The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday cleared a `6,600-crore deal for acquisition of 490 MICA air-to-air missiles from French company MBDA which will equip the Indian Air Force’s Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft. The entire Mirage-2000 aircraft fleet of the IAF is being upgraded and clearance was given for that last year.
Sources said the deal for the MICA missiles is worth about 950 million Euros. The MICA missiles will equip the IAF’s 51 French-origin Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft which are undergoing an upgrade by French companies Dassault and Thales costing about $2.7 billion.
The first batch of the Mirage-2000 aircraft was acquired by the IAF in the mid-1980s. Dassault, the original manufacturer of the Mirage-2000s, along with (defence electronic systems company) Thales will now supervise and implement the modifications in the Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft that include new radars, navigation systems, new weapon delivery systems, missiles, electronic warfare systems and cockpit modifications. The upgrades are intended to prolong the life of these fighter aircraft while retaining their combat edge.
A proposal for acquisition of Swiss Pilatus basic trainer aircraft is also under the consideration of the CCS but it is unclear whether this proposal has been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
A Korean company had earlier submitted a complaint to the Government about the proposed trainer aircraft deal.