Lockheed offers "exclusive" F-16s to India

Lockheed offers "exclusive" F-16s to India

Sunday, March 27, 2005 (New Delhi):

US aviation manufacturer Lockheed Martin has offered to build "exclusive" F-16 fighters for the Indian Air Force, much superior to any existing fighters in service world over.

"If India's requirements are beyond any existing fighters, we are prepared to make upgraded F-16s to India's specifications with complete transfer of technology," Mike Kelly, Senior Executive of Lockheed Martin said.

Kelly's comments assume importance after US administration's decision to clear sales of high-technology fighters to India and Pakistan.

"We have in the past taken up building of such exclusive fighters for UAE and are prepared to manufacture F-16s to India's special requirements," he said.

Govt-to-govt deal

The F-16 deal, like the weapons-locating radars and new contract for the US Navy cover for Indian naval submarines in distress, is going to be concluded as a Government-to-Government deal under the FMS system.

The deal estimated to cost $6-7 million projects supply of 18 aircraft in fly away conditions and the rest 108 assembled in India under technology transfer.

Analysts said that administration's announcement meant that along with the sales of the fighters, Washington may allow the sale of entire array of weapons platform mounted on it.

Lockheed Martin is currently manufacturing F-16s in two versions. While Block 50-52 was being supplied to US and European air forces, the Block 60 was developed exclusively for United Arab Emirates.

Big competitors

Besides Lockheed, the US announcement has also cleared the ground for the other American aviation giant Boeing to bid for India's plans to acquire 126 multi-role combat aircraft.

The other big competitors are the Dassault, the makers of French Mirage fighters, Swedish Grippen and Russians.

Pakistan Air Force currently flies 40 F-16s of Block 15 version, which most of the other air forces have almost phased out. Islamabad is seeking to buy 24 more Fighting Falcons of Block 50-52 version.

Broad range of arms

The F-16s carry a broad range of weapons of American, European and Israeli make and under the sales option, it would be up to New Delhi to go in for any choice.

The Falcons, in their air-to-air combat role, carry American-made Mamram AIM-120 Beyond Visual Range missiles as well as French Mica BVRs.

In the short range combat role, the US fighters carry the latest generation of heat-seeking missiles AMI-9X, the latest version of the famous Sidewinder missiles carried by the Pakistani F-16s.

Other versions of the aircraft carry IRS-T, the European equivalent of the Sidewinder and the Israeli-made Python missiles. (PTI)