Boeing [BA] submitted a comprehensive proposal to India in support of the company’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) offer of 126 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, the company reported yesterday.
India’s MMRCA Request for Proposals asked all competitors to provide an Industrial Participation (IP) plan as part of their offering.
To help meet the MMRCA IP requirements, Boeing assembled a formidable industrial lineup that includes the Super Hornet industry supplier team (16 leading aerospace and defense companies with combined revenues of over $454 billion), and Boeing’s Indian IP partners (37 public- and private-sector Indian companies), according to Boeing.
Besides its offer to outfit the Indian air force with Super Hornets, Boeing is also looking at several other international opportunities including Australia and for Japan’s FX fighter program.
Lockheed Martin [LMT] is also expected to respond with an IP for its F-16 Fighting Falcon. France, Sweden and Russia are also expected to participate in the competition.
Boeing said its proposal firmly supports the Indian government’s goal of a vibrant indigenous aerospace industry. It also foresees India playing a key role in enhancing the company’s global competitiveness and growth through a series of strategic partnerships with Indian industries.
In 2006, Boeing and Lockheed Martin each submitted bids to build up to eight long-range patrol aircraft
Raytheon [RTN] also stands to benefit from an award to Boeing . Raytheon’s Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), currently on the Block II Super Hornets, will be retrofitted onto 135 U.S. Navy Super Hornets.
In January, a Raytheon representative said the company and the Navy were working on a response to India’s MMRCA request for proposal (Defense Daily, Jan. 25).
Earlier this year, Boeing reached an agreement to form a joint venture with Tata Industries Limited, part of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest business conglomerates. In December 2007, Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is adopting Boeing’s Lean and best-management practices. Boeing has also signed an MoU with international engineering firm Larsen & Toubro for joint exploration of business opportunities in the Indian defense market, according to Boeing.