The Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon — backed by Germany Spain Italy and the United Kingdom — had already beaten out competition from Russia’s MIG-35 Sweden’s Saab Gripen and America’s F-16 Falcon Lockheed Martin and F-18 Hornet Boeing.
Although America’s defense ties with India are steadily improving many believe that U.S. manufacturers were never seriously in the running for the project. India’s armed forces have a long memory and continue to view America as a fickle supplier despite the end of sanctions associated with the 2008 Indo-US nuclear deal. That’s a perspective that gains some credence in the midst of sparring over India’s refusal to honor U.S. sanctions and end its oil purchases from Iran.
But there’s still some room for optimism for America’s sole successful manufacturing sector according to Gunjan Bagla leader of the defense and aerospace practice at California-based Amritt Inc.
All North American defense companies should be strongly encouraged that the U.S. MMRCA bidders Boeing and Lockheed were fairly treated as serious competitors on a largely level playing field that included Russian and European bidders many of whom have much longer legacies of success with India Bagla said in an email Tuesday.
That’s big news if it truly signals a change. As I wrote this time last year for GlobalPost India’s military establishment is embarking on a 100 billion shopping spree.
But there’s more at stake in the MMRCA deal than simply a big paycheck for a foreign arms supplier. An essential part of the deal is the joint production of the fighter jets in India through which India’s own defense industry hopes to upgrade its manufacturing capabilities and acquire vital new technologies. So far that project hasn’t been too successful though.
In the bid to upgrade its indigenous weapons program India has spent 30 years and thrown millions of dollars at its own Tejas supersonic light combat aircraft which was finally cleared for induction into the air force last year. But even then the project was 500 million over budget and the most sophisticated part of the plane — its engine — was made by a U.S. manufacturer.
The lesson of the MMRCA deal says Bagla is that U.S. firms shouldn’t harp on their technological superiority.
Maybe instead they should start pushing more aggressive plans for technology transfer.
Last updated: July 9th, 2024
