I was kinda surprised the France won, did anybody else expect this to go ther other way ?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dassault-Rafale-wins-MMRCA-deal-beating-Eurofighter-Typhoon/articleshow/11700801.cms
I didn't even know this was going on.
Curious that the Eurofighter was chosen. Something tells me that there was some consideration for the India-Pakistan relationship, at least from the US's perspective.
The Rafale has a carrier compatable model.
I suspect this choice has less to do with Pakistan and more to do with China
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:33:03 PM
The Rafale has a carrier compatable model.
I suspect this choice has less to do with Pakistan and more to do with China
Well, by that I meant that the US may not have been interested in poking the Paks with a stick by selling to India and may have quashed it for our own purposes.
Quote from: LongBlade on February 06, 2012, 05:39:27 PM
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:33:03 PM
The Rafale has a carrier compatable model.
I suspect this choice has less to do with Pakistan and more to do with China
Well, by that I meant that the US may not have been interested in poking the Paks with a stick by selling to India and may have quashed it for our own purposes.
Something about being price competitive also comes to mind.
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:41:55 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on February 06, 2012, 05:39:27 PM
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:33:03 PM
The Rafale has a carrier compatable model.
I suspect this choice has less to do with Pakistan and more to do with China
Well, by that I meant that the US may not have been interested in poking the Paks with a stick by selling to India and may have quashed it for our own purposes.
Something about being price competitive also comes to mind.
There is that.
It's a virtual guarantee we weren't going to give them anything more than average avionics and why bother buying the best planes if you can't have the best gadgets in them?
Quote from: LongBlade on February 06, 2012, 05:45:45 PM
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:41:55 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on February 06, 2012, 05:39:27 PM
Quote from: Windigo on February 06, 2012, 05:33:03 PM
The Rafale has a carrier compatable model.
I suspect this choice has less to do with Pakistan and more to do with China
Well, by that I meant that the US may not have been interested in poking the Paks with a stick by selling to India and may have quashed it for our own purposes.
Something about being price competitive also comes to mind.
There is that.
It's a virtual guarantee we weren't going to give them anything more than average avionics and why bother buying the best planes if you can't have the best gadgets in them?
they are likely buying the best of the 2nd best of field
I think the French were really pushing hard as the it looked like the export market for the Rafale was going to tank. According to what I read in Combat Aircraft, the Rafale is going to take over almost all duties in the French Air Force. They are going to retain some mid-life upgraded Mirage 2000's, but I think all other models ( Mirage F1) and earlier Mirage 2000's are being phased out.
@Mig,
from what I have read (little admittedly) they seem to be better than OK fighters.
I think the Rafale is probably quite a capable aircraft - I know 40Cent and I were at an airshow many moons ago and there was a complete nut job flying a Mirage 2000 and it impressed the hell outta me. He did things with the delta winged fighter that I though only an '18 or '15 could do !! He was clearly the highlight of the whole event !!! If I can ever dig up the video I have I'll post it.
I also think the French deserve credit for the fact they have their own aircraft industry and still produce consistently good fighters.
A new chapter in the India sagafrom Jane's:
Cassidian preparing lower Typhoon bid for India's MMRCA, says UK defence minister
By Matthew Bell
2/10/2012
Cassidian will submit a revised bid for the Eurofighter Typhoon in India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contest in an attempt to beat the price package put forward for Dassault's Rafale, according to UK Defence Minister Gerald Howarth.
Howarth, the minister for International Security Strategy, said that EADS subsidiary Cassidian, which is handling the Typhoon bid for MMRCA, is formulating a "fresh price proposal" after it emerged that Rafale was chosen because it was offered at a lower price, or L1.
In comments carried by India's Business Standard news service on 9 February and confirmed to IHS Jane's by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), Howarth said: "If the decision turned only on price, Cassidian will put in a revised price offer. The four nations [constituting the Eurofighter consortium: Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK] can produce a winning financial proposal, and I fully expect that Cassidian will be doing that."