Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)
Swedish Aerospace firm SAAB’s officials have said that the Indian Air Force has made it mandatory that the contenders in the $20 billion MRFA (Mutli Role Fighter Aircraft) program must have at least 75% availability rate and SAAB group has made a commitment that the Gripen-E will have 90% availability rate across its fleet of 114 fighter jets, if selected.
They also said that the Gripen-E will be in the same class as the Tejas Mark-2 and will also use the same General Electric F-414 engine.
The SAAB Gripen is equipped with MBDA Meteor long range air-to-air missile which is already equipped on the 36 French Dassault Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force and due to the modular approach of weapons integration on the Gripen, the integration of Indian air-to-air missiles like Astra Mark 1 and Astra Mark 2 will be as simple and convenient as updating an application in the aircraft.
