Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 18. The discussions were about localization in the Indian defense industry. Lockheed Martin has made big-ticket offers on the F-21 fighter jet, Sikorsky naval utility helicopter, and shoulder-fired anti-armor weapon Javelin to be manufactured in India.
It has been reported that French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation is reluctant to part with technology on Rafale fighter jets, one of the contenders for the ongoing tender for 114 Medium Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA). Mirage-2000, the aircraft from the same firm, was the only fighter jet in the Indian Air Force (IAF) inventory that had not been manufactured in India.
There has been no forward movement on the MRFA deal. However, the delay in the indigenous fighter jet LCA Mk1A could derail the IAF’s modernization as it is down to 31 fighter jet squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 42.
IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal AP Singh cautioned against ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) coming at the cost of national defense on Friday. “Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) is what we are riding on…But this atmaribharta cannot be at the cost of the nation’s defense,” the IAF Vice Chief said, adding: “Because when it comes to national defense, there will be compulsions to deviate from their path in case we do not get the things that we need or the kind of system and weaponry that is required to survive in today’s world.”.
Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet met PM Narendra Modi a day before this. On its social media account, Lockheed Martin wrote: “CEO Jim Taiclet joined Hon’ble Narendra Modi. As a trusted partner of over three decades, we recognize the promising talent and capabilities of the local industry and remain committed to strengthening the defense and industrial ties between our two nations.”
F-21- A Ladder To F-35?
American aircraft maker Lockheed Martin’s sales pitch for the F-21 is “For India, From India.” Lockheed Martin has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat Electronics Limited to explore industrial opportunities in the F-21 program.
Prime Minister’s Office, after the meeting, said: “Lockheed Martin is a key partner in the India-US Aerospace and Defence Industrial Cooperation. We welcome its commitment towards realizing the vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World.’”
With the present dispensation emphasizing ‘Make in India,’ Lockheed Martin is ready to set up a manufacturing plant in India to meet the needs of the IAF and export.
It has partnered with the Indian firm Tata Group and created Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited. The facility in India would manufacture the aircraft in India and components for the F-16 global supply chain.
On the face of it, the F-21 design looks similar to the F-16 Block 70 combat jet, but it also draws from the DNA of the F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning II as well. Roughly half of the F-21 and F-16 supply chains are common with that of the two 5th-generation American fighters.
The features that set the F-21 apart from the F-22 are its airframe, weapons capability, engine matrix, and availability of engine operations. The F-21 jets have been described as the most advanced F-16 variant ever built, incorporating futuristic avionics from the F-35 Lightning II and the F-22 Raptor.
But this is where IAF veterans have an issue. Former IAF officials pointed out that one of the aircraft is a single-engined aircraft, and two Pakistan, India’s neighbor in the west, flies F-16s.
However, the firm maintains that the F-21 is not just a redesignated F-16; it packs more punch than the F-16 Block-70 combat jets and has been touted as just one step behind the 5th-generation stealth fighter F-22 Raptor.
Some experts see it as a stepping stone to the F-35 Lightning II. Even though there has been no official offer from the US side or explicit interest shown by India, the arrival of the fifth-generation fighter jet at Aero India 2023 sparked curiosity in the defense community.
“This was the first time a fifth-generation aircraft operated on Indian soil. Was that a hint to the Indian establishment? However, the US wants India first to buy the F-16, F-18, or F-15 class of aircraft for its fighter aircraft ecosystem,” Air Marshal Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retired) said.
Make India Narrowing IAF’s Options?
The IAF had proposed in August 2000 to acquire 126 Mirage 2000 II aircraft. The proposal was discarded in 2004, and in 2007, a decision was taken to acquire 126 aircraft under MMRCA. It was later scrapped, and the IAF bought 36 Rafale aircraft through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the French government.
The IAF is making a case for the purchase of fighter jets under MRFA and awaits the government’s Acceptance of Necessity (AoN). Media reports have suggested that the Indian government has made a policy shift to buy 114 aircraft from a vendor ready to set up a manufacturing unit in India for the entire fleet.
Rafales, who qualified for the Indian Navy’s fighter jets, does not have a stellar record in the transfer of technology. In 2020, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) contended in its report that the foreign vendors made offset commitments to qualify for the tender but were not earnest about fulfilling these commitments.
Referring to the Rafale deal in this context, the CAG said: “For instance, in the offset contract relating to 36 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), the vendors M/s Dassault Aviation and M/s MBDA initially proposed (September 2015) to discharge 30 percent of their offset obligation by offering high technology to DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation).”
The CAG said: “DRDO wanted to obtain Technical Assistance for the indigenous development of engine (Kaveri) for the Light Combat Aircraft. To date, the Vendor has not confirmed the transfer of this technology.”
The Indian defense establishment has been eluding the engine technology, which has delayed the fighter jet development program, putting the IAF in a precarious situation.
Su-57 vs F-35?
This raises the question of whether India will once again rely on its Russian allies and opt for either the Su-35 or MiG-35. However, this would go against the IAF’s quest to diversify its fleet, which predominantly consists of Russian fighter jets.
The Su-35 is the Russian Air Force’s frontline fighter jet in the ongoing Ukraine war. Developed by the legendary Sukhoi Design Bureau, it is a single-seat fighter jet designed as a highly maneuverable and versatile aircraft.
It is an evolved variant of the Cold War-era Su-27 “Flanker,” which is a dedicated air superiority heavy fighter. The Su-35 is more advanced than the old Su-27. However, its performance in the Ukraine has found wanting. In February alone, Moscow lost at least six of its 120 Su-35 airframes. According to Forbes, the rate at which Russia is losing its Flanker-E jets is “accelerating” and becoming “unsustainable.”
The other contender is the MiG-35, a modernized version of the MiG-29. Designed for intense conflict zones, the MIG-35 does not appear to be a serious contender.
The last option for the IAF is the Su-57 stealth fighter. Experts have argued that if India wants to bridge the technological gap with China and counter Pakistan’s possible acquisition of Chinese stealth jets, it should seriously re-look at 5th-gen Russian fighters.
In the face of the twin-pronged problem of dwindling fighter jet options under the ‘Make In India’ program and the IAF’s urgent requirement for fighter jets, Air Marshal Chopra suggested that India could consider F-35 stealth fighters (and possibly F-21s) as an interim solution until indigenous AMCA arrives.
- Ritu Sharma has been a journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and nuclear technology.
- The author can be reached at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com
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