Wed, Aug 29, 2007
Country Wants Selection Process To Be "Transparent and
Fair"
Boeing and Lockheed Martin are going
head-to-head with four other global manufacturers to compete for
what could be the biggest military aviation contract in 15
years.
India's Ministry of Defense issued a Request for Proposal this
week to six vendors looking to supply the nation with modern
fighter aircraft. Those contestants include Russia's MIG-35;
Sweden's JAS-39 Gripen; Dassault's
Rafale; Lockheed Martin's F-16 Falcon; Boeing's
F/A-18 Super Hornet; and the Eurofighter Typhoon, built by a
consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian firms).
The 211-page document deals with various issues relating to
initial purchase, transfer of technology, licensed production and
life-time maintenance support for the aircraft. The RFP contains
the selection model that would involve an exhaustive evaluation
process.
The proposals from the likely contenders would first be
technically evaluated by a professional team to check for
compliance with the Ministry's operational requirements and other
RFP conditions. The Ministry said it plans extensive field trials
for performance evaluations before coming up with its short
list.
The chosen aircraft are likely to be in service for more than 40
years, said the Defense Ministry. It is striving to make the
selection process "transparent and fair."
Under the terms of purchase, the first 18 aircraft will come in
a 'fly away' condition while the remaining 108 will be manufactured
under Transfer of Technology. Overseas companies winning orders in
India of at least $73 million will have to compulsorily produce in
the country and form joint ventures to buy components, in a policy
known as "offset."
The country wants to add combat planes to its air force, the
worlds fourth-largest, to replace an aging fleet of Russian-made
MiGs. New jets will allow the South Asian nation to bolster its
defense capabilities as China produces its own fighters and
Pakistan buys new planes from the US.
The purchase of components has to be at least 30 percent of the
value of the contract, which may be increased based on the type of
the acquisition.
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