While assurances from various quarters that the MMRCA would be in service by 2014 might appear somewhat unrealistic, it is imperative that the deal is finalised expeditiously

One of the most exhaustive and arduous flight evaluation trials conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in its quest for selecting an Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) which had spilled over into the month of May appear to be finally over. It may be recalled that last year just prior to India’s Parliamentary Elections, the IAF had completed the Herculean task of technical evaluation of the responses to India’s request for proposal (RFP) from the six global bidders and submitted the report to the Defence Ministry. Subsequently, while the groundwork had commenced, it was evident that the next phase of the procurement procedure could be undertaken only after the elections and the formation of the new government at the Centre. Flight Evaluation or ‘field trials’ is just the fourth of the eight phases of DPP (see table) but due to the UPA’s return to power for the second term this phase thankfully was not overly delayed.

To flight evaluate all competing aircraft, the IAF had chalked up a comprehensive programme involving tests at three different locations in India: technical and humid conditions tests in Bengalure; hot-weather desert trials in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and Leh in Ladakh area of Jammu & Kashmir for the conduct of high-altitude trials where the terrain exceeds 10,000 ft amsl (above mean sea level). In addition, while the single-seat versions of the participating aircraft were planned to be conducted in India, the twin-seat versions as also selected weapons’ trials were to be carried out in the respective manufacturers’ country locations. The bidding aircraft were also planned to be flight evaluated sequentially by the same sets of designated teams in India and abroad. To refresh memories, the six competitors in the fray for India’s Rs 50,000 crore ($10 billion plus) ‘mother of all defence deals’ are the Saab JS-39 Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale from Dassault, Mikoyan MiG-35, Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper and the Boeing F/A-18IN (a version of the Super Hornet).

In the event, the flight evaluation phase could commence only in August/September 2009. The task was nothing short of daunting but it must go to the credit of the IAF and the participating vendors that the flight testing phase could be completed within a couple of months’ spill over from the original schedule of March/April 2010. So what is next? Is this a good omen for the things to shape up better as far as sticking to the schedule is concerned?