Rafale wins Indian MMRCA

Leonidas BL

After prolonged cost analysis of two competing offers from the four-nation European industry consortium Eurofighter and French company Dassault, the French offer was determined the ‘lowest bidder’, coming US$4-5 million below the Eurofighter bid. Therefore, it is expected the Rafale will be announced the Indian Air Force preferred choice for the Medium Multi-Role Combat fighter Aircraft (MMRCA). Dassault is expected to enter exclusive negotiations with the Indian MOD within two weeks, to discuss the financial terms, in anticipation to reach an agreement by the next fiscal year beginning in April. While this road could bumpy, it is expected that the two sides will reach an agreement, as the program is critically important for both, and has won strong support from the French highest levels.

http://defense-update.com/20120131_france-selected-as-the-lowest-bidder-for-the-indian-mmrca-program.html
http://rafalenews.blogspot.com/

OS119

its no surprise - Rafale is already integrated with a vast aray of air-to-surface weapons, its combat proven, its ironed out its wrinkles with the best part of 10 years service, and the fact that its carrier capable means the Indians have options should they not be happy with the MIG-29K.

given that, only an idiot would buy Typhoon - still, lots of room for 'commissions' to throw a spanner in Rafales spokes...

Leonidas BL

Heres some good news for the Typhoon after losing in India.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/oman-requests-typhoon-buy-from-bae-367228/?cp=NLC-FGFDN20120201&attr=editorial

Geekness1234

Leonidas BL wrote: »

Heres some good news for the Typhoon after losing in India.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/oman-requests-typhoon-buy-from-bae-367228/?cp=NLC-FGFDN20120201&attr=editorial

But an order of 12 typhoons is nothing compared to the order they lost out on,IMO.
Granted it will keep the line open for a while.

OS119

Geekness1234 wrote: »

But an order of 12 typhoons is nothing compared to the order they lost out on,IMO.
Granted it will keep the line open for a while.

from what i've heard the idea is that the 12 will/should lead to a bigger order - however, Oman already has 8 F-16C/D(Blk 50)'s, and has also just ordered another 12 F-16's.

if you had a high spec, new build F-16 fleet, would you feel the need to augment it with a second fleet of T3 Typhoons? no, me neither. Typhoon T3 will be a better fighter/strike aircraft than a late block F-16C/D, but not by an enormous amount, and certainly not by an amount big enough to justify have two training, maintainence and spares 'tails'.

i wouldn't be surprised to see this order (its not really an order yet, but hey..) hit the sand, or, if political factors weigh in a force the deal through, the eventual sale of this order from Oman to Saudi Arabia. Oman is looking, if the rumour mill is to be believed, for an air force of about 40 new build, high spec fast jets. in a fleet of 40, are they really going to have two aircraft types?

Typhoon is too late, its weapons integration programme is an abortion, and it costs the best part of $100m a piece - taking it well into F-35 territory. you can buy between 1.5 and 2.0 F-16C's or F/A-18E's for that money.

Maoltuile

OS119 wrote: »

Oman is looking, if the rumour mill is to be believed, for an air force of about 40 new build, high spec fast jets. in a fleet of 40, are they really going to have two aircraft types?

You'd be surprised what big enough bribes and political corruption can produce.

*Avoids mentioning the Irish Air Corps*

Leonidas BL

Could they not have bought twice as many Gripens for the same price?