Lockheed offers new F-21 fighter jet

Ajay Banerjee

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Tribune News Service

Bengaluru, February 20

The US aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin, announced a new fighter jet programme specifically for India’s needs at the Aero-India on Wednesday.

The company says the F-21 addresses the Indian Air Force’s unique requirements and integrates India into the world’s largest fighter aircraft ecosystem. It has said it would produce the plane in India with Tata Advanced Systems.

On being asked how the new jet was different from the F-16, Dr Vivek Lall, vice president of strategy and business development, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said, “The F-21 is different, inside and out. The plane will be our response to the expression of interest invited by the Ministry of Defence for manufacturing 114 fighter jets.”

The company manufactures the F-16 jet, the F-22 stealth jet and also the F-35 joint strike fighter. Lall, on being asked if the company could also offer the F-35 fighter jet, said an offer for that can be made by the US Government, but the route to F-35 can passes through the F-21.

“The new jet (F-21) highlights our commitment to delivering an advanced, scalable fighter aircraft to the IAF,” the company said, adding it is makes for an unprecedented Make-in-India opportunity.

Meanwhile, the UK made a new offer that would propel India into the next league. Sir Dominic Asquith, the British High Commissioner to India, said, “We want this strong relationship to continue. Future defence technologies are increasingly going to be delivered by collaborative programmes, in which India has the potential to take its place.”

On being asked if the offer was to collaborate for the Tempest, a sixth generation jet, Savraj Sidhu, from the combat air acquisition team of the Ministry of Defence of the UK, said, “We are going to have exploratory talks on India’s future combat requirements.” He answered ‘yes’ when asked if India could be offered to join the Tempest programme.

The Tempest programme is being led by BAE systems. Sir Andrew Pulford, senior military adviser to the BAE, said the first flight of the plane was expected in 2023.

To be made in India

• Lockheed Martin says the F-21 fighter jet addresses the IAF’s unique requirements and it will produce the plane in India with Tata Advanced Systems
• “The new jet (F-21) highlights our commitment to delivering an advanced, scalable fighter aircraft to the Air Force, the US aerospace giant said