American defence company Lockheed Martin has offered to move its sole production line of the latest version of fighter aircraft F16-Block 70 to India from Texas to meet Indian and global requirement.
American defence company Lockheed Martin has offered to move its sole production line of the latest version of fighter aircraft F16-Block 70 to India from Texas to meet Indian and global requirement.
However, the company made it clear the proposal is “conditional” to IAF choosing the world’s largest-sold fighter aircraft for its fleet.
“The offer we have given to the Indian government is unmatched and from our side unprecedented,” Randall L. Howard, F16 business development head at Lockheed Martin, said here. India had announced that it will choose at least one more aircraft, besides the indigenous Tejas, for the IAF through the “Make in India” route.
Lockheed Martin faces competition from its American rival Boeing (F/A-18E), Dassault Aviation of France (Rafale), Swedish plane Gripen by Saab and the Eurofighter. All the companies have offered to set up a production facility here.
Saying that his company wants to make F 16-Block 70 “for India, from India and export to the world”, Howard parried questions on whether the company is willing to give a commitment not to sell F16s to Pakistan saying it will be part of discussions between the Indian and American governments.
