US ambassador visits HAL, BEL facilities

Bangalore: US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer on Thursday visited defence public sector undertakings Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Roemer, who was on a two-day visit, was given a brief presentation about the two companies which also showcased their products. Roemer’s visit to HAL assumes significance as two US companies — Boeing’s F/A-18IN Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Super Viper IN — are among the six contenders bidding for the $10-billion 126 medium multi role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal with India.
HAL will build the 126 MMRCA under licence with a transfer of technology (ToT) after the first 18 aircraft are supplied by the foreign manufacturer to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The MMRCA evaluation will be completed by April this year and currently the final round of trials are currently under way in Bangalore with the IAF pilots evaluating the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, one of the bidders for the deal.
19/02/10 ExpressBuzz

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Feb 2010