F-16 Fighter Planes To Be Made In India; Tata Signs Pact With Lockheed

Lockheed Martin, the American global aerospace, defence, security, and advanced technologies company, best known for manufacturing the F-16 fighter jets has signed a pact with Tata Advanced Systems to manufacture the planes in India.

India currently needs hundreds of fighter jets to replace the old Soviet jets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that foreign manufacturers have to make planes in India with the help of a local manufacturer, thus help cut import charges. Both companies will manufacture the Block 70, the newest of the F-16 series.

A joint statement from Lockheed and Tata said, “F-16 production in India supports thousands of Lockheed Martin and F-16 supplier jobs in the US, creates new manufacturing jobs in India, and positions Indian industry at the centre of the most extensive fighter aircraft supply ecosystem in the world."

Saab, the Swedish manufacturer, is another company that is willing to make the Gripen fighter in India but has not announced a local partner yet. The Gripen is a modern alternative to the F-16.

The Lockheed F-16s are used by many countries around the world, and at present, around 3200 planes are being used by 26 countries globally. India will have the chance to import the F-16s too.

The statement further said, “This unprecedented F-16 production partnership between the world's largest defence contractor and India's premier industrial house provides India with the opportunity to produce, operate and export F-16 Block 70 aircraft, the newest and most advanced version of the world's most successful, combat-proven multi-role fighter."

DriveSpark Thinks!

The agreement between Lockheed and Tata is a great move, which will help open jobs in India and give the country a peek into technologies used by other countries to build defence aircraft. Also, this move will put India on the global map for manufacturing one of the most advanced aircraft in the world.