Vendors vie for India’s MRCA deal

Six plane makers are bidding to supply 110 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) to the Indian Air Force, to replace its ageing fleet of MiG-21s and MiG-27s, in a deal that could be worth as much as $15 billion

BOEING F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET 
Boeing has partnered with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) to build twin-engined carrier-capable aircraft in India
Length: 18.31m

DASSAULT RAFALE M 
Has chosen Reliance Defence as its Indian partner. French government has cleared full technology transfer and software source code to India
Length: 15.27m

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON 
EADS has invited India to become fifth partner of Eurofighter programme and assemble plane
domestically
Length: 15.96m

RAC MIG-35 FULCRUM-F 
Russian Aircraft Corporation will open production and servicing facilities in India, initially using assembly kits, leading to full production 
Length: 17.3m

SAAB GRIPEN E
Proposed production of single-engine jet with Indian partner Adani Group
Length: 15.2m

LOCKHEED MARTIN F-16 
Has offered to move production from South Carolina to India and build Block 70 version of
aircraft with Tata Advanced Systems
Length: 15.03m


COMPARISON
F/A-18E/F	Rafale	Typhoon	MiG-35	Gripen	F-16

Speed (Mach)	Combat radius (km)	Internal fuel (kg)
1.8		722			6,780
1.8+		1,800			4,700
2.0+ 		1,390 			5,000
2.2 		1,000 			4,800
2.0+ 		1,300 			3,400
2.0+ 		1,370 			3256


Sources: Janes Defence Weekly, Economic Times, The Hindu, Reuters
© GRAPHIC NEWS