So, neither Soko nor japan is capable of taking independent decision. They are probably not unkils favourite poodles but are very close.

Your view that a nation that has a close relationship to the US is their poodle?, what about Israel, India buy advanced military technology from them, doesn’t make no difference.

Why exactly would india want either as a main defence partner?

Simple, South Korea can offer advance stealth designed ships, and India can strengthen its ‘look east policy’, geo-politics being the end game.

Well BA has been longstanding with Boeing so it’s not difficult to see why Boeing has the advantage here, coupled with commonality of newer a/c and the issue of infrastructure already being in place.

However I do see Airbus with a chance, firstly because of Willie Walsh, he was then CEO of Aer Lingus who seemed to have a good relationship with Airbus, they had an all airbus fleet (?), secondly BA fly 11 flights a day to New York from London, they could reduce those numbers if they fly that route with a A380 and use slots left over to expand its Heathrow operations.

The potential UK buy of ~150 JSF added with the development money they put in will amount to more than any order for 126 SH, and they still have to argue about being able to service and operate their aircraft on their own without periodically sending the planes to a LM centre located in the US.

Breakthrough as UK signs technology transfer deal with USA to allow Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF purchase to go ahead

That has been resolved now, we have “operational sovereignty”

If the South Korean industry strikes up a relationship with the Indian Defence Ministry they will receive a deal or be invited

The Koreans have a very mature ship building industry, their combat ship building skills are self evadent just look at their designs – KDX-3, im sure that if the Indian navy tendered for aegis type destroyers they would welcome the Korean Destroyer eXperimental no doubt.

The RFI is for a set of seven stealth frigates, each costing about Rs 4,000 crores.

What immediatly comes to mind is the La Fayette, very stealthy design, dispalces around 4 700 tonnes, and can accomadoate a 10 tonne helicopter.

Taiwain ordered their Kang Ding-class, six Lafayette-class frigates at a cost of US$2.8 billion.

Why have Kingfisher ordered the A380…i thought they were predominantly a domestic airline

Their international arm goes online in 2007/8.

Kudos to Boeing for launching their 747-800i with a blue chip airline, a question though if I may, did Lufthansa ever at any stage consider procuring the 777-300ER for their capacity needs, esp. for an a/c in-between the A340-600 and A380.

p.s. now that Lufthansa have got some brand new toys to play with, please put some decent entertainment system in them:) .

longtime Airbus customer Deutsche Lufthansa AG

Last time i looked Lufty had 92 Boeing a/c:)

i honestly belive this aircraft is going to be the biggest mistake airbus have ever made i just cant see it working in the industry its about as versitile as a Sunderland AFC, the 747 will still be the king of the skys.

Well EK bought 43 of these big birds for themselves, so obviously their is some sort of market for this sized a/c, we must have to understand that theirs nothing wrong with the flying side of this a/c, the programs gone belly up becouse of issues like wiring installation problems,

I bet all these airliners who are reviewing their orders would probably be getting very sweet deals for future Airbus models i.e. A350XWB.