Lockheed Martin To Make F-16 Fighters With Tata in India seems to be a deal which sounds great, but has its fair share of criticism along with it
A proud moment for Tata and India. Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company. On Monday the company had revealed that it will fabricate its time honoured F-16 aircraft in the South Asian nation, if the Indian government grants it a contract to supply fighter jets to the country’s air force.
The U.S. firm will build the jets through a partnership with Indian industrial giant Tata, and this was announced at the Paris Air Show. Lockheed is hoping to see off competition from Swedish manufacturer Saab and its Gripen fighter for the big potential order from the Indian Air Force.
India is believed to be browsing about 150 new warplanes, for which it could shell out as much as 12 billion dollars.Lockheed and Tata had confirmed to media that F-16 production in India will stir propulsive only if Lockheed gets that fruitful order. India will become the manufacturing and export base for all F-16s across the big blue marble.
The assurance is a clear nod to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” campaign to step up the local manufacturing. One among the mediators also added that plans are also being devised for producing the components of F-16 in India if the air force deal doesn’t unfold.
Lockheed sought to interfere with any suggestions that its Indian manufacturing push will have a head-on collision with President Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” agenda. F-16 production in India will be supporting thousands of Lockheed Martin and F-16 supplier jobs in the U.S. Lockheed and Tata have been partners for a very long time. The Indian firm helps manufacture parts for Lockheed’s C-130J transporter aircraft and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters.
Around three thousand two hundred F-16s are currently flown by 26 countries around the world and the company clearly aims to have an unclouded target in placing India as one among those 26 countries.
The decision to collaborate and manufacture aircraft will certainly prove itself to be a prudent move made by the Indian Government and the country will witness a mind blowing revolution in the fields of Aircraft Manufacturing and Defence. The country’s economical status will also experience a huge hike.
