Jay Clemens
Both Lockheed Martin and Saab have offered to build the next generation of fighter jets for India“™s military forces as the nation seeks to retire its legacy combat fleet, International Business Times reported Monday.
Aditya Bhat writes Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Falcon Block 70 and Saab’s Gripen E fighter aircraft are now among the potential candidates for India“™s requirement for more than 400 fighter aircraft.
India“™s air force recently released a request for sources of single-engine combat aircraft as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi“™s Make in India program, according to the report.
Boeing and Dassault have placed separate bids for the military branch“™s requirements, with Boeing offering to open a new production facility for the company“™s F/A 18 Super Hornet in India, the report says.
Both Lockheed and Saab have also proposed to set up production facilities in the country, according to the report.
The country“™s navy also wants to procure 60 twin-engine shipboard fighter jets within five years as India plans to deploy its first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier in 2018, Bhat reports.
