Real sad news EJ-200 lost the LCA Mark-II race.
Eurojet bid was $666 million for 99 EJ200 engines
General Electric quoted $822 million 99 GE F-414
Its engines, which form about 15-20 per cent of the cost of a modern fighter. General Electric agreed to built engines in India, with the vendor transferring technology for their manufacture. Selection of the GE F-414 engine would provide advantages to the vendors of the F/A-18 and the Gripen NG fighters.
Order for 99 engines for the LCA Mark-II is just a foot in the door to the Indian market, as you all know india is famous for ordering less in start real order comes once 1st order completes and Indian establishments are happy with it.
If each fighter goes through two to three engines during its operational lifetime, the four to five planned squadrons (84-105 fighters) of the LCA Mark-II would actually need 200-300 new engines.
BUT i think this is irrelevant to the decision of MMRCA!
India already has production line for Klimov RD 33 series 3/MK engines for MiG 29/K in Koraput. (MIG 35 uses the same engines).
India has been using MiG 29s since 1985 and bought an additional 40+ for the Navy, so they already have experience and know how. India is further upgrading MiG 29s to MiG 29 SMT, which share significant components with MiG 35, as does MiG 29K of the IN!
India is further upgrading MiG 29s to MiG 29 SMT, which share significant components with MiG 35, as does MiG 29K of the IN!
Gripen has no chance as it doesn't give India any kind of Strategic benefits plus incase of sanctions by USA for over worried members here then Gripen is useless to..
Disadvantage for eurofighter remain the same its way too expensive. and if u are worried about US sanction which i see whenever India plans to buy anything from US.
1st you should know there is big difference in India and Pakistan.
2nd if US puts sanction, do you think UK and Spain will not do the same when Mr. Obama calls them.
If this is the case, better to go for old allies Russia and France.
