Lockheed Hints at F-35 Jet for India

Published: Jul 19, 2007
Source: www.forbes.com



NEW DELHI - Lockheed Martin is dangling its next-generation <a href="/page/48/F-35-Lightning-II.html">F-35 Joint Strike Fighter</a> in front of India in a bid to win a share of a lucrative defense deal, a media report said Thursday.

The U.S. defense contractor is hoping India will choose its <a href="/page/45/F-16-Falcon.html">F-16 fighter</a> when it decides on the purchase of 126 combat jets to upgrade its air force's capability in a deal worth an estimated $10 billion.

If they choose the F-16, India could get the JSF at a later stage, Royce Caplinger, the managing director of Lockheed Martin Global Inc. indicated in remarks broadcast Thursday on India's CNN-IBN news channel.continue..