desinetcharge
February 3rd, 2003, 11:26 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2721703.stm
Great news Lockheed has offered F-16's to India and join the Joint Strike Fighter team. If IAF really does get these they will crush Puki's one advantage over India, superior fighter aircraft. Great time for India, with India cornering Pakistan by surronding it with it's allies and now being able to purchase the most sophisticated fighter aircraft. Can imagine Mushy boy crapping in his pants between the fundis at home an a ever growing Indian defense shield around him.
India offered F-16 fighter deal
The deal faces competition from France and Russia
US aviation firm Lockheed Martin has offered to replace India's unreliable MiG-21 fighter jets with F-16s as the battle heats up for Indian defence contracts.
Lockheed said it would build F-16s and C-130 cargo planes in India given an "economically viable" deal.
The offers came ahead of a visit to India this week by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who will discuss a deal to supply Mirage-2000 jets instead.
The MiG-21 has been called the "flying coffin"
India has 700 ageing MiG-21s known as "flying coffins" because of their poor safety record.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics regional vice-president Dennys Plessas said in Delhi that general F-16 production was expected to continue beyond 2008.
"If India wants to lease used F-16s from the United States Government, then we can extend supply and technological support and if India wants one F-16 for four of its MiG-21s, then we can make it here,'' Mr Plessas said.
Hurdles
Lockheed also invited India to join its Joint Strike Fighter global project, launched last October.
The $20 billion programme has 100 overseas partners and plans to manufacture 2,000 aircraft, which will serve British and US forces before being sold abroad.
Speculation has mounted that India is now more concerned with acquiring "operational assets" than pursuing its long-standing Advance Jet Trainer programme for more jet trainers.
Lockheed is also pushing a C-130 cargo plane deal
One such asset would be a 20-tonne cargo plane - a gap Lockheed hopes to fill with the C-130.
However, any Lockheed deal would face hurdles.
Apart from the French competition, Russia still has strong defence ties with Delhi and supplies 70% of Indian military hardware.
Then there are political considerations. In 1998 the US slapped sanctions on India after it carried out nuclear tests.
Mr Plessas said Lockheed had assured India there would be no disruption of supplies.
MiG lobbying
Lockheed also pitched for the Advance Jet Trainer programme with its T-50 Golden Eagle.
But replacing the MiGs may become more pressing.
More than 150 Indian fighter planes have crashed in the past 10 years with experts blaming a lack of training facilities and poor maintenance.
The Abhijit Air Safety Foundation - formed in December in honour of fighter pilot Abhijit Gadgil who was killed in a crash two years ago - has been lobbying against the use of MiGs.
Gadgil's mother, Kavita, said: "We will be creating pressure groups and we want the government to make public the results of all the MiG crash inquiries."
Great news Lockheed has offered F-16's to India and join the Joint Strike Fighter team. If IAF really does get these they will crush Puki's one advantage over India, superior fighter aircraft. Great time for India, with India cornering Pakistan by surronding it with it's allies and now being able to purchase the most sophisticated fighter aircraft. Can imagine Mushy boy crapping in his pants between the fundis at home an a ever growing Indian defense shield around him.
India offered F-16 fighter deal
The deal faces competition from France and Russia
US aviation firm Lockheed Martin has offered to replace India's unreliable MiG-21 fighter jets with F-16s as the battle heats up for Indian defence contracts.
Lockheed said it would build F-16s and C-130 cargo planes in India given an "economically viable" deal.
The offers came ahead of a visit to India this week by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who will discuss a deal to supply Mirage-2000 jets instead.
The MiG-21 has been called the "flying coffin"
India has 700 ageing MiG-21s known as "flying coffins" because of their poor safety record.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics regional vice-president Dennys Plessas said in Delhi that general F-16 production was expected to continue beyond 2008.
"If India wants to lease used F-16s from the United States Government, then we can extend supply and technological support and if India wants one F-16 for four of its MiG-21s, then we can make it here,'' Mr Plessas said.
Hurdles
Lockheed also invited India to join its Joint Strike Fighter global project, launched last October.
The $20 billion programme has 100 overseas partners and plans to manufacture 2,000 aircraft, which will serve British and US forces before being sold abroad.
Speculation has mounted that India is now more concerned with acquiring "operational assets" than pursuing its long-standing Advance Jet Trainer programme for more jet trainers.
Lockheed is also pushing a C-130 cargo plane deal
One such asset would be a 20-tonne cargo plane - a gap Lockheed hopes to fill with the C-130.
However, any Lockheed deal would face hurdles.
Apart from the French competition, Russia still has strong defence ties with Delhi and supplies 70% of Indian military hardware.
Then there are political considerations. In 1998 the US slapped sanctions on India after it carried out nuclear tests.
Mr Plessas said Lockheed had assured India there would be no disruption of supplies.
MiG lobbying
Lockheed also pitched for the Advance Jet Trainer programme with its T-50 Golden Eagle.
But replacing the MiGs may become more pressing.
More than 150 Indian fighter planes have crashed in the past 10 years with experts blaming a lack of training facilities and poor maintenance.
The Abhijit Air Safety Foundation - formed in December in honour of fighter pilot Abhijit Gadgil who was killed in a crash two years ago - has been lobbying against the use of MiGs.
Gadgil's mother, Kavita, said: "We will be creating pressure groups and we want the government to make public the results of all the MiG crash inquiries."