Just for comparison rafale’s 2006 approved roadmap which is leading to the F3+ standard was worth 400 millions euros and half of that sum was for the development of the RBE2 AESA. The other 200 millions were for the OSF-IT, DDM NG, M88 ECO and other spectra upgrades.

A follow on was made for integrating the damocles pod but this feature was incorporated in current rafales.

Dassault view on the competition :

Dassault and Eurofighter selected by India to equip its Air Force
Le Monde , Oct 28

Dassault and the European consortium Eurofighter unveil November 4 to the Indian authorities their commercial offers on a bid of 126 jets, a contract estimated at $ 12 billion, according to a source in the French group. “We been invited to open our commercial offers 4 November, “said Friday that source within Dassault, which attempts to export its Rafale.

Both groups were screened in late April for one of the largest defense contracts in the third economic power in Asia that seeks to modernize its army.

The American heavy industry, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the Swedish Saab Gripen and Russian MiG had been placed out of play after a fierce competition. “The decision can be taken in one day if the difference between the two offers is important but it can take months if the difference is minimal, “said the source.” I think the difference will be important and will be in our favor. “ In India, the lowest bidder candidate usually wins the contract.

http://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2011/10/28/dassault-et-eurofighter-retenus-par-l-inde-pour-equiper-son-armee-de-l-air_1595384_3234.html

For the record Dassault CEO said during lattest Paris air show conference that he expect the difference in price to be around 60%

http://www.leblogfinance.com/2011/10/rafale-bresil-partenariat.html

RAFALE/ Brazil: new partnerships against the proposed purchase of equipment

New on the ” adventures “of the Rafale in Brazil.
The French aerospace consortium Rafale International announced Tuesday that it had proposed technology partnerships with companies and universities in Rio …. in exchange for the option but Brazil would retain the Rafale to modernize its air force.
Jean-Marc Merialdo, director of the subsidiary in Brazil Dassaul t, has said his company had signed agreements with eight companies and universities at a seminar held in Brazil.
To recap, the international consortium is composed of Rafale aircraft manufacturer Dassault, the engine manufacturer Snecma and electronics group Thales aerospace and defense.
The company MBDA – which provides the missile Rafale – Dassault accompanied in the Brazilian city. During his visit, an agreement with Avibras, a pioneer of Brazilian Aerospace was signed to re-engine a missile to the Brazilian Navy.
The number of contacts made Tuesday could offer hope – if we are to believe the French – that other agreements could be concluded with Rio.
Recall that the Dassault Rafale is competing with the F/A-18 Super Hornet from the American Boeing and Saab Gripen NG from Swedish to win a contract worth approximately $ 6 billion (4.4 billion) .
At present, the consortium claims to be the only one in Brazil to offer technology transfer without restriction. The proposed technology transfer and offsets will cover more than 160% of the sales contract for the aircraft, Rafale International also said in a statement.
The French unit was placed among the favorites …. before the government of President Rousseff only postpones decision – the best in 2012 – following the budget cuts implemented in 2011.
In late September, the Brazilian leader has told Nicolas Sarkozy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that Brazil is ” unable to commit to the purchase of warplanes . “
“If there should be choice, it would be for the Rafale , “the president had committed, however.
“If the crisis is proving less severe than some imagine, this file may be resumed next year for example,” had also said the foreign minister of Brazil, Antonio Patriota.

Well the poll is MMRCA related and sometimes it is good to have lighter notes.
And it is from livefist…

Alain Juppe in front line to Sell Rafale Jet to UAE

les Echos , Oct 11

The appointment of the foreign minister and number two of the governement reflects the commitment of France to a high state level. It comes as negotiations between the two parties are very advanced.

Is this the home stretch? The Elysee has appointed Alain Juppe, the foreign minister, to lead the negotiations about the sale of sixty Rafale to United Arab Emirates, said concordant sources. By placing the government’s number two in the front line, France is showing its commitment to the highest level, as it is customary on large military and security affairs.[…]

The decision to involve Alain Juppe was taken in the wake of the meeting between Nicolas Sarkozy and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Paris on September 27. It comes as both parties have never been so close to success, as the aircraft has never been sold for export. While the previous Brazilian case imposes prudence, the Dubai Airshow in mid-November, is cited by many for a possible announcement.

In UAE, like in all countries prospects of the Rafale, the technical negotiations about configuration or price are conducted within the industry. In this case, the leader is the GIE Rafale, which includes Dassault and its main partners, Thales for electronics and Snecma (Safran group) for the engines. MBDA is in the loop for the selection of missiles. But in terms of combat aircraft, the political premium on everything else, as the buyer and seller countries are bind for decades by a partnership of strategic defense.

[Juppe], the head of the Quai d’Orsay seems best positioned today to give the final push in negotiations with the United Arab Emirates. Alain Juppe has Especially played a key role in the Near and Middle East into the Libyan crisis, strengthening its diplomatic stature in the region. Moreover, the entourage of Nicolas Sarkozy, who led the discussions since they began in the summer of 2008, has changed. Claude Gueant, in particular, went to the Interior.

In India too, things are moving, if we are to believe the local media. According to the “Times of India”, New Delhi gave the green light to the opening of the final offers of the two finalists for the tender for the purchase of 126 combat aircraft. Local authorities are given one month to calculate that the Rafale or the Eurofighter, is the cheapest.

if the deal is announced in mid november it would be an exellent timing for tha rafale and the indian competition.

It is true that one can exepct higher offset with the typhoon offer.

That being said there is probably a distortion in the way bid are compared due to the fact that Dassault doesn’t communicate the details of the offer.
So for the general opinionpercieve the Typhoon as being more offensive than the rafale in terms of offset.

But I believe we could have a good surprise in the rafale offset offer just like in Brazil where everyone were speaking of the gripen NG due to the agressive communication of SAAB. In fact once the commercial offer was revealed many were astonished by the ambitious level of offsets proposed in the rafale programme. That went completly under radar.

As for India we know that rafale AESA radar will be entirely manufactured in india, something the typhoon doesn’t offer if I am not mistaken. There is also the nuclear capability which seems to interest the indians and that was continuously reported even by indian officer themselves (livefist rafale report). That’s a also lot of strategic value.

So perhaps in terms of sheer numbers typhoon offset package will be bigger than rafale one but the question is 1) to what extent ? 2) what is the strategic leverage of those offsets ? (aesa radar technology is certainly more strategic than investing in other lower tech stuff for instance).

Now I believe that the rafale will be the L1 with a very comfortable margin (30% to 50%) if you look at the swiss offer as a reference. Considering the M2K deal and commonality of equipments this gap should even increase. And even more considering that the Indian typhoon would need significant extra developments…

Add to that the fact that the indian air force and navy have already a long tradition of flying french aircrafts (several generations of pilots) and that might push the balance towards the rafale. A consortium is less strategically “readable” than an long standing traditional partner especially when you project yourself in 10, 20, 30, 40 years….

Yes that a good news for the rafale in my opinion.

France has been a first tier defense partner for india, n°2 behind the russian and at least one report mentioned IAF officers being more favorable to the rafale.

France has always the reputation of being a reliable partner for india for decades. But a consortium is less “readable” in terms of strategic influence than the traditional partnership with france.

The only way the typhoon can win is on offsets in my opinion. L1 and strategic alliance speaks for the rafale.

doesn’t that leave the rafale as the only option ? I doubt that Typhoon developments could be ready in a such small time frame. Typhoon AESA radar is not even flying even in a test bed right now if I am not mistaken…And regarding AtG weapon integration I can’t say that important milestones as been cleared (or in the verge to be reached) despite the communication effort.