Date:04/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020453230900.htm

National

United States delay hits Tejas flight test

Ravi Sharma

BANGALORE: The Aeronautical Development Agency’s (ADA) bid to identify a global aerospace firm that could help it hasten the flight test programme of the light combat aircraft Tejas appears to have hit a hurdle. The U.S. Department of State is yet to permit American companies seeking to tie up with the ADA, to share what is perceived as sensitive defence technologies with India.

Under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rules governing implementation of the Arms Export Control Act, American companies cannot export or import defence and military-related articles and services without approval from the State Department.

The move will jeopardise the bid by Boeing and Lockheed Martin to share their technological expertise with the ADA and, ironically, help their competitors, European aerospace firms Eurofighter and Saab, which are also vying for the contract.

Sources told The Hindu that the State Department’s delay in giving permission to the American firms could affect the Navy’s plans to shift from platform-centric to network-centric operations.