Vayu: Lockheed Martin is bidding to supply 114F-21s to the Indian Air Force. Please enumerate on capabilities of the platform.
LM: The F-21 will truly be a game-changer for the Indian Air Force, Indian industry and India-US strategic ties. We are confident the F-21 is the best solution to meet the Indian Air Force’s capability needs, provide Make in India industrial opportunities, and accelerate India-US cooperation on advanced technologies, including but not limited to fighter aircraft.
The F-21 has unique capabilities including an advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which has detection ranges nearly double that of previous mechanically scanned array radars and the ability to track and attack more targets with higher precision; an Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) System, developed uniquely for India, that provides enhanced survivability against ground and air threats; Long-Range Infrared Search & Track (IRST), enabling pilots to detect threats without getting detected; Triple Missile Launcher Adapters (TMLAs) allowing the F-21 to carry 40 percent more air-to-air weapons and a dorsal fairing enabling increased capacity and integrationof indigenous systems in the future.
The F-21 is also the only fighter in the world with both probe/drogue and boom aerial fuelling capability. This, along with Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs), delivers greater range penetration and loitering staying power to the Indian Air Force: in fact, the F-21 delivers an advanced single-engine, multi-role fighter at the most optimal Life Cycle Cost for the Indian Air Force with the longest service life of any competitor: 12,000 flight hours.
Vayu: Kindly give an update on current Lockheed Martin programmesin India, including the 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
LM: We stand committed to fostering strategic, long-term international defence partnerships with India. The USN has offered the MH-60R via Foreign Military Sales to the Indian Navy. We are confident the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ is the right aircraft for the Indian Navy as it provides vital capability in the Indo-Pacific region.Apart from the MH-60R, Sikorsky has also responded to the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Naval Utility Helicopter (NUH) programme in 2019.
Vayu: Please enumerate on the cutting-edge technologies that Lockheed Martin is bringing to India as a part of its offset requirement?
LM: Lockheed Martin has been diligently discharging its offset obligations in India since 2009,which has delivered extensive economic benefits through investment, skills training, transfer of technology and exports. Our two successful joint ventures in Hyderabad have been a key part of helping India achieve its goal of developing an aerospace and defence supplier ecosystem, promote indigenous manufacturing and participating in the global supply chain, contributing to ‘Make in India’initiatives. The investments related have contributed in manufacturing equipment, tooling, intellectual property and non-recurring engineering; and contributed to the private Indian industry revenues and exports. They have also resulted in the training and employment of more than 1,500 persons in aerospace engineering, manufacturing and management jobs in India.
Vayu: Lockheed Martin has sponsored and supported the ‘India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP)’ since 2007. What are recent developments in the programme?
LM: The India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) 2.0 is a unique tri-partite initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Lockheed Martin and Tata Trusts. Supporting the Government of India’s missions of ‘Start-up India’ and ‘Make in India’, IIGP 2.0 enhances the Indian innovation ecosystem by enabling innovators and entrepreneurs through the stages of idea and innovation, to develop technology-based solutions for tomorrow. Launched in 2007, India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) has been one of India’s longest standing public-private partnerships. Thus far, 400 business agreements have been reached through this programmewhich have generated almost $ 1 billion India’s economy.
Vayu:What is Lockheed Martin’s focus at DefExpo 2020?
LM:We have partnered with India for nearly three decades, working with the Indian armed forces, industry, and other key stakeholders to advance the strategic security and industrial capability of the country. Our focus on ‘Make in India — For India, From India’ at the 11th edition of Defexpo highlights our commitment to fostering growth of India’s defense industry well into the future. The Defexpo also provides us with an opportunity to highlight our platforms and programmes for India, some of which include the MH-60R, F-21, C-130J, S-92, CH-53K and a Javelin.