IAF to soon decide on bidder for Mirage upgrade

[SpArK]

IAF to soon decide on bidder for Mirage upgrade
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Bangalore, June 15 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon select the lowest bidder for upgrading its Mirage-2000 combat jet fleet as part of its modernisation programme, the air chief, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, said Wednesday.

"The cabinet committee on security (CCS) will decide on the Mirage fleet upgradation within a fortnight after the raksha mantri (Defence Minister A.K. Antony) approves it. Then, we will open the commercial bids and select the lowest bidder," Naik told reporters on the margins of an air force conference here.

The IAF, which has 51 of the fourth generation fighters from the French Dassault Aviation, decided in 2010 to upgrade them into Mirage 2000-5 with improved avionics and higher capability to carry laser-guided weapons.

Estimated to cost about $2.4 billion, the retrofit deal is intended to extend the lifespan of the 25-year-old multi-role fighters by another 20 years.

Used extensively during the 1999 Kargil war for air defence and ground attacks, the three-squadron Mirage fleet is based at the IAF's Gwalior air base in Madhya Pradesh.

The selected bidder will upgrade six aircraft in France and the remaining will be upgraded by state-run defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) with transfer of technology by Dassault and Thales.

Referring to the $4.1-billion deal signed Tuesday for acquiring 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters, Naik said they would be able to carry twice the load of the IAF's exisitng IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft.

Naik also disclosed that the three Israeli-made Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) mounted on IL-78 aircrft were performing well and were being used in single and joint exercises.

"All the three surveillance aircraft are in use and performing better than our expectations. They are being extensively used in our exercises," Naik added.

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[SpArK]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon select the lowest bidder for upgrading its Mirage-2000 combat jet fleet as part of its modernisation programme,

yehh lowest bidder ka chakkar kya hai.

Are Isrealis on run for the Mirage upgrades too ????

 

[Paan Singh]

i thought..french won this tender...

 

[SpArK]

i thought..french won this tender...

Nope France will have another big deal as compensation.

Everything runs as per the script babay.

 

[Paan Singh]

Nope France will have another big deal as compensation.

Everything runs as per the script babay.

do u mean dollars for all???

 

[Firemaster]

Nope France will have another big deal as compensation.

Everything runs as per the script babay.

This deal should be Rafale jets

 

[sancho]

i thought..french won this tender...

There was no tender, we wanted an upgrade and asked them, while Israeli companies offered some weapons and systems as alternatives, but the general upgrade (overhaul of the airframe...) have to be done by Dassault for sure, so this report is kind of strange.

 

[angeldemon_007]

yehh lowest bidder ka chakkar kya hai.

Are Isrealis on run for the Mirage upgrades too ????

I also have the same question....I mean Israelis were the lowest bidders as far as i know.

 

[luckyyy]

just another pathatic news reporting , first there is no compatative bidding for the upgrades and secod there are only two mirage squadrons ..

 

[tvsram1992]

Only the manufacturers can do the best upgrade.

 

[Black Widow]

If the Upgrade is going to be costly (say 30+ million USD a piece), then IAF should stop thinking to upgrade it... Fill the Gap with LCA and MMRCA..

I read somewhere upgrade cost is going to be 40 mil USD a piece, Why spend such huge amount, rather we can get an squad of MMRCA in that price...

 

[Galaxy]

Better to Buy New Air Crafts..... By 2020, India should have some 100-150 Rafale/Typhoon + 300 Sukhoi MKI + 150-250 5th Generation PAKFA + 200 Tejas. Some 200 MIG and Mirage series should work with minimum expenses till it can and then it would replace by 5th Generation FGFA.

 

[luckyyy]

If the Upgrade is going to be costly (say 30+ million USD a piece), then IAF should stop thinking to upgrade it... Fill the Gap with LCA and MMRCA..

I read somewhere upgrade cost is going to be 40 mil USD a piece, Why spend such huge amount, rather we can get an squad of MMRCA in that price...

even after spending 40 mil USD a piece , mirage still be needed a new engine after 4-5 years , the engine upgrade is presently not included..

 

[Kinetic]

I am hearing about this Mirage upgrade deal for last five/six years. Now it became boring just like MRCA. Do not know how many times it came to news that India and France signed deal on the upgrade!


Now its funny.