Forum: F-35 Lightning II

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-1 ... ghter.html

Pentagon Awaits India’s Interest in Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighter

November 02, 2011, 7:27 AM EDT

By Viola Gienger

Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Defense Department offered India technology sharing and talks on its top weapons program, Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, to gain more security cooperation in the face of regional competition from China....The nine-page review of defense ties with India was prepared in response to a legislative provision sponsored earlier this year by Senate Armed Services Committee members Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, and John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin builds the F-35 in Texas. United Technologies Corp. makes the plane’s engines in Connecticut....
The report reflects the desire by successive U.S. administrations to convince India to increase security cooperation and buy American equipment as it expands and modernizes its military. The push included a years-long fight for congressional approval in 2008 of an agreement intended to clear the way for U.S. manufacturers such as General Electric Co. to sell India nuclear-energy technology...The Pentagon report alludes to disappointing results. It cites the “setback” in April, when Lockheed’s F-16 jet fighter and Boeing Co.’s F/A-18 Super Hornet were eliminated from the $11 billion Indian competition to replace the subcontinent’s aging fleet of 1970s-era MiG-21s..Lockheed Martin said in June it may offer the F-35 stealth fighter to India. The Cornyn-Lieberman requirement for the security cooperation report helped open an avenue to do that, Lockheed Senior Vice President Patrick Dewar said in a June interview at the Paris Air Show...India has urged the U.S. to give it more access to technology so that the two countries can develop weapons together. The Pentagon acknowledged that goal in the report...The Cornyn-Lieberman provision had called for the Pentagon to assess the potential for jointly developing equipment such as a replacement for the U.S. Air Force T-38 trainer jet. Yesterday’s report didn’t specifically address that system..

F-16.net Sponsor

USAF and LM must be desperate.

grinner68 wrote:

USAF and LM must be desperate.

Like EADS, Dassault, Boeing, and UAC? Rolling Eyes

I thought LM's offer was a stunt to hold up India's decision long enough to give the F-16 another chance, but it's starting to look a bit more serious.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... &s=AIR

1st503rdsgt wrote:

I thought LM's offer was a stunt to hold up India's decision long enough to give the F-16 another chance, but it's starting to look a bit more serious.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... &s=AIR

The state department has been pushing the F-35 sale to India for quite some time. It's less about an aircraft sale (any US aircraft will do,) and more about geopolitics: fostering a new ally, and the containment of mutuals threats China and its client state Pakistan.

There is also the issue of PAK-FA. If the sale of F-35 to India could reduce the later participation in the PAK-FA program, that would lead to less capable PAK-FAs down to road to oppose F-35s in battle.

Unless the US is willing to transfer stealth tech, 50% of the construction and the source codes to India, they are just blowing smoke.

The Indians are helping to fund Pak-Fa. Buying the may cause unwanted tech transfers.

tacf-x wrote:

The Indians are helping to fund Pak-Fa. Buying the may cause unwanted tech transfers.

I haven't seen a single iota of evidence that the Indian government is considering the F-35 for the MMRCA requirement.. they have explicitly stated their position on a number of occasions.. "don't call us, we'll call you..."

popcorn wrote:

tacf-x wrote:

The Indians are helping to fund Pak-Fa. Buying the may cause unwanted tech transfers.

I haven't seen a single iota of evidence that the Indian government is considering the F-35 for the MMRCA requirement.. they have explicitly stated their position on a number of occasions.. "don't call us, we'll call you..."

To put it in perspective, this was an "analyst" (which is more credible than a journalist but still just an opinion) which is about like listening to BS soapbox about Eurocanards and the F-35. (But at least the Indian guy was objective.)

The US & companies want to sell stuff to India. That is not surprising to me and about all the information I can extract from the articles.

Nice weekend to everyone.

LM wants to sell the F-35 to India because it's looking at the aircraft's escalating price tag and realizes that the US will probably cut their purchase by up to 1/2 and some of the current purchaser might fall through if the costs keep going up.
The US wants to sell to India because it wants to throw a monkey wrench into the Sukhoi program.

I'm guessing India knows that time is on its side here. If they ever buy the F-35, it's gonna be on their terms in the more distant future.

http://defense-update.com/20111104_14463.html

As far as I know, one can’t change or update a 4th generation to a 5th generation.

Quote: By opting for a modern 4.5 Generation fighter,

Always amazes me, the so called 4.5 Generation Fighters!
In that case, also….. 4.2 and 4.7 Generation Fighters? Idea

Did we ever had 2.5 and 3.5 generation fighters?

Maybe Cinderella will have better luck at the ball than her 2 older step-sisters.. Very Happy