August 10, 201016 yr CV32: Have to take these early reports with a grain of salt, but potentially big news if true ... From RIA Novosti MiG-35 stalls in Indian fighter tender contract 10:42 10/08/2010 Russia's MiG-35 multirole fighter aircraft has failed to make the short-list in a $10 billion international tender for 126 combat aircraft for the Indian air force, according to Indian media reports quoted by Kommersant daily. The favorites to win the tender are the French Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon, Indian media say. Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the holding company for most of the Russian aircraft industry, and its fighter subsidiary MiG, have not officially confirmed the reports. "The official results of the tender have not yet been announced," said UAC's Press Secretary Konstantin Lantratov. "The MiG-35 is not leaving the tender, and I have no official information about this," said UAC First Vice-President Mikhail Pogosyan. A MiG source quoted by Kommersant said it was too early to say what the Indians had decided. "The envelopes with the commercial proposals should be studied by the tender commission only this week," the source said. Several sources quoted by the paper listed a raft of problems around the MiG-35 program, including a lack of financing to support it. One source said the lack of state funding to support the program had been noted by UAC President Aleksei Fyodorov as long ago as the end of 2008, but the issue was not resolved. The MiG-35 is said to be a cheaper aircraft than its rivals but is said to have problems with engine life. "Time between overhauls should be at least 2000 hours and overall life 4000 hours, but the RD-33 doesn't meet these parameters now," said one source. India already operates the early model MiG-29A fighter aircraft and is taking delivery of the MiG-29K naval fighter, which it will operate from a Russian-built aircraft carrier which is currently under refit. The selection of two favored aircraft for the Indian tender follows a long trials process, which also involved Sweden's SAAB Gripen, America's Lockheed Martin with the F-16, and Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet, as well as the Russian MiG-35.
August 11, 201016 yr Author From Defense Aerospace Indian Short List for New Combat Aircraft (Source: Forecast International; issued August 10, 2010) NEW DELHI --- India is reported to have reduced the competitors for its new combat aircraft to a short list consisting of the Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon. The MiG-35 was reportedly dropped due to lack of financing to support it and problems over its engine life. No reason has been provided for the non-inclusion of the Gripen, F-16 and F/A-18 in the final short list. The Indian requirement is for 126 new fighter aircraft having an estimated value of $10 billion. The official results of the tender still have not been announced, so it is possible that the current reports will be revised.
August 11, 201016 yr Author From Jane's India plays down reports of MMRCA decision By Jon Grevatt 11 August 2010 The official spokesman of the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has downplayed media reports that France's Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon have emerged as favourites to win India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contest. Speaking to Jane's on 10 August, Sitanshu Kar said no decisions have been made about the programme following the MoD's receipt of a comprehensive trial report on the six rival fighters competing for the INR420 billion (USD9.1 billion) contract. Some media outlets in India had earlier reported that the results of the MMRCA technical evaluations, which concluded in mid-2010, had prompted the Indian Air Force (IAF) to recommend to the MoD that the shortlist be narrowed down to just two aircraft: the Rafale and Typhoon. The other platforms competing for the 126-aircraft tender are Boeing's F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin's F-16IN, the Russian United Aircraft Corporation's MiG-35 and Saab's JAS 39 Gripen NG.
April 28, 201115 yr Author From DefenseNews [excerpt] India Shortlists Rafale, Eurofighter for Jet DealAGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 28 Apr 2011 08:19 NEW DELHI - India has shortlisted Dassault's Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon for a $12 billion dollar fighter jet deal, cutting out U.S. bidders from one of the largest military contracts of recent years.
June 4, 201115 yr Author From Flight International [excerpt] DATE: 03/06/11SOURCE: Flight International Tellis: US fighters lost MMRCA contract due to technical faults By Stephen Trimble Both US bids for a major Indian Air Force fighter contract lost because of technical faults - not US export control policies or corruption in New Dehli, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace scholar Ashley Tellis said in an interview.
July 27, 201115 yr Author From Aviation Week [excerpt] India May Pick Fighter Contest Winner SoonJul 27, 2011 By Jay Menon NEW DELHI — India is likely to announce the winner of its $11 billion competition to furnish its air force with 126 combat jets in the next five to six weeks.
Create an account or sign in to comment