IAF wants new Jets to dominate the sky! Six global aircraft manufacturers have responded Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Request for Information (RFI) to supply 110 fighter aircrafts to
![Six Bids to Supply 110 Fighters for IAF Six Bids to Supply 110 Fighters for IAF](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdyK7GSYFLygSUgxL4AuvguHLe4OLY9vk2hn5eMlQqEv-1dg1uYORG4dHqaZ4fihj09sFZLQ3gU3FAC2d_NE2Xi-IIwnVMSQ7vRobRG0vXahB-SZwhh6UyzxlmBsUbWysKp9hyphenhyphenRSCxV5G/s320-rw/fighter-jet.jpg)
replace its ageing fleet of MiG-21s and MiG-27s, which are being phased out of service.
- Of the six bids received, Lockheed Martin F-16 and SAAB Gripen are single-engine fighters, while Dassault Rafale, Boeing F-18, Eurofighter Typhoon and United Aircraft Corporation MiG-35 are twin-engine fighters.
How will the process move forward?
- The bids now will be evaluated after which IAF will issue Request For Proposal (RFP) with exact specifications of aircraft to be procured.
- The RFP is expected by early 2019.
- It has not specified exact requirement of fighter jets, opening up contest to both single-and twin-engine jets.
- Both configurations were equally competent and final choice will depend on price and extent of technology transfer.
- The processes including technical evaluation and selecting one aircraft will be completed in less than two years.
- After that, it depends on how fast the contract negotiations can be completed.
- It is believed that the technical evaluation and trials can be completed very quickly, as all aircrafts already have been tested extensively earlier.
- The entire cost of procurement of 110 fighter jets will be worth over $15 billion.
- Single-engine aircraft will cost lower than twin-engine jets, both in unit and operational costs.
- It stated Government is planning to buy 110 fighters jets, of which 85% will have to be built in India under ‘Make in India’ programme in partnership with a Strategic Partner or an Indian Production Agency.
- The procurement will be processed through Strategic Partnership (SP) model under Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).
A look at IAF's need for new fighter aircrafts:
- The IAF needs minimum strength of 42 fighter squadrons to dominate and tackle two-front collusive threat simultaneously from China and Pakistan.
- Currently, IAF has 32 fighter squadrons but due to retirement of old aircrafts, the number of fighter squadrons will further go down by 2021.
- By then, 11 squadrons of Mig-21 and Mig-27, which are 35 to 45 years old, will be retiring from service.
- So to mitigate the shortfall, IAF is procuring new advance fighter aircrafts.