Tag: Thales

India’s VSHORAD program off flight path
Defence ministry faces problematic result after 20 years of shopping around

Even after two decades since the acquisition case, the Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) search has seen a system absent from trials and failing trials, being passed as technically compliant and ending up as, apparently, the cheapest. Also problematic is the difficulty its purchase could pose by provoking U.S. sanctions under their CAATSA.

Airbus A-330 MRTT for the IAF

StratPost was invited to visited Airbus Military facilities at Getafe in Spain last week to get a sense of the aircraft acquisition under consideration by the IAF, after the A-330 MRTT was announced as the preferred bid in the refueler competition. Here’s a look at what goes into the aircraft.

IAF looks to replace crashed Mirage fighter jets

Although the case for the acquisition of the two single-engine trainers is still at a preliminary stage, the IAF is ‘desirous’ of getting their ‘numbers up from 49 to 51’ again and is planning to make a pitch for the aircraft to the Ministry of Defense.

French drive hard bargain on Indian MMRCA: Report

A recent French media report offers insight into the French position in the negotiations with the Indian defense ministry on the MMRCA fighter aircraft purchase by the IAF. Here’s an edited translation of the report and an analysis of what it could mean.

Mirage jets to get new missiles in $1.23 bn deal

French firm MBDA will supply 450 MICA interception and aerial combat missiles as part of the second phase of plans for upgrading the Mirage fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF). India had last July signed a $2.4 billion deal with French defense firms Thales and Dassault for upgrading the Mirages.

MMRCA may already have one assured winner

India’s decision to eliminate four of the six aircraft in the Indian Air Force tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft, first reported by StratPost, may already have resulted in one winner, even before the commercial bids for the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Rafale are opened.