09:43 GMT, November 6, 2008 According to an Indian News Agency IANS, the French government has cleared the full transfer of technology for the Rafale combat jet which is one of six aircraft in a tender for the Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 fighters. The deal is worth € 7.8 billion (US$ 10 billion). "When we talk about technology transfer, we mean full technology transfer and not in bits and pieces," J.P.H.P. Chabriol, Dassault's senior vice president for military sales, told a group of visiting Indian journalists at the company's regional headquarters.

"The way we work, we first have to obtain clearance of the government before putting in our proposal. If we win the order, we can begin work on transferring technology from day one - unlike our competition," he added.

The technology transfer would include that of a cutting edge radar that gives the Rafale the ability to also function as a close battlefield support airborne warning and control system (AWACS), Chabriol maintained, adding that the software source code would also be provided with the equipment.

The Advanced Extended Search Array (AESA) radar that Dassault is offering is still under development by French aerospace giant Thales, a partner in the Rafale project, and is expected to be integrated within the aircraft by 2012, around which time the IAF is expected to narrow down its choice of aircraft.

"We have full faith in the competency of Thales to deliver a top of the line AESA radar," Chabriol added.

Transfer of technology is a key clause in the Defence Policy-2006 (DPP-2006) that governs India's purchases of military hardware. Boeing and the Eurofighter GmbH are also offering an AESA radar with their F/A-18 Super Hornet and respectively Typhoon however, both have to receive the permit of the American government for the transfer of this technology since U.S. based Raytheon is the manufacture of the radar.

The Grippen is also powered by a U.S. engine and has other U.S. components too. Thus, here also an U.S. permission is needed. In the case of the F-18, approval would have to be sought not only of the government but also of the U.S. Congress.

Apart from the Rafale, the F/A-18 and the Typhoon, also Lockheed Martin F-16, the Saab Grippen and the MiG-35, which is essentially an upgraded version of the MiG-29 that the IAF already operates participate in this tender.

The IAF had started the jet tender in September 2007. The technical bids are currently being evaluated after which all the six aircraft will be put through a rigorous testing process. The testing includes revealing the aircraft's ability to operate in the humid conditions of south India, as well as their effectiveness in the deserts of Rajasthan and their suitability in the icy Himalayan heights.

By the time the evaluation process is complete, the size of the order is likely to rise to around 200 jets, as the IAF, which is down to 32 squadrons from a high of 39-1/2, is expected to see a further depletion of its fleet due to the retirement of some its ageing Soviet-era MiG-21 aircraft. The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 45 squadrons.

Chabriol pointed out that being 100 percent French gave Dassault a distinct edge over its competitors on the technology transfer issue.

He also said: “The Rafale, as a twin-engine aircraft, is a heavier jet and is in the same class as the (Boeing) F/A-18 Super Hornet and the (Eurofighter) Typhoon. The other three aircraft are in the lighter variety,” and added: “The IAF’s RFP (request for proposal), in the first analysis, in terms of performance, is not extremely demanding. We don’t want a situation where the other three aircraft are compliant with the RFP but we lose out on the price differential.” “The IAF has to decide whether it wants a heavy aircraft or a light aircraft,” he contended.