Built Back In 1970s, Is Lockheed Martin Trying To Dump The Obsolete F-16 Aircraft On India?

In what could be a big boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi¡¯s ¡®Make in India¡¯ programme, the defence arm of the Tata Group has signed an agreement with American firm Lockheed Martin to produce and export new generation F-16 fighter aircraft.

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The deal, coming days ahead of PM Modi¡¯s first meeting with US President Donald Trump, was signed at the Paris Air Show. It is subject to the condition that the F-16 Block 70 fighter jet emerges as the winner of an Indian Air Force competition to procure more than 100 single-engine fighters.

The Tata Advanced Systems Limited-Lockheed Martin combine will compete with Sweden¡¯s Saab, which will offer its Gripen fighter aircraft for the requirement.

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But some defence experts think Lockheed is trying to sell obsolete aircraft to India. Defence expert Brahma Chellaney wrote on Twitter: ¡°India a dumping ground for obsolete weapons system? Lockheed Martin signs F-16 deal with Tata. Why Tata? Because they make the noisiest car?¡±

¡°F-16s developed in the '70s have already reached the optimum level of modernisation. The US Air Force has phased them out in favour of the much more advanced F-35s,¡± Defence writer Rahul Bedi told BBC.

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However, Lockheed has countered the argument: ¡°The F-16 remains the backbone of the US Air Force's frontline air fleet and the US Air Force plans to operate F-16s, alongside F-35s and other aircraft, for decades into the future. The US Air Force recently announced plans to extend the structural service life of up to 841 of its F-16s,¡± the company said in a reply to BBC.