India's selection of Dassault Aviation as the preferred bidder for a 126-fighter jet deal was largely based on a price tag 25 percent cheaper than the French firm's Eurofighter rival, a report said Friday.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Boeing has frozen the price on its bid for a multi-billion-dollar Brazilian air force jet contract, sources close to the deal told Reuters, as the global race to sell military hardware to emerging economic powers becomes more competitive.

Britain's Prince Harry could return to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said Thursday, after he qualified as an Apache attack helicopter pilot with a special award for his gunnery skills.

Britain's Prince Harry has qualified as an Apache attack helicopter pilot, St James's Palace said Thursday, adding that he had won a prize for shooting skills.

Prince Harry has qualified as an Apache attack helicopter pilot, St James's Palace said Thursday, adding that he had won a prize for shooting skills.

France is confident that it can sign and seal a firm $12 billion deal to supply India with 126 Rafale fighter jets "within six to nine months," government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse said Wednesday.

David Cameron said Wednesday he would urge India to reconsider its decision to opt for French fighter jets instead of the British-backed Eurofighter Typhoon.

India has selected the French firm Dassault over the Eurofighter consortium as the preferred bidder for 126 fighter jets in a major contract estimated to be worth $12 billion (nine billion euros).

French firm Dassault has won a multi-billion-dollar contract to provide 126 fighter jets to the Indian military, a government source in New Delhi told AFP on Tuesday.

French firm Dassault has won a multi-billion-dollar contract to provide 126 fighter jets to the Indian military, a government source in New Delhi told AFP on Tuesday.

French firm Dassault has won a multi-billion dollar contract to provide 126 fighter jets to the Indian military, a government source in New Delhi told AFP on Tuesday.

President Barack Obama downplayed a recent report about the use of US drones in Iraq, indicating that the unmanned aircraft are mainly used for embassy surveillance.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon's F-35 program office said on Monday it was suspending high speed ground and flight operations of 15 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets after discovering improperly packed parachutes under the pilot's ejection seat.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon grounded six Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets at a California air base due to a problem with the parachutes packed under the pilot's ejection seat, two sources familiar with the issue told Reuters.

French aircraft maker Dassault has made a new offer to Switzerland for its Rafale fighter jets after the government decided in November to buy Sweden's Gripen planes instead, a report said Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp <LMT.N>, the Pentagon's largest supplier, forecast broadly flat sales and operating profit for 2012, with a record high order backlog helping it to cope with cuts in U.S. defense spending.

British arms manufacturer BAE Systems said Monday that the the Sultanate of Oman has asked for more detailed proposals for the Eurofighter Typhoon, as it edged closer towards a possible deal.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 40 U.S. aerospace and defense industry executives met with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Washington on Friday amid signs that huge planned cuts in military spending are already squeezing industry profits and prompting layoffs.

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Friday that he is resuming a troubled program to build a short-takeoff and vertical landing variant of the new F-35 fighter.

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Maryland (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday that he was endorsing the Marine Corps version of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet because sufficient progress had been made on resolving technical issues.