TA的每日心情 | 奋斗
2024-12-14 20:50 |
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Business Standard, 15th Feb 18% m3 _/ A3 z. r" {8 b
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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.& B' O' |. O' |9 p
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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.* k! [: O+ I: `# B' ?; _0 P) P
3 V% }9 x. u+ D E) A0 o; jThe 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.; D; E8 ^7 x" n* o
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It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A, r9 L. _$ ]* ]; U3 t8 @+ ^
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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.
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. V9 ~! ]( C m% a5 c; p* \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.: P( z6 ~2 @: m6 [. f
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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.
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