Lockheed Martin and India's Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has signed a landmark agreement affirming the companies intent to j...
Lockheed Martin and India's Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has signed a landmark agreement affirming the companies intent to join hands to produce the F-16 Block 70 in India.
Lockheed Martin is pitching the Block 70 F-16 fighter jet to meet Indian Air Force's single-engine fighter requirement, while SAAB is offering its Gripen fighter.
Lockheed says the facility besides producing and supporting Indian fleet, could also become an export hub for the combat-proven multi-role fighter.
The Block 70 is the latest upgrade of the F-16, which entered service in the end of 1970s. More than 4,500 of the type has been produced and is a widely operated single engine fighter.
Block 70 features Active Scanned Electronic Array radar (either Northrop Grumman APG-83 SABR or Raytheon RACR), conformal fuel tanks, advanced datalink, precision GPS navigation and Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System.
The Lockheed Martin-TASL F-16 partnering agreement builds on TASL's proven performance manufacturing airframe components for the C-130J airlifter and the S-92 helicopter.
