I don’t think Rafale was fixed from start, I think IAF wanted either Rafale or EF from the start. And this might well come back to haunt them.

The problem is IAF was bound to select the cheapest plane that met its set requirements while the EF and Rafale may have exceeded it, it should have no bearing.

So like Twinblade says, unless the IAF explicitly set parameters high to disqualify all but the EF and Rafale, this deal is in risk of torn to shreds by the CAG.

I wouldn’t call it lobbying. Its a case of tweaking the playing field so that only their favourites make through. Its necessary to do this because some day in the future some accountant will come up and say “hey, the f-16 does everything these two do and costs a third less !!”, so it becomes necessary to shoot down anything you don’t want.

And the accountant would be right to do so. Defense is about spending the money prudently to get the capability one needs.

I personally am praying for a CAG report that will put the MRCA selection in scrutiny so much so that they will cancel the whole thing and buy F 35 via FMS.

All the more reason for other countries outside those from south america to assist Britain…. I for one would support an Australian task force being sent to support British sovereignty over the falklands

The way Brazil is growing, it will be able to take on Britain and Australia single handedly when it comes to a conflict, add to that the other South American nations + Geographical proximity etc. And its a losing proposition.

Then again Brazil will just sign a big deal with Australia for some mineral import and Aussies will be won over :p

I think India will go for LItening III in for its Rafales.

As it stands, this discussion is futile.

The islanders ARE British. They want to be British. They DON’T want to be Argentinian.

There is, nor will there ever be any pressure on them to give up their right to self determination. All the Argentinians have done, and are doing, is further distancing themselves from the islands.

As said before, I don’t really see what this has to do with modern military aviation? Unless XH558 is being fitted with a Dash-10 and an inflight refuelling system… :diablo:

Entirely the reason why they should be deported once islands are taken over by Argentina.

As i said before Britian still has some military and political clout, but it will all be gone within the next fifty years and then the islanders either become Argentines in Argentinas terms or go back to England.

This is not just a British thing, its going to happen to almost all western countries as Asia & Latin America become the masters of the world, we could even see a new parallel to the UN.

hey quadbike, when is India going to return the Andaman and Nicobar Island groups to their indigenous populations and return the Indian colonists to mother India.

If you don’t feel that the stone-age inhabitants of these islands are capable of governing themselves then you can transfer ownership to Burma and Indonesia instead. Their proximity to the aforementioned countries surely means they have a far stronger claim than India, judging the situation by your own logic.

Plus when you are going to allow the inhabitants of Manipur and Nagaland self-determination and freedom from the Indian occupation forces.

I don’t think Burma or Indonesia have come up with any claims to those islands.

As for Manipur & Nagaland we are not talking about little islands thousands of miles away, and no other country claims these, you may have had a point if you said the K word.

Put simply we don’t, the islanders have right to self determination and want to stay British.

Its not up to the islanders to determine, the land has a soul in itself. And that belongs to Argentina. The world opinion is in Argentina’s favour as well.