Indian air force MMRCA contenders to commence field trials minus Rafale

The Indian Air Force’s medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender for at least 126 fighter aircraft project will commence field trials in May-July 09 timeframe with the technical evaluation report submitted earlier this week. Dassault Rafale, once considered a strong contender, is reportedly not being invited for the field trials. According to Indian media reports quoted an Indian MoD source, the French Dassault, which is offering Rafale failed to meet the required qualitative parameters listed in the Request for Proposal issued in 2007 and therefore will not be allowed to continue in this contest for the $10 billion IAF deal. A Dassault’s spokesman however was quoted as stating that his company had not been informed of any elimination of the Rafale aircraft. "French officials are inquiring with Indian authorities in order to get additional information about it," he told reporters. Earlier, there were similar reports that the SAAB Gripen had been eliminated from the “technical evaluation” round. However, SAAB officials later contradicted the reports stating they were very much in the contention. There was no official word from the Indian side. The Indian reports said that the remaining five bidders, Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Saab’s Gripen NG, Eurofighter’s Typhoon, Lockheed Martin’s F-16, and Russian Mikoyan’s MiG-35 are now expected to participate in the field trials. According to Indian reports, the early elimination of the Rafale is not only credited by failing to respond to technical queries but also by to high costs. Some reports have spoken of the IAF being strongly fascinated by the U.S. fighters and are looking to get these. However, a lobby in India is against the U.S. fighters as it feels the U.S. is an unreliable arms supplier. On Wednesday, the Chief of the India Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major told correspondents that the technical evaluation of the six bidders was complete and that the Indian Air Force was expected to start field trials by next month end. The sources quoted in the Indian media said the IAF would draw its programme for field trials to be held in the next three months. These trials are conducted in different areas and in varying climatic conditions keeping in view the operational requirements of the IAF.