Saab pitches Gripen for IAF mega-order
Highlights
Saab plans to have its largest-ever presence in India at the Aero India airshow at Bangalore. ���This is our one chance to show the aircraft���s capabilities to the Indian defence brass,��� says Tony Ogilvy, India director. Three Gripen JAS 39 aircraft will be on flying display, besides a simulator at the show. The Gripen is in service with the Swedish and Czech air forces and has been ordered by South Africa and Hungary.
Mr Ogilvy said that capability and cost will be key to selection of the aircraft. Security concerns, he said, override any realpolitik in selecting fighter aircraft. He said the Gripen���s competitive advantage vis-��-vis US firms is that it can carry a range of weapons, while US aircraft can only use American arms.
Saab has promised the Indian government that the fighters will be built by HAL in India under licence. The company also says it is willing to part with all the technology including the source code for the avionics and systems. This is besides the standard government of India offset clause that requires defence contractors to invest up to 30% of the value of the deal in Indian ventures.
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