Lockheed Eyes Tata to Help Land Next Big India Warplane Deal
- India needs hundreds of fighter jets to replace aging fleet
- Lockheed, Tata have joint venture to build cargo plane parts
A U.S. Air Force F16 Fighting Falcon jet developed by Lockheed Martin Corp. maneuvers during an aerobatic flying display at the Singapore Airshow held at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. The world's largest defense contractor has great partnerships with countries across Asia, according to Vice President Doug Greenlaw.
Photographer: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesLockheed Martin Corp. is leaning toward the Tata Group as a potential partner to build its flagship F-16 as India looks to modernize an aging fleet of fighter jets.
“Naturally we would gravitate to Tata," George Standridge, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for Aeronautics Strategy and Business Development, said in an interview in New Delhi on Wednesday when asked about production of F-16s. “We know them well and we have worked with them well."