Dassault denies India ruled out Rafale for fighter contract

BRUSSELS, April 24 (UPI) -- Dassault denies India ruled out Rafale for fighter contract

French company Dassault has denied reports that it has been eliminated from the international race to sell 126 new combat aircraft to India.

The long-drawn-out competition has been going on for nearly two years, and Russia's Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-35MKI remains the favorite to win it. The Indian air force has primarily relied upon Soviet or Russian combat aircraft for nearly 40 years. By contrast, France has failed in almost all of its efforts over the past 10 years to land significant export contracts for its Rafale fighter jet.

India has specified that it requires a Medium-Range Multi-Role Combat Aircraft weighing 14 to 30 tons that can carry out both air-defense and air-to-surface missions. The first 18 aircraft should be ready for use while the next 108 will be built by Hindustan Aeronautics as a result of a technology transfer.

Defense News reported last week that the Rafale was believed to have been eliminated from the race by Indian defense officials. Dassault denied the claims, but Defense News said Dassault had failed to disclose fully whether the Rafale would meet the Indian air force's technical requirements.

Dassault said it had not been informed yet by the Indian government on the outcome of the competition. However, senior Indian military officials have told the press that they had dropped the Rafael from consideration.

The Indian air force is still considering the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is built by the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., the Gripen, which is built by Saab of Sweden, the MiG-35 and Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin's F-16 Fighting Falcon from the United States.

In the next round of the competition, the jets will be tested in flight trials over the next two months, after which their weapons will be tested. Finally, the Indian government will evaluate the commercial bids and make its decision.

France to build third projection and command ship

The French government has approved $518 million to build a third large projection and command ship, the French Defense Ministry said last week.

The ship is to be built by Seagate Technology France, also known as STX France, and by Direction des Constructions Navales Services, the French naval shipbuilding company.

STX France will build the ship in its construction yard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and DCNS will integrate the vessel's communications and implement the combat-management system and radar for $129 million.

The deal is part of the French government's strategy of sustaining its main defense contractors with $3 billion in government orders. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has also approved plans to invest heavily in modernizing the nation's shipyards.

South Korea shops for weaponry in Turkey

The South Korean National Defense Ministry wants to buy an electronic-warfare training system worth $96 million from Turkey for its air force pilots.

The EWTS was developed by the Turkish firm Havelsan, and it simulates perilous mission flights for combat pilots by confronting them with virtual threats from missile interceptors, anti-aircraft guns and ground-to-air guided rockets. The system should be delivered by 2011.

Since a 2001 agreement, Turkey and South Korea have cooperated closely on defense systems, trading in heavy artillery howitzers, basic trainers, technology, assistance in developing equipment and other products and services.