Aero India: Lockheed Will Showcase The F-21 And A Host Of Other Aircraft

At the Aero India show, which will take place from February 13 to 17, the U.S. aerospace company Lockheed Martin will show off its advanced defence capabilities and solutions.

The company said that its exhibit this year would show off its most innovative capabilities for the Indian Armed Forces. These include the F-21 fighter aircraft, the C-130J transport aircraft, the MH-60R Romeo multimission helicopter, the JAVELIN Weapon System, and the S-92 multirole helicopter.

Opportunity for local industry

The CEO of Lockheed Martin India Pvt. Ltd., William (Bill) Blair, said, “Our participation will be focused on engaging with our customers and creating opportunities for the local industry to feed into the global supply chain and make in India, for India, and for the world.”

At the Lockheed Martin booth, the F-21 fighter aircraft cockpit demonstrator will be the main attraction. Customers and partners in the defence and aerospace industries will be able to fly the jet and see for themselves how well it works.

The F-21 fighter plane is being offered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the Multirole Fighter Aircraft competition. It has the latest sensors and mission avionic systems that combine onboard and off-board data into an easy-to-use combat situation display.

The MH-60R Romeo helicopter, which was just bought by the Indian Navy, will have a prominent place at Lockheed Martin’s Aero India show. The first three MH-60R helicopters were sent to India in 2021. Indian pilots and crew members are being trained in the U.S. on how to use them.

The Indian Navy took delivery of three more helicopters in July or August 2022 at Kochi International Airport. At first, they will be based at Naval Air Station INS Garuda in Kochi. Over the next few years, 24 MH-60Rs will be brought into the country.

JAVELIN, the world’s most versatile anti-tank precision weapon system that can be carried by one person and used from a platform, will also be on display at Lockheed Martin’s booth at Aero India.

Manthan 2023 on February 15

The most important technology show at Aero India 2023 will be Manthan 2023, which is an annual defence innovation event. The Manthan platform will be held on February 15 and will bring together the top innovators, startups, MSMEs, incubators, academia, and investors from the defence and aerospace ecosystem.

The Ministry of Defense said that Manthan 2023 will be full of firsts, such as the launch of Cyber Security challenges, the opening of the iDEX Investor Hub, and the signing of MoUs with investors. Manthan will give an overview of iDEX’s future vision and next steps to get the startup ecosystem going and help the defence sector innovate and develop new technologies.