TA的每日心情 | 奋斗 昨天 22:51 |
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Business Standard, 15th Feb 182 B& _2 G5 p% J* W2 G" R
4 M) y3 K3 ~5 ]9 IIn 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.
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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.) U3 a! ]( N' H3 |& T6 {- P
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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.9 g, E' z c) G' L# S
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It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A; O( Q& L1 m% O( c, D% v" T
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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 $80 million by 2020.
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$ ^& o+ t+ I; [, w9 @, I2 jSources 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.
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- v% g- Z% P& q# E1 kSenior 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." x2 `8 J9 V2 R5 O+ u- y: f
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