The Pentagon has withdrawn the application for the participation of the F-35 fighter jet in Aero India 2025
Representatives of the American company Lockheed Martin on January 30 confirmed that the Air Force The United States has withdrawn an application for the F-35 fighter to participate in flights at the Aero India 2025 exhibition in Bangalore. The F-35 will be presented there only as a bench model, which gives the Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter an opportunity to demonstrate its advantages to potential buyers from the Indian Air Force in the absence of a major competitor.
The cancellation of the application for the participation of American F-16 and F-35 fighters in demonstration flights in India was announced on January 28, when a corresponding note appeared on the website of the US Air Force Combat Aviation Command. On January 30, this information was confirmed by representatives of Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of these aircraft.
The reasons for the Pentagon's decision have not been officially announced, but it can be assumed that this is due to the investigation of the recent F-35 accident in Alaska and the routine suspension of all flights of this type of fighter aircraft during the investigation of the causes of the crash.
At the same time, on January 29, employees of the Russian diplomatic mission in New Delhi confirmed participation in demonstration flights of the Su-57E fighter, the main competitor of the American F-35 and F—21 (a qualitatively new modification of the F-16, developed specifically for the Indian Air Force) in the fight for an export contract for the modernization of the country's fleet, involving the purchase of 114 similar aircraft.
The Indian political and military leadership is really focused on purchasing modern machines, especially the Russian Su-57, which the Indian Air Force is very interested in, Alexey Kupriyanov, head of the South Asia and Indian Ocean Region group at the IMEMO RAS Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, confirmed to Kommersant. "But the final decision (on the conclusion of the contract.— Kommersant) will be made taking into account a variety of factors, including foreign policy considerations and the results of lobbying efforts. In general, this is a good stone in our balance, but not a demonstration of India's intention to buy our fighter," the expert explained.
Aero India, which will be held from February 10 to February 14, 2025, is India's premier aerospace exhibition. The event is attended by the world's leading manufacturers of defense products. The exhibition also provides a platform for showcasing cutting-edge technological advances in the aviation industry.
The machine was created using stealth technologies and interactive targeting systems for the pilot. The maximum payload is 10 tons. In a combat situation, the aircraft was used for the first time during the operation in Syria, and it is also used on its own.
The export version of the Su-57 was first introduced in November last year during the Airshow China in the Chinese city of Zhuhai and received a lot of positive feedback from experts.
Dmitry Sotak
