India's Interest in Lockheed F-35 Fighter

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Pentagon Awaits India’s Interest in Lockheed F-35 Fighter - Businessweek

Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Defense Department expressed eagerness to work more closely with India, including sharing information on its top weapons program, Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"Should India indicate interest in the JSF, the United States would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements," including on security and infrastructure, the Defense Department said today in a congressionally mandated report on U.S.-India security cooperation.

More joint work on science and technology "may lead to co- development opportunities with India as a partner," the Defense Department said in the report.

The nine-page review of defense ties with India was prepared in response to a legislative provision sponsored earlier this year by Senate Armed Services Committee members Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, and John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin builds the F-35 in Texas. United Technologies Corp. makes the plane's engines in Connecticut.

"Our two governments must be proactive in finding new ways to take on emerging security challenges together," Lieberman said today in an e-mail, citing cybersecurity and counterterrorism.

Nuclear Technology

The report reflects the desire by successive U.S. administrations to convince India to increase security cooperation and buy American equipment as it expands and modernizes its military. The push included a years-long fight for congressional approval in 2008 of an agreement intended to clear the way for U.S. manufacturers such as General Electric Co. to sell India nuclear-energy technology.

The U.S. expected the nuclear-energy agreement to help increase a range of technology sales to India, especially in the defense sector.

The Pentagon report alludes to disappointing results. It cites the "setback" in April, when Lockheed's F-16 jet fighter and Boeing Co.'s F/A-18 Super Hornet were eliminated from the $11 billion Indian competition to replace the subcontinent's aging fleet of 1970s-era MiG-21s.

Aircraft on the shortlist were Dassault Aviation SA's Rafale and the Eurofighter made by BAE Systems Plc, Finmeccanica SpA and European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co.

Weapons Cooperation

Lockheed Martin said in June it may offer the F-35 stealth fighter to India. The Cornyn-Lieberman requirement for the security cooperation report helped open an avenue to do that, Lockheed Senior Vice President Patrick Dewar said in a June interview at the Paris Air Show.

India has urged the U.S. to give it more access to technology so that the two countries can develop weapons together. The Pentagon acknowledged that goal in the report.

"The United States wants to develop deeper defense industrial cooperation with India, including a range of cooperative research and development," they wrote in the assessment. "The United States is committed to providing India with top-of-the-line technology."

The Cornyn-Lieberman provision had called for the Pentagon to assess the potential for jointly developing equipment such as a replacement for the U.S. Air Force T-38 trainer jet. Today's report didn't specifically address that system.

Efforts for the next five years will place "particular emphasis on maritime security and counterterrorism activities and expanding defense trade and armaments cooperation," the Pentagon reported.
 

ace009

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That's good - India should get the F-35C for it's future CATOBAR carriers (IAC-2 onwards). If India agrees to buy the F-35C, hopefully the USA can help India with CATOBAR technology to launch the F-35Cs too, it will be an important step for Indian Navy's aspirations for dominating IOR and developing an effective counter to any future PLAN CBGs.
With the nuclear technology deals, maybe India can even get nuclear reactor designs and technology for a nuke powered carrier from the USA.
 

Adux

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Its better than buying rafale or sea gripen or euro fighter naval or more of that not much use at sea NLCA. F-35- 200 of them is a requirement for Navy, other than 50 MiG29K and 50 NLCA, there is no naval variant for PAKFA, not much known about AMCA
 

pmaitra

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I think we should go for uniformity of our aeroplanes.

So if we have to induct new carrier fighters, we should go for either Naval-LCA or Naval-MiG-29K. We could do without yet another variety of carrier jets.

Any idea how long our Harriers will be in service?
 

Yusuf

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India has to decide how it's going to shape up it's foreign policy vis a vis tr US. I am of the view that now that the US is willin to work with India, we should try our best to grasp it and make sure technology is learned from them. I know the F35 has been beset with problems, but they will. E solved and in time for next set of purchase by India as far as warplanes go esp the naval arm. We have to embrace the US as it still is the leader in cutting edge tech.
 

JBH22

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Don't want & dont need.

Should stay away from it and focus on our own amca. Until then pak-fa is enough.
AMCA will turn ugly same as LCA but then its no reason to go for F-35 a plane which has been plagued by increasing cost,delays etc
Better increase M-MRCA winner for that
 

Adux

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India is not going to buy any more MiG-29K , there is absolutely no range on NLCA!! So yes, there is no more of them coming!
 

sandeepdg

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This is not the first time we have heard this, this is actually old news. The fact still remains that the IN has showed no interest in F-35 as yet and neither have they ever released any official statement about whether they are actually considering this proposition.
 

Yusuf

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Dont be surprised when you actually hear India announcing its plan to join the F-35 program. Lots of "surprises" have come along in the last few years.
 

p2prada

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F-35 for Navy is being discussed here,

http://defenceforumindia.com/indian-navy/7636-naval-mrca-contest-lockheed-offers-f-35-a-47.html

F-35 for IAF, no chance. It is simply too late. The F-35 only matches the Navy's timeline. They are yet to send out RFPs, perhaps the deal is stuck in one of MoDs ultra large cabinets. Maybe they are just waiting for IAF's decision or are still wondering what specs to jot down. There is a chance the IN will simply go for either the Rafale or EF depending on what IAF gets.

The SH or F-35 are awesome for IN, none of them need to climb over the Himalayas and obviously carry good equipment. Radars require less tweaking when we are over seas as compared to land. The Naval requirement is 72 aircraft for now with perhaps an option for 2 more squadrons. There is a chance we may see another large scale competition like the IAF MRCA. Screw Sea Gripen. The technical downside for SH would be ToT and the size of the aircraft. The Rafale, F-35 and EF are comparatively smaller. The F-35C version is a bit wider, but nothing foldable wings cannot reduce.
 

Adux

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Prada, isn't the navy's 2022 document which calls for 300 fighters by then?
 
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JBH22

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If the Rafale is selected for the MRCA then its most logical that IN goes for its naval variant makes sense.
French don't bother you with all sorts of treaties that you need to sign and most importantly the user can modify the plane as it suit its need contrary to Yankees.

I read once that Yanks would not allow Israelis fit their own avionics in the F-35 instead they should go with US avionics..it svck it would be like I buy a car and the manufacturer tells me what to do with my car...
 

p2prada

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Prada, isn't the nacy's 2022 document which calls for 300 fighters by then?
Actually from what I remember, it is 400 aircraft by 2022, as told by Adm Suresh Mehta. This includes fighters, trainers, transports, helicopters, UAVs and support aircraft like mid air refuellers, AEW&C like Wedgetail and MMAs like P-8I.

Current and known potential orders are for 45 Mig-29k and 50 N-LCA Mk2. Once the RFP for MRCA is released we will know the concrete number but a report was released a long time back and it talked about a requirement for 72 aircraft. So, that's a total estimated orders of 167 fighters. If you add follow-on orders that would be 200 fighters in all. Add a 100 odd Helicopters, with the rest for our UAVs and non combat aircraft we will have 400 by 2022. We are looking at at least 2 dozen P-8Is in the long run.
 

nrj

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oh enough of these proposals & interests.

First disclose the details of deal & specific clauses. We are discussing pros/cons of F35 for more than year now. No conclusive debate so far.
 

p2prada

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oh enough of these proposals & interests.

First disclose the details of deal & specific clauses. We are discussing pros/cons of F35 for more than year now. No conclusive debate so far.
It's flight performance is below par compared to Eagles, Flankers, Raptors, EF and Rafale. But stealth and sensors means the F-35 will beat all the other aircraft mentioned except for the Raptor from satisfactory ranges.

Even if other aircraft are given sensors suite that compares with the F-35, the stealth aspect still keeps it above the 4th gen + aircraft.
 

nitesh

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If we commit to F 35 it will be add in to already complex logistics. This option better remains on paper
 

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