Cabinet to decide on AJT soon: George

Amidst intense lobbying by foreign companies for the Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) at Aero India 2003 exhibit, Union Defence Minister George Fe...

Amidst intense lobbying by foreign companies for the Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) at Aero India 2003 exhibit, Union Defence Minister George Fernandes said the matter was ‘‘with the Cabinet and a decision was expected very soon.’’

‘‘The decision is on the threshold and is before the Cabinet,’’ Fernandes said adding that since it was with the Cabinet Secretariat, ‘‘the matter is marked secret.’’ Fernandes remained tight-lipped on whether other countries would be considered before the government took a decision on the Indian Air Force’s 20-year-old demand for an AJT.

HAL and France to
jointly produce ALH

NEW DELHI: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will sign two deals with French firms to jointly develop and market the Advanced Light Helicopter on Thursday. The deals come in the wake of the success of the ALH which has already been inducted into the three services and has now generated interests from abroad.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, HAL chairman N. Mohanty said that the Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) had also agreed to a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop advanced avionics for the ALH. This variant would then be jointly marketed in Europe by HAl and IAI, he said. The two deals which will be signed by HAL and French firms Turbomeca and SNECMA, will also ‘‘co-develop, co-produce and co-market’’ certain key components for the ALH. In it’s MoU with SNECMA, HAL also plans to explore the export potential of the ALH. It also includes a training programme for HAL engineers in France to pick up skills in various projects. (ENS)

Meanwhile, Bangalore saw British Hawk compete with two new entrants — the Czech L-159B and Russian MiG-AT trainers. So much so that an advertisement published in a newspaper today claimed the Americans had guaranteed support for the L-159B if New Delhi chose the AJT over the Hawk.

The advertisement, sourced to the ‘‘Cezch Government’’, claimed that US secretary of State Colin Powell had written a letter to the Indian government ‘‘which guarantees that US production licenses will be granted’’ for all American components in the aircraft. In light of American sanctions in the past, the L-159B has not found favour with the Indian government due to it’s American components.

Fernandes admitted there were forces which had delayed the AJT and the government had been ‘‘pushed back’’ from the ‘‘threshold of a decision’’ earlier.

Commenting on India’s acquisition for an advanced warning system, Fernandes said India was seeking a Russian platform which could be integrated to Indian radars. He also expressed his willingness to give an impetus to joint ventures in defence production with American companies if they evinced interest or gave formal proposals.

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On the indigenous Kaveri engine for the Light Combat Aircraft, Fernandes said that it was undergoing final tests before induction. Presently the LCA, which flew a sortie today, uses an American engine.

Investigators, including a bomb squad, combed the site. (Representational)

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In a targeted attack, a man rammed his car into the FBI's Pittsburgh field office on Wednesday and then threw an American flag over the damaged gate before fleeing the scene. No FBI personnel were injured, and the suspect had previously visited the office with a nonsensical complaint. The FBI is asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect.

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