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Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
Union Defence Minister George Fernandes on Thursday said delivery of the Advanced Jet Trainers would take at least three years, even if ordered straightaway.
But the defence minister ducked questions on why the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government had not ordered it yet, saying he would explain the government's stand in Parliament.
The winter session of Parliament starts November 18.
The Indian Air Force has lost close to 200 fighter pilots in accidents, most of them involving the antiquated MiG-21 series of aircraft.
Asked about the MiG crash in northern West Bengal on Thursday morning, in which two pilots were killed, he claimed that the Indian Air Force chief had informed him that the accident took place due to bad weather.
He said an expert team has not found any defect so far in the MiG fighter planes despite visiting several bases, which have such aircraft.
"So far they [expert team] have not been able to pinpoint any defect, which could be the cause of accidents," Fernandes said.
He said the team included experts from Russia, as also those from the Indian Air Force and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The upgraded version of MiG 21 aircraft forms the bulk of the IAF fleet.
During the course of the last three years, Fernandes had publicly stated on several occasions that the British Hawk AJT deal had been finalised and 66 of them would be shortly acquired.
Defence ministry sources told rediff.com that the deal had not yet come through because of the 'price factor'.
The purchase of 66 Hawk AJTs will reportedly cost over US $3 billion.
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