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Indian Air Force sought 114 new medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), the defence manufacturing companies are leaving no stoned unturned to win US $18 billion dollar project. In the latest development, Swedish defence giant SAAB has offered the Indian Airforce (IAF), a complete technology of transfer (TOT) with local production. But the most luring offer for the IAF could be the price of Gripen, as SAAB India’s chairman and managing director (CMD) Ola Rignell has revealed that the company has pitched to offer its fighter jet at “half” the cost of French-made Rafale.
However, Rignell further added that he would be surprised if India’s chooses another 36 additional Rafale fighters in the coming years, highlighting the complicated nature of India’s defence buying pattern, the Print reported. Referring SAAB’s deal with Brazil to supply 36 Gripen, Saab CMD mentioned that Saab has a proven track record of delivering a project with transfer of technology.
EADS’s Eurofighter, MiG and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale have been declared the winner within the 2007 MMRCA bid with the French producer being the bottom bidder. After decade long haggle, ultimately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorities cancelled the negotiations and solely went forward with 36 Rafale fighters within the fly-away situation in a €7.87 billion deal and now France will supply 36 further plane to IAF. However even in that case, the necessities of IAF is not going to be fulfilled which is struggling to maintain the sanctioned 42 squadrons. Indian Air Force selection of Rafale was based on two armaments, SCALP and Meteor which are considered to be the best weapons currently available in the market.
Rignell additional argued that the Gripen can be integrated with same weapons type as the Rafale. The only one which is missing is SCALP because it is a French missile. But if India wants, we can integrate the SCALP also though Gripen already has a substitute.
Rignell additionally mentioned that the producer is not going to get into any recent cope with Pakistan. It’s to be famous that SAAB is offering the airborne early warning plane to Pakistan Air Force to which then Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa expressed his displeasure throughout his go to to Sweden earlier in June 2019.
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