NEW DELHI – The F-21 multi-role fighter jet will give India a “significantedge” with greater standoff capability, American defence giant LockheedMartin has said and claimed that producing it locally will also strengthenthe country’s integration into the world-wide network of advanced fighteraircraft technology. Lockheed Martin during the Aero India show inBengaluru in February unveiled the F-21 multi-role fighter jet for India,to be produced locally, PTI has reported.
The Maryland-based company, which had earlier offered its F-16 fighter jetsto India, said the F-21 addresses the IAF’s unique requirements andintegrates India into the world’s largest fighter aircraft ecosystem.
Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems would produce the F-21 in India.Vivek Lall, vice president for strategy and business development, Lockheed,said, “While it is inappropriate for us to compare specific capabilities,the F-21 will give India a significant edge with greater standoffcapability, greater staying power with less fuel burn, and network datalinking capabilities across all platforms.
The tactics India employs with the F-21 will also be different – uniquelydeveloped by the Indian Air Force, he said.
“The F-21 will meet all of India’s performance, capability and advancedtechnology requirements – the same requirements all other 4th generationcompetitors are offering. As we pursue cutting-edge technologies for theF-21, some capabilities may be evaluated as discrete, integratedfunctions,” Lall said.
Refuting reports that the F-21 fighter jet is rebranding of the F-16, Lallsaid that while aircraft structures may look familiar, the differencesbecome clear when looking at the unique capabilities of the F-21.
This includes an Advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)radar, which has detection ranges nearly double that of previousmechanically scanned array radars and the ability to track and attack moretargets with higher precision, he said.
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It has an Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) System, developed uniquely forIndia, that provides enhanced survivability against ground and air threats;Long-Range Infrared Search and Track (IRST), enabling pilots to detectthreats without detecting them and Triple Missile Launcher Adapters (TMLAs)allowing the F-21 to carry 40 per cent more air-to-air weapons, he said.“The F-21 proposal is unique in that the F-21 production line will be inIndia, and Indian industry will also be integrated into the global F-16production and sustainment ecosystem. Approval by the US Government forsuch an important strategic move signals a significant development inUS-India relations,” Lall told PTI in an interview.
“The unmatched ecosystem we will partner with Indian industry and LockheedMartin’s top suppliers to develop will further strengthen India’sintegration into the world-wide network of advanced fighter aircrafttechnology and cutting-edge production and sustainment,” he said.
The F-21 also demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to India: todeliver an advanced, scalable fighter to the Indian Air Force that alsoprovides unrivaled industrial partnership opportunities, he asserted.
Responding to a question on recent controversy surrounding F-16 aircraft,Lall said it is not for Lockheed to comment on any such matters, but thecompany is confident the F-21 is the best solution to meet the Indian AirForce’s capability needs, provide ‘Make in India’ industrial opportunitiesand accelerate India-US cooperation on advanced technologies, including butnot limited to fighter aircraft.
