Indian air force pilots have begun testing two Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets for flight evaluation trials, part of an order for 126 planes in a deal valued at $10 billion.
The pilots will examine the Typhoon's flight performance under specific Indian conditions, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., manufacturer of the combat aircraft, said in a statement.
Additional trials in Jaisalmer and Leh will "demonstrate the aircrafts' excellent desert, as well as high-altitude, capabilities," EADS added.
The test follows extensive training, which Indian pilots underwent in Germany, where the aircraft will return to upon completion of the trial runs.
Praised by its manufacturer as the most advanced multi-role combat aircraft on the global market, the Typhoon will be featured in exercises that include precision-guided munitions and launching air-to-air and air-to ground missiles.
India, among the world's top arms importers, plans to spend $30 billion on military contracts by 2014. The project includes the purchase of 126 fighter jets estimated at more than $10 billion.
The Typhoon is competing against Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper, the Dassault Rafale, the Saab Gripen and the MiG-35.
The Typhoon trial test kicked off as India pledged to speed up arms purchases after pulling the plug on a multi-billion-dollar deal for six Airbus refueller planes on grounds that the sale price was too steep.
The tender's cancellation upset the technology-starved Indian air force.
European plane maker Airbus was picked after two years of trial to supply A330 multi-role tanker aircraft. The tender, though, was scrapped this month because the finance ministry objected to the final price tag.
It remained unclear when fresh tenders would be announced.
Senior military officials were cited in local media as saying that the government was also moving ahead with plans to change India's complex arms purchase policies in a bid to speed up the modernization India's million-plus military, which relies mainly on Soviet-era hardware from Eastern European countries.
Industry officials also confirmed that the government was in talks with Lockheed Martin over the purchase of an additional six Super Hercules C-130J military transport planes.
"There was an option in the original request for additional six (Hercules planes) and we are in dialogue with the Indian air force for the addition of those six," Orville Prins, Lockheed's vice president, business development, in charge of India said.
"What's the timing of this (order), we don't know yet."
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