Airbus and Germany to Field Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 in India's 110-Aircraft MRFA Tender, Citing Cost and Capability Advantages Over Rivals

Airbus, in partnership with the Federal Republic of Germany, is gearing up to offer the advanced Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 for the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender. This tender, expected to be issued by mid-2025, seeks to procure 110 modern fighter jets to enhance India's air combat capabilities.

The Eurofighter Typhoon proposal is a collaborative effort involving the Eurofighter consortium nations, with key industrial partners Leonardo and BAE Systems playing crucial roles. This is not the Typhoon's first foray into the Indian defence market. During India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition in 2012, the Typhoon successfully cleared all technical evaluation rounds but ultimately lost out to the Dassault Rafale, which emerged as the lowest bidder.

This time, Airbus and its partners are offering the latest Tranche 5 version of the Typhoon, boasting significant technological upgrades to meet the IAF's evolving operational requirements. The Tranche 5 model features enhanced avionics, improved survivability, expanded multi-role capabilities, and increased compatibility with advanced weapon systems.

While Airbus has not officially announced a production partner in India for the MRFA program, sources suggest a willingness to collaborate with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This move would align with India's "Make in India" initiative, which prioritizes domestic manufacturing and technology transfer in major defence contracts.

Cost will likely be a significant factor in the MRFA tender. Airbus believes the Eurofighter Typhoon has a strong chance of being the most cost-effective option, citing the recent price increase of the Dassault Rafale. If the tender becomes a price-sensitive competition, Airbus expects to have a clear advantage over its French rival.

The MRFA tender is anticipated to be highly competitive, with potential contenders including the Dassault Rafale, Boeing F-15EX and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin's F-21 (a customized variant of the F-16), Saab Gripen E, and Sukhoi Su-35. Each contender will be vying for this lucrative contract, which represents a major opportunity to play a pivotal role in India's ambitious defence modernization plans.

 

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[R. Singh]

Our enemy number one is testing 6th gen fighter so,we must go for 5th gen fighter jet under MRFA !

 

[sanket]

Most likely Rafale & Eurofighter will be the two finalists, a repeat of last time. It's not easy for Rafale this time. Dassault needs to think about buying the entire stake in DRAL, instead of having to go for a JV with a local partner and having to share ToT too, with autonomy for indigenous system & weapon integration in the future. Eurofighter can be used as pressure tactics; being a multinational stakeholder may be the factor in not winning the race.

 

[swatkats_razor]

Germany is like our beloved Duggal Saab. Its identity changes every new day.

• One day, it behaves like a businessman.
• Another day, it behaves like a farmer.
• Some days, it is an engineer.
• Other days it is an NGO on human rights.

Yeh bechaare abhi tak World War 2 ke sadmey sei nikal hi nahin paaye hain.

I would keep a distance from German liberalism and their weapons.

 

[nagendra simha]

The entire "Make in India" initiative for fighter aircraft has been flawed from the start:

1. We lack the necessary technology and industrial base to begin with.
2. HAL, like most government-run entities, operates like a sluggish, complacent giant.
3. Local manufacturing significantly raises the actual cost of production.
4. The idea primarily benefits private entities with little to no expertise—even in manufacturing basic remote-control toys.
5. Prolonged decision-making has caused fighter jet prices to increase by 25–35%.
6. Changing geopolitics further complicates the situation. For instance, China will aggressively arm Pakistan to counterbalance India. Meanwhile, withdrawing from the Russian PAK-FA project likely damaged ties with Russia. Purchasing American fighters is also problematic due to restrictive terms and conditions, leaving European fighters as the only viable option.

Instead of dragging out these negotiations, we should simply purchase off-the-shelf fighters and focus on developing indigenous aircraft like the Tejas and AMCA.