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In a desperate attempt to be the one to fulfil India's two-decade old demand for an advanced jet trainer for the Indian Air Force, a Czech company has put a massive advertisement in the Delhi edition of the Times of India offering its planes to India.
The advertisements appear to be prompted by the refusal of Indian authorities to look at the L159B produced by Czech firm Aero. A British firm seems to be the front-runner in the AJT stakes.
Aero's advertisement campaign can serve no public purpose other than bringing the aircraft to the notice of the media, IAF personnel, concerned bureaucrats and politicians.
In the advertisement, Aero Vodochody says the L159B is a 'new generation advanced jet training and light combat aircraft designed to provide effective training of pilots for the new generation multi-role combat aircraft such as Russian SU-30 MKI or American F/A-18E/F Super Hornet'.
The advertisement also claims that the L159B would be cheaper than the Hawk due to lower labour costs and that the company is already manufacturing another version of the aircraft for the Czech air force, which has asked for 72 pieces of the single-seat L159A.
Aero claims that the L159 has already passed 'weapon accuracy trials in France, including live firing of air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs, weapons which proved their worth in recent high-tech conflicts'.
Quoting Aero vice president Viktor Kucera, the advertisement claims that the 'first aircraft could be delivered in the second half of the next year'.
Thomas Stringer, president of Boeing's Czech division, which holds a 35 per cent stake in Aero, has also been quoted in the advertisement.
However, the Ministry of Defence is unmoved. A senior official said the AJT deal 'is in the final stages and can be concluded any time soon'.
According to MoD officials, BAE Systems, manufacturers of Hawk AJTs, would in all likelihood bag the deal.
British officials in Delhi said that the price of the AJTs 'has been settled' and India's reservations about accepting tenders from a 'single vendor' too have evaporated.
BAE Systems has been lobbying for the sale through all possible diplomatic and political channels, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Almost every high level United Kingdom delegation visiting India in recent times had the AJT issue on its agenda.
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