The Indian Ministry of Defense announced, this Thursday, September 25, the purchase of 97 LCA MK1A aircraft, also called “Texas”, of the Hindustan Aeronutics Limited (HAL) company, for an amount of $ 7 billion, on the eve of the last flight of the Russian Mig-21 MiM1 in the service for decades.
In detail, this command is related to 68 hunters and 29 two rooms, as well as the associated team. These airplanes will occur mainly in India, and their delivery is expected between 2027-2028.
The Indian Air Force is renewing its fleet and buying French airplanes, while expecting to develop more its own capabilities. Last April, the country signed an agreement With France for the acquisition of 26 Rafale hunters in the Marine version for $ 7.4 billion, according to the Ministry of Defense of India.
India has become the second Navy to equip the Rafale M after France and, therefore, in the first export country for this version of the Aviation combat plane Dassault. This order was added to a first of 36 aircraft of the same model already made by India in 2016, by its Air Force ($ 9.4 billion).
At the end of August, New Delhi asked Dassault Aviation to evaluate the amount of a contract for a possible order that ranges between 40 and 114 additional airplanes, according to the gallery, confirming an interest already mentioned by The Times of India. “The requirement of local production, although binding, should increase the political acceptability of the contract and contribute to the constitution of an integrated aeronautical industrial base” ODDO BHF.
Source: BFM TV
