22 June 2017

News Story: Lockheed - Trump's 'Buy American' emphasis unlikely to thwart potential F-16 production in India

CGI of the F-16IN developed for the Indian MMRCA contest
By: Valerie Insinna

LE BOURGET, France — Lockheed Martin is still waiting for India to make a decision on its fighter jet competition. However, in the event of a win, the company feels assured its proposal to move the F-16 line to India won’t raise eyebrows with the Trump administration, despite the president’s focus on keeping jobs in the United States. 

Earlier this year, Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin's aeronautics business area, said the company was keeping a close eye on what U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments would ultimately mean for the proposed move, which is seen as a key incentive for getting India on board. 

But during a June 20 interview at the Paris Air Show, Carvalho said Lockheed’s engagements with officials have bestowed some level of confidence that the administration will ultimately be supportive. 

“We’ve briefed various members of the administration on the program, on what that program would mean for the United States and what it means for India, and throughout all of the briefings and discussions that we’ve done, we haven’t seen any resistance to the program by the administration,” he told Defense News. 

“Given that, 'yes,' for a short answer, we are feeling more comfortable with the administration. It doesn’t see this program as an issue.” 

Read the full story at DefenseNews