India could have the exclusivity of Lockheed Martin F-21


Lockheed Martin has declared it will not sell its new  F-21 fighter jets to any other country if India places an order for 114 planes.


India could have the exclusivity of Lockheed Martin F 21 F-21 (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)


Vivek Lall, vice president (strategy and business development) for Lockheed Martin, said if the firm wins a contract from the Indian Air Force for F-21 fighter jets, then India will also be integrated into the company's global fighter jet ecosystem—a $165 billion dollar market.

"We will not sell this platform and the configuration to anyone in the world. It is a significant commitment by Lockheed Martin and it shows importance of India and importance of unique requirement India has," Lall said.

According to Lall, the F-21 fighter jet is designed to operate across over 60 air force stations in India; its key aspects include superior engine matrix, electronic warfare system and weapons carrying capacity.

The top contenders for the deal include Lockheed's F-21, Boeing's F/A-18, Dassault Aviation's Rafale jets, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft MiG 35 and Saab's Gripen.