BY : PTI

With less than four months left for bids to open for India's largest ever $ 10 billion defence tender for 126 combat aircraft, American aviation major Lockheed Martin on Friday said it planned to meet the March three deadline.

"We have sought no extension and plan to meet the RFP deadline," Oriville Prins, the Texas-based company's top executive said here.

Lockheed plans to offer New Delhi F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters "tailored and configured" to IAF specifications at a very competitive price with a high technology avionics and armament package, he said.

His remarks came in the wake of reports that three of the lead bidders for the contract Boeing, Lockheed and Russian Mig corporation had sought extension of time for responding to the RFP, at a bidders' meet organised by the Ministry of Defence.

Pointing out that the bidders meet had been sought to seek clarifications and amplifications on the complex project, Prins said his company would meet the requirements specified in the tender.
"We are not seeking any changes or dilutions, but some clarifications to make our bid robust", he said. "Two rounds of Bidders' meet have taken place and another has been scheduled for January".