Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
It seems that india calclated that the French jet in the long run will have smaller maintenance costs per operation hour.
Part of the dela is a massive transfer of hightech knowhow, becasue part of the Indian conditions was that only a fraction of the jets get dleivered - 80% or more should be build in India, with far-reaching access to sensitive high tech knowleedge pools made min Europe. This deal in the long run will backfire against France, and Europe and the US, for the Indians are more interested in this hightech than in new fighters. Their future competitiveness on the global market will hurt us, due to us having made them a bit stronger once again.
Clever!  |
My sources more or less confirm what you state...the Indians were originally after the Harriers when they were decommissioned but the deal was blocked because the US weren't willing to have them sold with their high tech equipment included.