IAF News and Pics (Aug 2004 onwards)

Previous thread,

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=29466

May this thread be used to post news and discuss about Indian defence news on defence, no flaming please, please.

Fisrt order of business

There was a certain memebr who claimed that India was not offered F-16s, it was made up by Indian news sources 🙂
Let us get that out of the way first.
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_news_article86.html
Lockheed Martin has offered to replace India’s unreliable MiG-21 fighter jets with F-16s as the battle heats up for Indian defence contracts. India has 700 ageing MiG-21s known as “flying coffins” because of their poor safety record.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics regional vice-president Dennys Plessas said in Delhi that general F-16 production was expected to continue beyond 2008.

“If India wants to lease used F-16s from the United States Government, then we can extend supply and technological support and if India wants one F-16 for four of its MiG-21s, then we can make it here,” Mr Plessas said.

Lockheed also invited India to join its Joint Strike Fighter global project, launched last October.

The $20 billion programme has 100 overseas partners and plans to manufacture 2,000 aircraft, which will serve British and US forces before being sold abroad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2721703.stm

India offered F-16 fighter deal

The deal faces competition from France and Russia

US aviation firm Lockheed Martin has offered to replace India’s unreliable MiG-21 fighter jets with F-16s as the battle heats up for Indian defence contracts.
Lockheed said it would build F-16s and C-130 cargo planes in India given an “economically viable” deal.

The offers came ahead of a visit to India this week by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who will discuss a deal to supply Mirage-2000 jets instead.

The MiG-21 has been called the “flying coffin”
India has 700 ageing MiG-21s known as “flying coffins” because of their poor safety record.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics regional vice-president Dennys Plessas said in Delhi that general F-16 production was expected to continue beyond 2008.

“If India wants to lease used F-16s from the United States Government, then we can extend supply and technological support and if India wants one F-16 for four of its MiG-21s, then we can make it here,” Mr Plessas said.