Piloto 3 Posted January 28, 2008 French aircraft manufacturer Dassault on Friday reiterated an offer for 40 Rafale fifth generation multi-role fighter aircraft. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman and CEO said that the unsolicited offer made during the Aero India Show in Bangalore early last year, still stands. "We feel that the process for acquiring 126 fighter aircraft will take some time and we understand the need for additional planes for the IAF. If the Indian government is interested, we are ready to answer," Edelstenne was part of the 35-member defence delegation accompanying French President Nicholas Sarkozy which includes defence minister Herve Morin, was addressing a select media briefing in the capital. France is already offering the Rafale as part of the Indian Air Force's requirement for 126 multirole fighter aircraft worth over $ 10 billion (Rs 42,000 crore). Tenders were issued to manufacturers from the United States, France, Sweden, Russia and the United Kingdom. This deal, the world's largest fighter aircraft buy and the IAF's first global tender for fighter aircraft, is meant to replace the IAF's fast-depleting fleet of MiG-21s. It will take the IAF between three to five years to shortlist one manufacturer but insiders say the notorious delays in Indian bureaucracy could double this period. The French offer for two squadrons of Rafale's is being seen as a counter offer to the IAF's request two years back for an off-the-shelf purchase of the older Mirage 2000 manufactured by Dassault. On Monday, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the Indian Air Force's proposal for the upgrade of 50 Mirage 2000 fighter jets. The upgrade, worth over $ 1.5 billion will give a quantum leap in capabilities to the IAF's fleet of multi-role jets acquired from France in the mid-80s. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will carry out the upgrade in India using modern electronics, radars and beyond visual range missiles supplied by original equipment maker Dassault of France. The MoD is set to begin price negotiations with French firms Thales and Dassault for the upgrade reportedly costing $ 40 million (Rs 160 crore) per jet. It will see the aircraft in IAF service beyond 2025. In 2004, the NDA government was closed to signing a deal for buying 126 Mirage 2000 to replace its dwindling fighter fleet: the IAF fighter strength has dipped from 39 squadrons to less than 30 squadrons. This decision was overturned by the UPA government which favoured global tenders. Edelstenne said that he had offered to transfer the entire Mirage 2000 production line to India three times but had not received a favourable response. The firm closed its production line last year. France is India's third largest defence supplier after Russia and Israel but finds its position increasingly threatened by the United States which has been accused of using its trade relations diplomatic clout to leverage key defence deals. The most recent was the $ 600 million (Rs 24,000 crore) contract to supply the army with 197 light helicopters in December. The defence ministry called for fresh bids after the army had shortlisted the French Eurocopter because US manufacturer Bell helicopters said there were irregularities in the tendering process. Defence analysts say the contract for 126 aircraft-a make-or-break for any defence firm-- will be decided for more geopolitical reasons rather than just plain performance parameters. Edelstenne hinted at this as well : "India has followed one policy for 60 years, I hope that policy will not change." Dassault is leveraging its goodwill with the IAF and the fact that it has supplied aircraft to the IAF since 1950 when the first Mystere jets were delivered Source: http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.ph...37&Itemid=1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted January 28, 2008 5th Generation ! <cough> bet they have hypercruise too :) Not sure having so many planes from different countries is such a good choice in regards to maintence etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted January 28, 2008 Logistics always suffers if you have too many planes. Of course, having only one type can be just as bad. The point is the French are desperate for the Rafale to get an export order SOMEWHERE and they can't get it. Oh wait, didn't Libya order them? Not that they're an impressive sale. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparkomatic 7 Posted January 29, 2008 again as we discussed earlier, the global market for fighters is in decline, so sad...remember when like every tin-pot dictator had MiGs...man those were the days Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BUFF 8 Posted January 31, 2008 $40 million per aircraft just for an upgrade seems a bit expensive (especially as presumably HAL's labour cost is below that of a western nation)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted February 1, 2008 I bet they're replacing the engines. Those fighter engines have risen in price astronomically. The funny thing really is the airframe is by now the cheapest part of the plane by far. The engine is the most expensive followed by the radar and then the other avionics. I think airframe rates just above canopy and ejection seat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
