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Business Standard, 15th Feb 18
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9 l7 c& y% k& B' V: d' }In what would be a huge capability jump, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is increasingly interested in procuring the American F-35 Lightning II for its depleting fighter fleet.$ t9 s- W& q: x V9 c& m
' Y+ j% Y5 f' z) l$ yBusiness Standard learns the IAF top brass is formally requesting for a classified briefing by the F-35’s prime builder, Lockheed Martin, on the capabilities of the sophisticated, fifth-generation fighter developed under the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.
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The US government has not formally offered the F-35 to India. A classified briefing would require formal clearance from the US Department of Defence (the Pentagon) and the State Department. The grant of such a clearance would be an important first step towards permitting the sale of F-35s to India.
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It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A% q$ n) `+ R! }2 {
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2 |1 v/ {2 e, H! l, k7 L" kThe F-35’s affordability is also attractive for New Delhi. In contrast to the bare-bones price of $115 million for each Rafale fighter (with India-specific enhancements, spares, logistics and weapons all extra), the F-35A cost customers $94.6 million last February. Lockheed Martin says it will reduce the cost to $80 million by 2020.
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# z! C5 w' Y9 O! @Sources close to the Pentagon say India would not be sold the F-35 as long as it is partnering Russia in the FGFA co-development project. That is because Washington would guard against the leakage of F-35 technology into the FGFA.5 ^" ~6 I. x5 g7 M) N
( e( p+ n/ k" Z1 T% ?- r/ FSenior officers say the IAF is not enthused about the FGFA project. They point out the F-35 is further advanced in development and has already entered service with the USAF and six-seven air forces of American allies.
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发表于 2018-2-19 14:43:05
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