Eurofighter to vie for 10 billion pound Indian contract

LONDON: Multirole combat aircraft Eurofighter will vie next month for a lucrative 10 bn pound Indian defence contract, in a contest likely to come down to one between the European aircraft and Boeing's F/A-18, a media report said today.

The European high-tech combat aircraft produced by a four-nation consortium plans to stake its claim for the more than 130 modern fighters contract, one of the largest international arms deals in recent years.

Besides Eurofighter, Boeing's F/A-18, Lockheed Martin's F-16, France's Rafale, Russsia's MIG-35 and Sweden's Gripen begin a fly-off next month consisting of a series of trials throughout the subcontinent.

The contest could come down to a race between the Eurofighter and the F/A-18. "They look like the most likely contenders," The Sunday Times said quoting a source at last week's Paris air show.

The Indian government is unlikely to make a speedy choice, with the trials expected to last for up to a year.

If Eurofighter wins, it would be a boon for BAE Systems, Britain's largest defence group, part of the consortium that makes the aircraft, the paper said.

BAE has a collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) one of India's biggest defence groups which now makes BAE's Hawk trainer jet, used by the Indian air force.

The Eurofighter Typhoon has had a rough ride in Europe, with some defence analysts and politicians calling for the project to be curtailed, the paper said.