Business Standard, 15th Feb 18 * ]$ O% k6 U4 Y. }3 c" ]! a6 k3 P( b
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.. O7 N2 e7 c' o: Y
3 y v- }+ C/ e6 |) \/ ZBusiness 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. : |3 ^+ G. H- K5 o6 G; e 3 F& q! C; f0 [* ^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.+ C$ I$ w1 ?" M+ R
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It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A y4 @. b& f! o9 w- J$ H....# |/ p: B( k2 [# J! T) G
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 $80 million by 2020.- Y3 C) |" F! _2 v4 q/ H5 l
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Sources close to the Pentagon say India would not be sold the F-35 as long as it is partnering Russia in the FGFA co-development project. That is because Washington would guard against the leakage of F-35 technology into the FGFA. 6 r6 c# ]. Q! T0 V; \ / b) Q0 R: I( RSenior officers say the IAF is not enthused about the FGFA project. They point out the F-35 is further advanced in development and has already entered service with the USAF and six-seven air forces of American allies. - \8 C; x) t; T2 j / F1 u! |; T: X) i2 H( J5 k& J$ D
holycow 发表于 2018-2-19 00:43( i% c2 A. q8 ?" [6 \8 r
Business Standard, 15th Feb 18 8 e' `( c2 P3 O" B# t. N" H- R3 A# K& m" P2 J+ F t
In what would be a huge capability jump, the Indian Air Force (IAF) ...
$ l7 q3 {& _% u% c3 V: }哈哈,看这出戏能唱多久吧。印度肯定会要求Make in India,至少整合N多印度系统和武器,而美国基本上不可能答应。这个“基本上不可能”,20年后F-35已经进入生产尾声了,还是可能的哈。F-35还有数据主权问题,从ALIS到威胁数据库都是自动与美国联网的。一个是美国是不是愿意印度连近来,另一个是印度是不是愿意被美国“数据吸尘”过去。 ( [) a3 N. P8 ?7 o" @: S) W/ `) x( t2 F1 S& G- U
FPGA也是一个因素。& u8 U0 f! e9 b( I
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印度要是买到F-35,中国肯定立刻把歼-20部署过去了。到F-35交付印度,怎么的也得5-7年,歼-20的产能应该上去了。