Adnan Faruqi
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US wants its share of $15 billion MMRCA pie
The United States, which failed to get the $15 billion contract to provide the Indian Air Force with 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), is trying to find a way into the deal by proposing to do the weaponry for the jets.
But the US' pitch to do the weapons suite for the aircraft that wins the single largest defence deal in the world, will depend a lot on factors such as the pending contentious agreements between both nations that will translate into the transfer of technology and lead to a partnership with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The entire weaponry for the 126 aircraft will cost around $34 million going by the per unit and life-cycle costs.
The two shortlisted candidates for the deal are Eurofighter Typhoon manufactured by the European consortium EADS and the French Rafale aircraft by Dassault Aviation. The twin-engine multi-role Eurofighter Typhoon is made by four partnering nations, Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK. The aircraft is ins service in these countries. The Rafale is in service with the French Navy and the Air Force.
The Typhoon comes with the Paveway laser-guided bomb and the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), and the Rafale with the Paveway bomb. The Paveway IV and HARM (high-speed anti radiation missile) were tested on the Typhoon in Libya, while AMRAAM was tested in Iraq. However, India wants more weapons for its MMRCA and the US has offered to meet its requirements.
Hughes-Raytheon, the US missile-making company, which wants to do the weapons suite, has said that it is committed to the transfer of technology (ToT) within the guidelines laid down by the US government. What will be shared will be determined largely by the arrangements the US and Indian governments work out, it has said.
But transfer of technology from the US depends on the three agreements that are pending between the two countries: BECA, LSA and CISMOA. In May this year, New Delhi refused to sign with Washington the CISMOA (Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement), BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation) and LSA (Logistic Support Agreement).
The end user monitoring mechanism (EUM) was signed between the two countries in 2009, during Hillary Clinton's visit. It enables US officials to physically inspect the equipment sold to India.
The US has signed the sale of some of the weapons that India needs (see box) with other Nato nations under the FMS (foreign military sales) route. After approval from the US government for weapons integration, Raytheon and BAE Systems of the UK will conduct the actual integration on the winner aircraft.
A joint production arrangement will be worked out with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India, under technology transfer manufacturing partnerships. This will ensure that components and sub-components can be manufactured locally.
US wants its share of $15 bn MMRCA pie
The United States, which failed to get the $15 billion contract to provide the Indian Air Force with 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), is trying to find a way into the deal by proposing to do the weaponry for the jets.
But the US' pitch to do the weapons suite for the aircraft that wins the single largest defence deal in the world, will depend a lot on factors such as the pending contentious agreements between both nations that will translate into the transfer of technology and lead to a partnership with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The entire weaponry for the 126 aircraft will cost around $34 million going by the per unit and life-cycle costs.
The two shortlisted candidates for the deal are Eurofighter Typhoon manufactured by the European consortium EADS and the French Rafale aircraft by Dassault Aviation. The twin-engine multi-role Eurofighter Typhoon is made by four partnering nations, Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK. The aircraft is ins service in these countries. The Rafale is in service with the French Navy and the Air Force.
The Typhoon comes with the Paveway laser-guided bomb and the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), and the Rafale with the Paveway bomb. The Paveway IV and HARM (high-speed anti radiation missile) were tested on the Typhoon in Libya, while AMRAAM was tested in Iraq. However, India wants more weapons for its MMRCA and the US has offered to meet its requirements.
Hughes-Raytheon, the US missile-making company, which wants to do the weapons suite, has said that it is committed to the transfer of technology (ToT) within the guidelines laid down by the US government. What will be shared will be determined largely by the arrangements the US and Indian governments work out, it has said.
But transfer of technology from the US depends on the three agreements that are pending between the two countries: BECA, LSA and CISMOA. In May this year, New Delhi refused to sign with Washington the CISMOA (Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement), BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation) and LSA (Logistic Support Agreement).
The end user monitoring mechanism (EUM) was signed between the two countries in 2009, during Hillary Clinton's visit. It enables US officials to physically inspect the equipment sold to India.
The US has signed the sale of some of the weapons that India needs (see box) with other Nato nations under the FMS (foreign military sales) route. After approval from the US government for weapons integration, Raytheon and BAE Systems of the UK will conduct the actual integration on the winner aircraft.
A joint production arrangement will be worked out with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India, under technology transfer manufacturing partnerships. This will ensure that components and sub-components can be manufactured locally.
US wants its share of $15 bn MMRCA pie
