Keen on joint exercises with India,says German Air Chief

“We are in close contact with the Indian Air Force and we are looking at a joint exercise in that part of the world. We have established good contacts and are talking about joint navy and army training also,” the Air Chief told The Indian Express at the ILA Berlin Air Show.

While India has been conducting regular military exercises with countries like USA,France,UK,Russia and even China,there has only been a limited military interaction with Germany till now. At present,officers are being exchanged for specific training courses. “We have an exchange pilot on the SU 30MKI fighters,” Lt Gen Kreuzinger-Janik said.

The officer said that Germany is building up the capacities of its newly inducted fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon fighters,three squadrons of which are already in operation,and would soon find an ‘environment’ to conduct joint training exercises.

The Air Chief also made a case for the selection of the Typhoon jets for the IAF’s $10-billion contract for 126 fighters. The officer emphasised the safety record of the fighter by pointing out that not even a single aircraft has been lost to an accident till date. He said that the fighter was performing well in the German Air Force and is being used in both air to ground and air to air missions.

On the combat record of the fighter,Lt Gen Kreuzinger-Janik said that his squadrons are carrying out NATO policing duties along the Russian border. The German Air Force,the officer said,is planning to replace all its existing fighters with the Typhoon. The officer expressed confidence that the fighter would come out on top of the performance table when the IAF contract is finalised next year.

On its part,EADS,the parent company that manufactures the fighter,has emphasised that the Typhoon will not only be suitable for the IAF but the acquisition would also bring thousands of high-technology jobs to India. A top EADS executive said more than 20,000 jobs would be created in India if the company bags the mega tender.

“If we win the order,the development of the fighter for India as well as the global market will result in creation of more than 20,000 direct jobs,” EADS Chief Executive Officer (defence & security) Stefan Zoller said,referring to the 50 per cent offset clause in the contract.

Zoller also said that EADS is planning to develop a competence centre in India for its global and European market. The company has already set up a research and development centre in Bangalore that has started by recruiting eight engineers. The plan is to hire more than 250 engineers who would work on high end technology like electronic scan radars and avionics.

( The correspondent was on a tour to the ILA Berlin air show organised by EADS)