India to bid for additional Mirages from France

India to bid for additional Mirages from France
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, OCT 7: India will be bidding for additional multi-role Mirage 2000 jet fighters from France which, coupled with the indigenous production of updated Su-30 MKI, would give the country a strategic and tactical edge in the region, according to Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis.

"The licence production of the SU-30 MKI would commence very soon after the completion of the initial lot of 50 in Russia and would enable the air force to finalise its Vision-2020 long term perspective planning", the Chief of Air Staff told newsmen in the backdrop of tomorrow's celebration of Air Force Day.

The Air Chief said the upgradation of Su-30's was being done to suit IAF's needs and specifications and that the first lot of such aircraft would roll out by the end of next year.

"These upgraded aircraft would have capabilities as no other Sukhoi including those in service with the Chinese air force and would have super manouverability and thrust vector capability", Tipnis said.

He said though the IAF had just signed an agreement for purchase of ten more latest series of Mirage 2000, "we are making additional bids for few more, which with Su-30's would give us interim capability till LCA becomes operational".