Showing posts with label FRENCH RAFALE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FRENCH RAFALE. Show all posts

Sunday, February 15, 2015

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Dassault Aviation "Confident" of Talks With India on The Sale of 126 Rafales

DTN News -INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Dassault Aviation  "Confident" of Talks With India on The Sale of 126 Rafales

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 15, 2015: French defence company Dassault Aviation on Friday said it was "very confident" that three years of talks with India on the sale of 126 Rafales worth 12 billion euros would result in a deal.

Eric Trappier, chief executive of Dassault Aviation which manufactures Rafale, in an interview with BFM television, said talks were slow as India wanted some of the jets manufactured at home in a bid to boost defence manufacturing, meaning the details of every nut and bolt had to be agreed upon.

The negotiations have got into trouble recently, leading to delay in finalisation of the contract for supply of 126 fighter planes.

In addition to recent visit to New Delhi of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said  he was confident about the outcome of talks to sell 126 Rafale fighter jets to India in a multi-billion-dollar deal that has been stalled for months.

Fabius is the first of a string of Western politicians due in New Delhi over the next few weeks for talks with the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are drawn in part by the prospect of defence deals, as the new administration considers opening the industry to foreign investment.

"The discussion is developing in a very positive way and ... we are very confident in the final outcome," Fabius told reporters in the Indian capital.

*Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) - Internet
*Presented & compiled for DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News 
(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2015/02/dtn-news-india-defense-news-dassault.html

Friday, February 13, 2015

DTN News - EGYPT DEFENSE NEWS: Egypt Opts For The Rafale

DTN News - EGYPT DEFENSE NEWS: Egypt Opts For The Rafale

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 13, 2015: French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will travel to Cairo Monday to sign the final agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Hollande said in a statement issued by his office.

*France is to sell 24 Rafale fighter jets to Egypt along with a naval frigate and missiles in a deal worth more than €5 billion, President François Hollande said Thursday, the first time a foreign buyer has been found for the French-built warplanes
 
“The Rafale fighter jet has won its first export contract,” Hollande said, confirming a report in French daily Le Monde published earlier Thursday that said a deal had been agreed.

“The Egyptian authorities have just let me know their intention of acquiring 24 Rafale planes, a multi-mission frigate as well as related equipment,” he added.

These last two items are believed to be a FREMM warship, currently used by the French and Italian navies, and a number of short and medium-range missiles built by MBDA.

The deal follows years of failed attempts by France to export the Rafale, described as one of the most effective and sophisticated fighter jets in the world, but also one of the most expensive.

*Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Dassault Aviation & France 24
*Presented & compiled for DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News 
(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2015/02/dtn-news-egypt-defense-news-egypt-opts.html

Monday, June 30, 2014

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India's Rafale Fighter Jet Deal in Final Lap, Awaits Government's Nod

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India's Rafale Fighter Jet Deal in Final Lap, Awaits Government's Nod

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 30, 2014: (New Delhi)  The Indian Air Force or IAF may lose its traditional conventional edge against Pakistan if the contract to buy 126 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft or MMRCA is not clinched immediately, senior IAF officials told Defence Minister Arun Jaitley at an extensive briefing recently. (Defence Minister Briefed on Indian Air Force's Operational Preparedness)

French aerospace major Dassault Aviation had won the contract to supply the fighter jets to the IAF in 2012.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday met French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in New Delhi. Fabius arrived in Delhi on Sunday night for a two-day visit. He will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to make a pitch for speeding up the Rafale aircraft deal.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Reuters
*Presented & compiled for DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News 
(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2014/06/dtn-news-india-defense-news-indias.html

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 18, 2013: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's government said Wednesday that Sweden's Saab won a long-delayed fighter jet contract initially worth $4.5 billion that will supply at least 36 planes to Latin America's biggest nation.
 
The decision comes as Brazil seeks to ramp up its defense capabilities to patrol a porous land border that's more than 9,300 miles (15,000 kilometers) long, much of it covered by jungle, over which arms and drugs easily flow. Brazil is also seeking better protection for massive offshore oil fields that it has discovered in recent years.

*Presented & compiled for DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/dtn-news-brazil-defense-news-brazil.html

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Dassault described the Rafale as being an omnirole fighter with semi-stealth capabilities. The Rafale is a multirole combat aircraft; capable of simultaneously undertaking air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions.

In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. In order to reduce development costs and boost prospective sales, France entered into an arrangement with four other European nations to produce an agile aerial fighter, but subsequent disagreements over workshare and differing requirements led to France pursuing their own development program. Dassault built a technology demonstrator which first flew in July 1986, however post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities contributed to significant delays.

Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries, including selection by the Indian Air Force. The Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan and Libya; features such as the SPECTRA integrated defensive aids system have been crucial advantages in these theatres. Several upgrades to the radar, engines, and avionics of the Rafale are planned to be introduced in the near-future.

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Dassault described the Rafale as being an omnirole fighter with semi-stealth capabilities. The Rafale is a multirole combat aircraft; capable of simultaneously undertaking air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions.

In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. In order to reduce development costs and boost prospective sales, France entered into an arrangement with four other European nations to produce an agile aerial fighter, but subsequent disagreements over workshare and differing requirements led to France pursuing their own development program. Dassault built a technology demonstrator which first flew in July 1986, however post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities contributed to significant delays.

Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries, including selection by the Indian Air Force. The Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan and Libya; features such as the SPECTRA integrated defensive aids system have been crucial advantages in these theatres. Several upgrades to the radar, engines, and avionics of the Rafale are planned to be introduced in the near-future.

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Dassault described the Rafale as being an omnirole fighter with semi-stealth capabilities. The Rafale is a multirole combat aircraft; capable of simultaneously undertaking air supremacy, 
interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions.

In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. In order to reduce development costs and boost prospective sales, France entered into an arrangement with four other European nations to produce an agile aerial fighter, but subsequent disagreements over workshare and differing requirements led to France pursuing their own development program. Dassault built a technology demonstrator which first flew in July 1986, however post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities contributed to significant delays.

Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries, including selection by the Indian Air Force. The Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan and Libya; features such as the SPECTRA integrated defensive aids system have been crucial advantages in these theatres. Several upgrades to the radar, engines, and avionics of the Rafale are planned to be introduced in the near-future.

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Dassault described the Rafale as being an omnirole fighter with semi-stealth capabilities. The Rafale is a multirole combat aircraft; capable of simultaneously undertaking air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions.

In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. In order to reduce development costs and boost prospective sales, France entered into an arrangement with four other European nations to produce an agile aerial fighter, but subsequent disagreements over workshare and differing requirements led to France pursuing their own development program. Dassault built a technology demonstrator which first flew in July 1986, however post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities contributed to significant delays.

Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries, including selection by the Indian Air Force. The Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan and Libya; features such as the SPECTRA integrated defensive aids system have been crucial advantages in these theatres. Several upgrades to the radar, engines, and avionics of the Rafale are planned to be introduced in the near-future.

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Rafale is the first European combat aircraft in service benefit from technology AESA ( Active Electronically Scanned Array ) has been the subject of studies and demonstrations earlier and reflects the culmination of over 10 years R & D efforts on active antennas. It significantly improves its detection range. Registered C137, and for the Air Force, he will join in the coming days airbase Mont-de-Marsan.

The development of AESA radar RBE2 was decided in the context of a program to improve sensor Rafale, which also includes a missile launch detector and an improved front sector optronics new generation, two systems also equipping the Rafale C137.

(Read complete story on Defense-Technology News - Click on link undermentioned)

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Ripple Effect From India's Biggest Defense Deal

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Ripple Effect From India's Biggest Defense Deal

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 6, 2012: First it was the United States that got annoyed, and now it is Britain's turn to ask some tough questions about its India policy. Ever since the French Rafale fighter was declared the lowest bidder in the multibillion dollar contract to provide a new generation fighter for the Indian Air Force, a debate has been raging in the United Kingdom as to what went wrong with Prime Minister David Cameron's charm offensive in wooing India.

His visit to India in 2010 was widely viewed as a highly successful. He made all the right noises in India about Pakistan and terrorism, and there was a sense that U.K.-India ties had finally turned a corner. The Cameron government has also decided to give India £1.4 billion between now and 2015, amounting to almost 1 percent of Britain's own £159 billion debt.

But when it came to the much sought-after Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contract, France was the winner and the Eurofighter, produced by a consortium of four nations, including Britain's BAE systems, lost. Apparently, saying the right things and giving aid doesn't get you any influence in New Delhi!

From the very beginning, this saga has been rather interesting. Last year in April, India rejected bids by Lockheed Martin and Boeing (along with Russian and Swedish bids) for the $10 billion-plus contract for the 126 combat aircraft, despite extensive lobbying by the U.S. military-industrial complex, supported by President Barack Obama himself.

Nothing works better in New Delhi than a putdown to the U.S. — and that was quite a snub indeed! Instead, New Delhi short-listed Dassault Aviation's Rafale and the Eurofighter Consortium's Typhoon. There were extensive field trials, and technical considerations ostensibly drove the final decision. But the dismay in Washington was widespread and, to some extent, understandable given the investment that the U.S. has made in cultivating India in recent years.

The focus then shifted to the French vs. British, Rafale vs. Eurofighter rivalry in which the French came out on top. Dassault Aviation, Rafale's French manufacturer, will be entering into commercial negotiations with India over the next few months before final deals are signed. As this is a company that has been struggling to get foreign buyers, it would be keen on signing the contract more or less on Indian terms.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Says It is Negotiating Contract With Dassault

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Says It is Negotiating Contract With Dassault


(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 18, 2012: India today virtually ruled out a rethink on its decision in the multi-billion dollar combat aircraft deal saying it has already started negotiating the contract with French firm Dassault Aviation in this regard.
On January 31, India had announced that the French Rafale fighter jet has emerged as the lowest bidder in the deal for procuring 126 combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) edging out its European rival EADS consortium's Eurofighter Typhoon.
"Already the Contract Negotiations Committee (CNC) has started for the procurement of Rafale," Defence Minister A K Antony said here.
The Minister was asked to comment on British Prime Minister David Cameron's statement that he would ask India to rethink its decision on the deal and buy the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The CNC is formed by the Ministry to negotiate the final price of the equipment offered by the vendors.
Antony warned the officials and vendors involved in the process against indulging in any wrongdoing saying "everybody should be careful.... Nobody can corrupt India system. We will not tolerate this."
He said the contract negotiations take place for over six months and after that the deal will have to pass through eight stages.


http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-india-defense-news-india-says.html

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil "Very Likely" To Choose French Fighter - Sources


DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil "Very Likely" To Choose French Fighter - Sources


 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 15, 2012: Brazil is "very likely" to choose France's Rafale fighter jet to refurbish its air force, government sources say, a decision that would award one of the emerging-market world's most coveted defense contracts to a jet whose future was in doubt only two weeks ago.


President Dilma Rousseff and her top advisers believe that Dassault Aviation's (AVMD.PA) bid to sell at least 36 Rafales offers the best terms among the three finalists, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.


The other two bidders in the competition are U.S.-based Boeing (BA.N) with its F-18 Super Hornet and Sweden's Saab (SAABb.ST) with its Gripen.


Rousseff has cast the deal as a watershed decision that will help mold Brazil's military and strategic alliances for the next few decades as it establishes itself as a leading economic power. The contract will have an initial value of about $4 billion, but will likely be worth considerably more over time once maintenance and follow-on orders are included.


Rousseff previously had concerns about the Rafale because the jet had not found any buyers outside France. That raised doubts about whether Dassault would have the scale necessary to build the jets at a reasonable cost and maintain them over time.


The sources said Rousseff's concerns were assuaged when India announced on January 31 that it had entered exclusive talks to buy 126 Rafales. Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim traveled to New Delhi last week to discuss the deal with Indian officials and examine documents related to Dassault's bid.


http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-brazil-defense-news-brazil_15.html

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: BAE May Cut Typhoon Price To Win India Order

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: BAE May Cut Typhoon Price To Win India Order

 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 7, 2012: BAE Systems is considering lowering the price of its Eurofighter Typhoon to win back an $11bn (£7bn) Indian contract from France’s Dassault.

Ian King, BAE’s chief executive, said the company was considering a range of options to secure the deal to supply fighter jets, which could help prevent a major industrial setback for Britain.

A source close to the company said BAE was consulting with its partners in Germany, Italy and Spain to see what was feasible in the coming days and weeks.

India had previously changed its mind on defence contracts, the source said, adding there was “still some way to go” before any decisions by the country had been made.

The insider insisted the contract was still up for grabs, with Dassault’s Rafale only having been named as the lowest-priced compliant bidder rather than being awarded the contract.

The Government’s drive to kickstart growth and rebalance the economy towards advanced manufacturing suffered a blow last month when the Indian government named the French manufacturer as its preferred partner for the deal.

Trade union Unite warned the selection of the Rafale could have "serious implications" for BAE Systems and the UK aerospace industry. It is estimated that 40,000 UK jobs are supported by the project.

Winning the Indian contract would help sustain tens of thousands of jobs, although production is expected to gradually move to India if Britain won the deal.

BAE currently has enough orders for the Typhoon to maintain work until 2017.

The Typhoon is made by Britain's BAE, European giant EADS, and Italy's Finmeccanica. The UK accounts for 37.5pc of production with the aircraft assembled at BAE's aerospace facilities in Lancashire and suppliers including GKN, Ultra Electronics and Rolls-Royce.

Last year, BAE cut 3,000 jobs in the UK, partly because it had won fewer export orders for the Typhoon than planned.

Monday, February 6, 2012

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Why India Chose Rafale

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Why India Chose Rafale

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 6, 2012: When Pratibha Patil travelled to Europe last October, she and others in her entourage had a pleasant surprise in the sky. At one point along the air space that the President’s flight was using, half a squadron of Eurofighters appeared on both sides of her Air India plane.

In the graceful style of these sleek war machines, they escorted the presidential aircraft to its safe landing at Patil’s next destination. Even so, those manning the Eurofighters could not resist showing off.

When the Eurofighters displayed the prowess of this advanced new-generation, multi-role combat aircraft to the President, members of Parliament and senior officials accompanying her, New Delhi’s quest for 126 planes of its kind could not have been far from the minds of their pilots.

The competition for the biggest military aviation deal in history, which began 11 years ago when the defence ministry initiated its “request for information” or RFI, had just entered its final and decisive phase.

But the impromptu decision to send the Eurofighters across European skies to impress the President was typical of what cost some rivals of Dassault Aviation — last week’s winners — the lucrative Indian Air Force contract.

Friday, February 3, 2012

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Minister Heads To India To Improve Defense Ties

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Minister Heads To India To Improve Defense Ties

 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 3, 2012: Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim is to travel to India this week for talks on boosting bilateral military cooperation, his office announced.

Brazil and India are members of the BRICS group of emerging powers (along with China, Russia and South Africa) and Brasilia views its multi-faceted partnership with New Delhi, including in the defense field, as a “strategic priority.”

Amorim was due in New Delhi on Feb. 7 at the start of a five-day visit that will include talks with Prime Minister Manmoham Singh and Defense Minister A.K. Antony as well as visits of military installations, his ministry said in a statement released Feb. 1.

India “has one of the world’s biggest armed forces” and like Brazil “seeks to reduce its technological dependence on other countries,” the statement added. “There is a great potential for scientific, technological cooperation (with India), to develop projects of mutual interest.”

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Rafale Selected To Power The Indian Air Force

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Rafale Selected To Power The Indian Air Force

 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / Saint-Cloud (France), January 31, 2012: Following the announcement of the final selection of the Rafale program MMRCA, Dassault Aviation and its partners are grateful to the Indian authorities and people of India to give them the opportunity to continue to strengthen their partnership history. Dassault Aviation and its partners reaffirm their commitment to meet the operational needs of the Indian Air Force and recall their pride in contributing to the defense of India for over a half century. 

About DASSAULT AVIATION With over 7500 military and civilian aircraft delivered for nearly 60 years in 75 countries and have made ​​nearly 20 million flight hours, Dassault Aviation has an expertise and a recognized experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, the Rafale fighter to the family of business jets upscale Falcon. With its unique architectural complex airborne systems, Dassault Aviation is able to make strategic, operational solutions and innovative approach to efficient cooperation. 

As part of a phased approach pursued for many years, its expertise in technology systems and control of airborne vectors allow users to offer optimized solutions. Finally, the pragmatic approach of the partnership has led to a vast network of cooperation with many companies, thus promoting the success of today's programs and helping to unite the defense industries of tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Set To Finalise Fighter Jets Deal

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Set To Finalise Fighter Jets Deal

(NSI News Source Info) KOTTAKKAL, Kerala, India - October 25, 2011: In a crucial milestone for India's "mother of all deals" - its prolonged $12-billion effort to acquire 126 fighter jets - the Defence Ministry will open the commercial bids of the two finalists on November 4 at South Block.

France's Dassault Aviation and the European EADS were informed this week that their representatives would be required to be present when their bids (for the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon respectively) are opened by a Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC).

Representatives of both firms will need to authenticate the confidential sealed envelopes containing their bids, before they are opened for the final comparison.

Following procedure, the final bids will be compared to a benchmark price - a reasonable, acceptable price for the contract - before adjudging the lowest bidder from the two. For both companies, the stakes are enormously high.

At $12-billion, and the near certainty that the final contract will be for a significantly larger sum, the IAF's MMRCA is quite simply the largest active acquisition of aircraft in recent memory, and one that both final contenders have invested millions in pitching for.

The Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale are by far the costliest jets in the reckoning, and with both fighting a two-horse race to the finish line, India will be committed to spending a colossal sum of money on the acquisition.

In April this year, as earlier reported by Headlines Today, four other contenders were eliminated from the competition in a shock setback for the companies involved.

Those who were dropped from the reckoning included Sweden's Saab (Gripen), US firms Boeing and Lockheed-Martin with the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-16 Super Viper respectively, and India's largest defence supplier Russia with its MiG-35.

Interestingly, the four eliminated companies remain in India, firm in the belief that the cost of their rivals in the finals make this make-or-break situation swing either way.