Indian Air Force Gets Full Access to Gripen Demonstrator
News AWIN First Mar 10 , 2010 Neelam Mathews mathews.neelam@gmail.com New Delhi Even as trials for India’s 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) come close to a finish, the drama continues. The Gripen IN, Saab’s Indian variant of the next-generation fighter, recently made an appearance in Bangalore, Jaisalmer and Leh for trials – but in the form of two twin-seat Gripen Ds. “The situation is not ideal” without the NG demonstrator itself, admits Eddy de la Motte, director India Gripen. “The Swedish certification agency SMV did not approve the demonstrator to fly to India as additional tasking is being done within the Swedish program,” he told Aviation Week. Still, with the Gripen NG a development program, executives say the base has always been the Gripen D along with simulators, avionics rigs and the demonstrator. And de la Motte stresses that local officials will have “full” access to the demonstrators. “We are in discussions with the Indian authorities and are looking...