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The Indian Air Force is to kick start MMRCA flight trials this year ruling aside the possibility of the forthcoming elections disrupting the multi-billion dollar deal for the 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), the Indian Air force (IAF) is ready to commence the trials of the jets that are competing for the deal.
Six international companies made the bid to supply India with 126 multi-role fighter jets and bag the $10 billion contract. U.S giants Lockheed Martin with its F-16 fighters and Boeing with its Super Hornets are competing with Russia’s MiG-35, France’s Dassault Rafale, Sweden’s Saab KAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies for the fighter deal.
This fighter jet deal is part of the modernization plan in which India will be spending about $30 billion in the next five years wherein the obsolete weaponry and fleet will be replaced or upgraded.
While several of the bidders are already in India with their technical teams and are holding talks with the Indian officials, it will be a few weeks before the pilots are trained for the sophisticated jets. After the training of the Indian pilots, trials to test the maneuverability and strength will begin in various weather conditions. The fore-runners for the deal are Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Lockheed has already sold six C-130 J military transport planes to India worth $1.1 billion last year. Currently, it is offering the F-16s to India and Lockheed India Operation is ready to initiate the trials.
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