notting hill
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Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) may offer its latest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to India in a bid to rejoin the Asian countrys $11 billion combat-jet contest after the older F-16 model was eliminated earlier in the evaluation process.
Lockheeds chances of offering the F-35 for the 126-plane order were boosted when the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee last week asked the Defense Department to study by November the desirability and feasibility of a future JSF sale to India, Patrick Dewar, senior vice president for corporate strategy and business development, said in an interview at the Paris Air Show.
The Senate report accompanying the Pentagons 2012 budget opens the window to fifth-generation fighter technology release to India, however the Indian services want to deal with it, Dewar said. The contents of the Senate report, due to be published this week, couldnt immediately be confirmed.
Lockheeds F-16, based on a 30-year-old design, was eliminated in April from the six-way Indian contest to replace its aging fleet of 1970s-era Mig-21s, along with Boeing Co. (BA)s F/A-18 Super Hornet. On the shortlist are Dassault Aviation SA (AM)s Rafale and the Eurofighter made by BAE Systems Plc, Finmeccanica SpA and European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co.
Sweden, Russia
The competition is one of the largest in recent years and also attracted bids from Russias OAO United Aircraft Corp. and Swedens Saab AB (SAABB), which offered the Gripen. President Barack Obama had lobbied on behalf of Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed and Chicago-based Boeing.
I certainly believe its possible, Dewar said when asked if the potential F-35 offer could lead to the Indian Air Force reopening the contest. India might think differently about the competition should the stealthy jet become available.
Admitting the JSF to the bidding at this stage would be contrary to Indias established weapons-acquisition procedure, said Mrinal Suman, an arms-procurement adviser at the Confederation of Indian Industry. Its too late in the day, he said. It would be seen by many as succumbing to U.S. pressure.
The Senate request for a Pentagon study on selling F-35s to India was part of a broader amendment on U.S.-India military ties offered by Senators John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, and Joseph Lieberman, Independent of Connecticut, Dewar said.
Indian defense ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar couldnt be reached for comment. A Senate Armed Services Committee spokesman and a spokesman for Senator Cornyn also couldnt be reached.
Lockheed May Pitch F-35 to Rejoin $11 Billion India Jet Contest - Bloomberg
Lockheeds chances of offering the F-35 for the 126-plane order were boosted when the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee last week asked the Defense Department to study by November the desirability and feasibility of a future JSF sale to India, Patrick Dewar, senior vice president for corporate strategy and business development, said in an interview at the Paris Air Show.
The Senate report accompanying the Pentagons 2012 budget opens the window to fifth-generation fighter technology release to India, however the Indian services want to deal with it, Dewar said. The contents of the Senate report, due to be published this week, couldnt immediately be confirmed.
Lockheeds F-16, based on a 30-year-old design, was eliminated in April from the six-way Indian contest to replace its aging fleet of 1970s-era Mig-21s, along with Boeing Co. (BA)s F/A-18 Super Hornet. On the shortlist are Dassault Aviation SA (AM)s Rafale and the Eurofighter made by BAE Systems Plc, Finmeccanica SpA and European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co.
Sweden, Russia
The competition is one of the largest in recent years and also attracted bids from Russias OAO United Aircraft Corp. and Swedens Saab AB (SAABB), which offered the Gripen. President Barack Obama had lobbied on behalf of Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed and Chicago-based Boeing.
I certainly believe its possible, Dewar said when asked if the potential F-35 offer could lead to the Indian Air Force reopening the contest. India might think differently about the competition should the stealthy jet become available.
Admitting the JSF to the bidding at this stage would be contrary to Indias established weapons-acquisition procedure, said Mrinal Suman, an arms-procurement adviser at the Confederation of Indian Industry. Its too late in the day, he said. It would be seen by many as succumbing to U.S. pressure.
The Senate request for a Pentagon study on selling F-35s to India was part of a broader amendment on U.S.-India military ties offered by Senators John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, and Joseph Lieberman, Independent of Connecticut, Dewar said.
Indian defense ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar couldnt be reached for comment. A Senate Armed Services Committee spokesman and a spokesman for Senator Cornyn also couldnt be reached.
Lockheed May Pitch F-35 to Rejoin $11 Billion India Jet Contest - Bloomberg
