Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has assailed Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which builds most of the fighter aircraft the IAF flies. Writing directly to Defence Minister A K Antony in the first week of July, Browne has savaged HAL's proposal to design and build a basic trainer aircraft (BTA) for rookie IAF pilots. Rejecting the proposal, Browne has urged Antony to import 106 PC-7 Mark II trainers from Swiss company Pilatus. These will be over and above the 75 trainers already contracted for $640 million (Rs 3,780 crore).
Business Standard has a copy of Browne's five-page letter to Antony. Contacted for comments, the IAF and HAL have both chosen to remain silent on the issue. At stake is an estimated $800 million (Rs 4,750 crore) for Pilatus, if Antony accepts Browne's recommendation to give the Swiss company, rather than HAL, the 106-aircraft order.
On September 29, 2009, the ministry of defence (MoD) had cleared the acquisition of 181 BTAs for the IAF. Seventy-five were to be procured internationally, a contract that Pilatus controversially won. Meanwhile, HAL was to design and develop 106 BTA in India.
Source: Business Standard
No comments:
Post a Comment