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| India-Pakistan |
| India offered F-16 fighter deal |
| 2003-02-04 |
| US aviation firm 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. Lockheed said it would build F-16s and C-130 cargo planes in India given an "economically viable" deal. 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. Such a deal we have for you! Lockheed also invited India to join its Joint Strike Fighter global project, launched last October. But only if you are very, very good 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. Speculation has mounted that India is now more concerned with acquiring "operational assets" than pursuing its long-standing Advance Jet Trainer programme for more jet trainers. Lockheed also pitched for the Advance Jet Trainer programme with its T-50 Golden Eagle. But replacing the MiGs may become more pressing. More than 150 Indian fighter planes have crashed in the past 10 years with experts blaming a lack of training facilities and poor maintenance. A good time to flog the F-16 to the Indians The Abhijit Air Safety Foundation - formed in December in honour of fighter pilot Abhijit Gadgil who was killed in a crash two years ago - has been lobbying against the use of MiGs. Gadgil's mother, Kavita, said: "We will be creating pressure groups and we want the government to make public the results of all the MiG crash inquiries." That ain't gonna happen, but a decision to buy F-16s will help. The Paks will be pissed, which is also a plus. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Buy a new, modern F-16 from US! You will never regret it! Trade in your old coffin for something that will keep its shiny side up and its oily side down (for a change)....... Hey these things sell themselves.... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-02-04 11:01:45 |
| #1 Buy a new, modern F-16 from US! You will never regret it! Trade in your old coffin for something that will keep its shiny side up and its oily side down (for a change)....... Hey these things sell themselves.... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2/4/2003 11:01:45 AM |