TA的每日心情 | 奋斗
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Business Standard, 15th Feb 18 R! p4 K% G& ]4 D7 w s: m
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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.$ M- x2 d- o: S5 i% e W5 K( u4 H
4 m6 w; Z" C* ^& g* w( t. }Business 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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- v; C$ V2 d5 S" iThe 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.: K5 {$ n# q) \* U
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It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A# A) u- I/ ` h( P1 T0 g( E
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The 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 $80 million by 2020./ `! z# i7 e, [* z; |" V* F
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( M- x- [3 J1 r/ o3 C1 pSources close to the Pentagon say India would not be sold the F-35 as long as it is partnering Russia in the FGFA co-development project. That is because Washington would guard against the leakage of F-35 technology into the FGFA. W& n1 l' K+ b! V6 w3 l6 d
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Senior officers say the IAF is not enthused about the FGFA project. They point out the F-35 is further advanced in development and has already entered service with the USAF and six-seven air forces of American allies.% Q% k! @$ d$ X1 S
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发表于 2018-2-19 14:43:05
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