Civil-defense personnel remove wreckage from an Indian air force MiG-21 Bison aircraft after it crashed in Kashmir, August 24, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Ismail
Foreign Policy: India's 'embarrassment' against Pakistan could be a big win for US weapons-makers
* The shortcomings of India's fighter aircraft were put on display in an aerial engagement with Pakistan last week.
* The blemish comes as New Delhi grapples with a long-delayed fighter-replacement program.
* The incident may compel India's leaders to speed that program up — and benefit US defense firms in the process.
The dilapidated state of the Indian Air Force was thrown into sharp relief last week when Pakistan shot down an Indian pilot flying a Russian-made MiG-21 Bison, a fighter jet first flown in 1956.
The pilot ejected safely into Pakistani territory and was captured by the Pakistan Army. Islamabad released the airman a couple days later in an effort to de-escalate a crisis that began when a Pakistan-based militant group killed more than 40 Indian security officers in a Feb. 14 suicide bombing in India-controlled Kashmir.
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WNU Editor: The Russians are also hopeful that India will buy advance aircraft from them .... Magnificent seven: Top-notch Russian aircraft that may land in India’s shopping cart soon (RT).
Pakistan has a big fleet of F-16's. Lockheed and the DOD are offering India the top of the line F-16 and the production line to build all future F-16's. Imagine how the Pakistani's would feel knowing India is in control of F-16 production, upgrades and maybe even spares?
ReplyDeleteBased upon India's poor performance they aren't ready for the F-35 and will need years of hard work with the US, Japan, Australia to catch up. Both F-15X and F-16 would be ideal for India.
Thank you for the analysis, good sir
DeleteLol they leave out the part where a old mig shot down a f16, India should be talking to Sweden for a solution.
ReplyDelete