Aerospace Companies to Submit Proposals for Indian Air Force Mid-Air Refueling

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Requests for proposals (RFP) have been issued to top aerospace and defense firms in the United States, Europe and Russia for six mid-air refueling aircrafts for the Indian Air Force that are expected to cost roughly USD 2 billion. Earlier this year a contract to purchase a new fleet of mid-air refueling aircraft was cancelled as the Finance Ministry objected the high cost and lack of commercial competitiveness in the contract that led to the selection of the European Airbus 330 MRTT aircraft.

The requirements have not been changed in the new tender, life cycle costs have been added to the RFP, noted the "Indian Express". In the last selection round, only two companies European Airbus (EADS) and Russian Rosoboronexport made it to the trials. This time, more are expected to take part.

"We have received the RFP and are conducting a detailed evaluation of the request and will make a decision based on that information," Vivek Lall, vice-president, Boeing Defense, Space and Security, India said. It will take at least two years for the Defence Ministry to select an aircraft as per the procurement policy.

The previous contract was put on hold in September 2009 after the Finance Ministry questioned the need to purchase a new fleet of tankers other than the IL-78s already in service and objected the high price of the European aircraft. The contract was finally cancelled in January 2010, coming as a major blow to European consortium EADS which was very close to bagging the estimated USD 2 billion deal to supply six refueling aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Air Force is said to have made it clear that it was not in the favor of continuing the Russian origin IL 78 aircraft as its mid-air tanker of the future. The Russian aircraft was the only other contender in the ongoing contract but was rejected by the IAF, which found the Airbus a superior tanker.

[banti321]

already mid air fueling crafts acquire chesindi kada india
ivi extra kavala sCo_hmmthink