Dassault Rafale just won the Indian Air Force contract !

[VaporZ]

Dassault Aviation Rafale just won the Indian Air Force MMRCA contract
for 126 x multirôle combat aircraft !

Its here in french :
http://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2012/01/31/dassault-parvient-enfin-a-exporter-ses-rafale_1636901_3234.html
:jump:
VaporZ

[AndyG43]

Crikey, that is a surprise.

[dewoitine]

Soon for the Royal Navy (Times January 26) :icon_lol:

[VaporZ]

Next will be United Arab Emirates : 60

followed by :

Qatar : 24
Kuwait :18
Switzerland : 18
( with a current new offer for 18 x Rafale at the same price of 22 x Jas39NG "paper" Gripen )

and later

Brazil
( with a global package including 36 x Rafale C/B, 18 x Rafale Marine and a brand new
modern conventional "PA2" pocket aircraft carrier )

:mixedsmi:
VaporZ

[AndyG43]

I thought the UAE deal was in serious doubt, I seem to remember the word "unworkable" being used in connection with it. Certainly they are looking at Typhoon again, and Boeing consider it an open competition. And there is a lot of opposition inside Kuwait to Rafale, so I would be less than sure about that one. And Rafale were elminated from contention by the Swiss last November; I know Dassault have been lobbying for a change, but they never bothered sending a counter offer to the Swiss MOD until this week, just conducted a drip campaign in the Swiss press.

The Royal Navy? You can really see David Cameron signing a deal for Rafale against lobbying from BAe Systems? And if he even attempted to do that his own party would turn on him. Lovely dream chaps, but that one has no legs.

[Wing_Z]

We'll probably never know, but it would be fascinating to document all the bits that went to make up the deal.
Can't think of any other business that has so many devious twists, supporting acts, and elements from left field.
The Oil Business, maybe.

Anyway, I'm delighted as Rafale is prettier than Typhoon.