 |
| Concept Art for Lockheed Martin F-16IN (File Photo) |
By: Vivek Raghuvanshi
NEW DELHI - India has begun a fresh program to acquire single-engine fighter aircraft to be built in India on the basis of foreign technology, as invitations have been sent privately through Indian Embassies to "some overseas participants" to partake in the program, according to an official at the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Among the planes expected to be in the running are Lockheed Martin's F-16 Block 70 and Saab's Gripen E.
"If it is single-engine fighter, there are mainly two: Lockheed Martin and Saab," Muthumanikam Matheswaran, retired Indian Air Force Air Marshal says.
 |
| SAAB JAS-39D Gripen (File Photo) |
"It appears that Lockheed Martin and Saab would get shortlisted if it is confirmed that only three countries, including Russia, have been approached to seek their response," Daljit Singh, retired IAF Air Marshal and defense analyst, said.
The announcement for a fresh fighter program comes within a month after India committed to buying 36 Rafale fighters from France at a cost of $8.85 billion.
Read the full story at DefenseNews