you not only have the flight hours, but you have pilots excelling in the F-16 while doing things they were not trained for. Things that started to rewrite the book about what can be achieved in a highly mobile dogfighter turned multi-role fighter, 30+ years after it first left the ground. And that experience has made it's way into flight schools all over the world.

It's more than enough for any country, including the US, and it has the avionics advantage that puts them miles in front of Pakistan, and most everyone else.

Im currently taking orders. And I also have in-stock the CAS aircraft that everyone should be stocking up on! Libya!

[Mangalore]

This has to do with politics because the F-16, while technically a 4th gen fighter, has the avionics of a 5th gen, similar to the F-22. It's even more of a no brainer when you factor in the 0-day infrastructure integration for the IAF.

...

It's more than enough for any country, including the US, and it has the avionics advantage that puts them miles in front of Pakistan, and most everyone else.

...

Sounds great, how many? ... WAIT a minute! You sly little arms salesman! Didn't you sell Pakistan a bunch of F-16s? How's that for putting us in front of them by supplying us with the same goddamn aircraft? You are worse than the one who wanted to make us choose between Typhoons and Eurofighters!

[mrmouth]

Pakistan doesn't have the Super Viper that we tailored to the IAF.

Read the fine print! Make an appointment!

[intel]

Do Kaddafi get a cut for creating the whole situation

Congrats, altought the US was selling substandard aircraft anyway.

Since when F-16 Block 52+ or Super Hornet are substandard?

[PointOfViewGun]

They didn't consider F-35?

[Menelik_I]

They didn't consider F-35?

It is the same question I was asking myself.

[Principe Alessandro]

They didn't consider F-35?

The issue probably is that one of the conditions is the transfer of technologies and offset a request that the F-35 can't fulfill entirely according to the wish of the Indian MoD.

The Indians want to produce locally by license the majority of those aircrafts.

[Imperial]

The Indians want to produce locally by license the majority of those aircrafts.

lol

Good luck getting any American defense company welling to do that.

[SPECTREtm]

lol

Good luck getting any American defense company welling to do that.

Well then India won't be buying your aircrafts... Quite simple really.

[6644kp]

what's the point of licensed local production anyway? Its not like the Indians could manufacture those aircraft themselves in war time since they need all the parts from the nation that they bought the aircraft off.

They only reason I can see is to have more jobs for indian workers for a short time.

[Menelik_I]

Well then India won't be buying your aircrafts... Quite simple really.

Congress is going to up the stock, no worries there.

[Imperial]

Well then India won't be buying your aircrafts... Quite simple really.

I don't think anybody is worrying considering how many buyers Lockheed Martin has already.