February 3, 2003 (by Lieven Dewitte) -
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.
