LONDON — The Indian government has named the final candidates in its Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program.
The MMRCA competition keeps the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale in the mix. Saab confirms the Gripen has been eliminated.
Industry officials indicate the other three contestants — the Boeing F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16 and MiG-35 — also have been eliminated, although India will not formally announce the lineup until April 28.
If both U.S. fighters are cut, it would be a big blow to Washington, which had aggressively courted India with technology-release promises. Furthermore, the two U.S. contenders were the only ones with fielded active, electronically scanned array radars, which India says it wants.
The government will now evaluate industrial and commercial terms before naming a final winner in several months.
The MMRCA program is to lead to the Indian assembly of the chosen design. The program is for 126 fighters, although it is expected to grow. The Indian contest has been the most coveted of the international fighter programs currently in the competition phase.
Saab CEO Hakan Bushke says that despite the loss “we are committed to the Indian market and continue our plans for growth and see huge business opportunities in the aerospace, defense and security sectors.”
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