Russia's MiG-35 Fulcrum-F jet fighter corresponds to all the requirements of an Indian tender aimed at acquiring a series of fighter jets, a department head for Russia's state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Monday.
Sergei Kornyev, the department head of Russia's Air Force special equipment and services, made the announcement after the Farnborough Air Show outside London ended on Sunday.
In August 2007, India set an $11 billion tender for the delivery of 126 fighter aircraft. The world's largest aircraft manufacturers are bidding for the tender, including France's Dassault Aviation with its Rafale, U.S. Lockheed Martin with its F-16 Fighting Falcon and Boeing with the F-18 Super Hornet, Sweden's Saab with its most up-to-date Gripen aircraft, and the European Eurofighter offering the Typhoon.
"The requirements of the tender are quite rigid, but we have already held three evaluation tests, and we believe we have offered an aircraft which entirely corresponds to the tender requirements," Kornyev said.
Russia's MiG-35 Fulcrum-F is a highly maneuverable, single-seat multirole air superiority fighter, an export version of the MiG-29M OVT (Fulcrum F).The plane was first officially presented during the Aero India 2007 air show.
"Of course, the buyers will make the final decision. We are sure that we will participate in this tender until the end, and we hope we will win," Kornyev added.
The Farnborough Air Show was held on July 19-25 near London. About 1,350 companies and organizations from more than 50 countries, including some 60 Russian firms, took part in the air show. Russian air manufacturers have clinched deals worth over $10 billion, experts said.
FARNBOROUGH, June 26 (RIA Novosti)
