India considering buying F-16s: IAF chief
Associated Press
New Delhi, April 26, 2005
India is waiting for a reply from US F-16 maker Lockheed-Martin, one of the four major fighter aircraft manufacturers it has approached to buy 126 multi-role combat aircraft costing billions of dollars, India’s air force chief said on Tuesday.
“We sent out a request for information to Lockheed-Martin. We are awaiting information from them,” said Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi.
The air force has asked Lockheed-Martin for details on the potential cost and delivery schedule of the aircraft – information it has already received from the other manufacturers, an air force officer said on condition of anonymity.
India is also looking into the Swedish Gripen, the French Mirage and the Russian MiGs. In the meantime, the Bush administration informed India that it had authorised Lockheed-Martin to compete for the IAF orders, Tyagi said.
US aircraft manufacturers such as Lockheed-Martin have required government approval to pursue such orders since America lifted an embargo on arms sales imposed after New Delhi conducted nuclear tests in 1998.
India has been a key customer for Russian weapons since Soviet times, but after a Cold War estrangement it is now seeking weapons from the United States as well.
The Indian Air Force has been plagued by frequent crashes, particularly among its aging Soviet-made MiGs. It also has British Jaguars and Mirage fighters in its fleet.
At least 50 pilots have died in more than 100 MiG crashes in the past six years. The government says human error caused most of the crashes, although technical problems have also been blamed.
Last year, India placed an order for 66 Hawk jet trainers from British BAE Systems.
India doesn’t have an advanced trainer aircraft to match its combat planes. Indian pilots learn on slow-moving trainers, then move directly to faster and more complicated jets such as MiGs and Mirages
– Hindustan times.
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