Lockheed says US may take "fresh look" at its India F-16 plan

[Srinivas]

India should consider this offer.

F16 is a very good fighter and it can complement the heavy fighters that are being indicted into IAF.

Secondly there is enough room for LCA and f16 in IAF.

 

[cannonballs]

India is more than a major defense partner to Russia. Name one weapon that is co-developed by India and US.

Ohh yeah. The thing is US-India relationship is just talk. We are and will be for some time Russia's biggest client. And thats one relationship that is decades long.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

If Lockheed moves the factory, USAF needs to import their spare parts from India.
Those jobs are lost.

If Lockheed threatens to close the factory, manufacturing jobs might be lost at other companies,
but not all will be lost since any Gripen order also results in US jobs.
It is also hard for Lockheed to argue that India will be able to sell MII F-16s elsewhere,
if they do not see it is viable to keep production running in the US.

This is all moot. The production line was already scheduled to close due to retooling for the F35. If F16's were to be continued to be built here they would have to build another assembly line complex for them...which I doubt they'd do for an old plane. That's why they are talking about building them in India. If they want it they can foot the bill for the infrastructure.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

You did entertain the Rafael deal without any tech transfer didnt you when French stood their ground.

As for IAF dont want the F16, why dont they come out in open and tell the yanks on their face? We have been hearing a lot of noise as to how PAF will have to ask India about its F16s spare parts in future.

Not for 36 birds, but they still had to offset 50% of the contract back into India, instead of the usual 30%.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

This is all moot. The production line was already scheduled to close due to retooling for the F35. If F16's were to be continued to be built here they would have to build another assembly line complex for them...which I doubt they'd do for an old plane. That's why they are talking about building them in India. If they want it they can foot the bill for the infrastructure.

LM needs to continue supply spares to the USAF. How can they do that without
any way of manufacturing.

They also sell the possibility of India becoming a maintenance hub for all F-16s.
That is also exporting jobs out of the US.
If India buys Gripen, the maintenance of F-16 stays in the US,
and Americans are needed for building the F414 engine and other stuff.

It does not make sense to argue it is an old plane with no future
sales (except India) to the US government and argue it is a top of the line
fighter with lots of potential sales outside India to the Indian Government.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

LM needs to continue supply spares to the USAF. How can they do that without
any way of manufacturing.

They also sell the possibility of India becoming a maintenance hub for all F-16s.
That is also exporting jobs out of the US.
If India buys Gripen, the maintenance of F-16 stays in the US,
and Americans are needed for building the F414 engine and other stuff.

It does not make sense to argue it is an old plane with no future
sales (except India) to the US government and argue it is a top of the line
fighter with lots of potential sales outside India to the Indian Government.

The F16 production line (opened in the late 1970s) is scheduled to be closed. It had a long run. No more will be built. Just like the F4 Phantom and numerous others. Whether companies supply maintenance parts for an N number of years is another issue. I'm pretty sure they will. Of course there's always the boneyard.

I believe there are already numerous maintenance facilities around the world.

 

[GHOSTS]

IAF will not buy F16. End of story

 

[wiseone2]

f-16 in India deal does not make sense
I am not Lockheed

 

[Crixus]

We can buy f-16 if US promises ..UN permanent seat + NSG membership + Jet engine technology