BANGALORE: Three F-16IN Super Vipers, tailored to suit the requirements of the Indian Air Force, will fly into Bangalore on Tuesday for flight evaluation trials.
From the stables of aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, the three fighters, which have been leased by the American company from the United Arab Emirates, are one of the six contenders vying for the IAF’s medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal, worth over $10 billion.
The single-engine, fourth generation multi-role F-16 operates in the air forces of 25 nations. It is the largest Western fighter programme, with over 4,400 aircraft being built. It is the second of the MMRCA contenders to fly in here trials. In mid-August two F-18 Super Hornets, the other American contender, were here for the same purpose.
In an obvious reference to Pakistan already possessing F-16s and whether it will be prudent for India to acquire the same aircraft, a Lockheed Martin spokesman told The Hindu that this version was “unique, with no other like it in the world.”
According to Jack Giese, Senior Communications Manager, Lockheed Martin, the company has incorporated into the aircraft a number of advanced features, including the electronically scanned array radar and a unique electronic warfare suite that was requested by the IAF.
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