NEWTOWN, Conn: As the race to secure the Indian Air Force’s $10 billion tender for 126 combat jets reaches the crucial stage of flight trials, Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar. This would put India in the elite league of manufacturers of some of the most sophisticated defense equipment in the world.
“We are ready to develop a new advanced radar jointly with India,” said Vyacheslav Tishchenko, head of the Phazotron-NIIR Corporation. The company is developing Russia’s first active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, Zhuk-ME, for the MiG-35 fighter, the Russian contender in the IAF tender for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). Two of the aircraft will go to India next month for flight evaluation trials.
Other aircraft included in the competition are the Lockheed Martin F-16 and Boeing F/A-18E/F from the U.S., the French Dassault Rafale, the Swedish Saab Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Technology transfer is a prime requirement of the MMRCA tender. Many Western manufacturers are limited by U.S. government export restrictions on how much technology they can share with the India. Even manufacturers in Western Europe are affected if they use components manufactured in the United States. Russia is touting its ability to conduct a full technology transfer to India. The latest statement develops that sentiment even further. Russian companies will be able to help India develop future radars as well.
