TA的每日心情 | 奋斗 2026-7-13 23:45 |
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Business Standard, 15th Feb 18" [! O @& T, D' f6 s: [- r, 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., c, C, M1 @: J. }/ J
6 P j1 [( }' o/ T% L& pBusiness 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.; }$ F) U" V- F5 W- W
$ f1 k# ^- v: H2 ~" C+ hThe 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.
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S! K- |2 ?2 A6 |/ ], Z8 cIt is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A
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/ @6 O& O- l2 [' b( uThe 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 $80 million by 2020.& H5 ]4 }) M# T" H6 q* \
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: Q b$ k# B: }1 q* F5 w- i( R" eSources 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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6 b$ R" [" a' I/ T; J8 m0 h+ ]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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