Aero India 2023: US 5th gen F-35 fighter makes first landing in India

Some quarters believe arrival of the F-35s in Yelahanka could be a signal that Washington was positioning an American fighter to win an ongoing IAF tender for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft

Sending a wave of excitement through the crowds at the Aero India 2023 exposition outside Bengaluru, two US Air Force (USAF) F-35 fighters – arguably the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighters – landed at the Yelahanka air force base and parked without fanfare in the static display area, sending the spectators into a frenzy of selfie-clicking.

There had been rumours before Aero India 2023 that an F-35 might overfly the air show as a gesture of solidarity and support from the US military. But the landing by two F-35s and a crisp statement from the US government came as a surprise to most.

“The USAF’s newest fifth-generation fighters – the stealthy, supersonic, multirole F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter – will make their debut at Aero India 2023,” said an official announcement from the US Consulate General in Chennai.

“After a journey from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, United States, the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team will impress crowds with a demo of its unique aerial capabilities. The F-35A Lightning II from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska will be on static display,” it said.

For many commentators on the Indian Air Force (IAF), the arrival of the F-35s in Yelahanka was not an idle gesture. More probably, it was a signal that Washington was positioning an American fighter to win an ongoing IAF tender for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRCA).

The F-21, the fighter currently being offered by US aerospace vendor Lockheed Martin, is regarded by many IAF analysts as technologically outdated. Furthermore, it is widely known that the F-21 is a slightly improved variant of the F-16 Block 50/52, an aircraft that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has flown for decades and mastered in every respect.

Given that, any move by Lockheed Martin to replace the offer of the F-21 with an offer for the F-35, would be welcomed by the IAF.

“The F-35’s engine produces 43,000 pounds of thrust and consists of a three-stage fan, a six-stage compressor, an annular combustor, a single stage high-pressure turbine, and a two-stage low-pressure turbine,” said the US statement.

Making it clear that the F-35 fighters had been sent to Bengaluru to flaunt their quality, Major General Julian Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the USAF International Affairs, said, “The F-35 represents the leading-edge of US fighter technology. Aero India is an ideal forum to showcase the most advanced, capable, lethal, and interoperable weapons systems the US has to offer. This system and others are designed to penetrate and defeat advanced adversary air defences.”

Washington has clearly decided that the F-35 is not to be offered to the IAF as a replacement for the F-16. Instead, both aircraft would be positioned to compete.

“In addition to the F-35, an F-16 Fighting Falcon duo will conduct daily aerial demonstrations from February 13-17, showcasing the capability of one of the USAF’s leading fighter jets. On static display, the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are multirole fighters,” it said.

The IAF is understood to be considering seven twin-engine fighters in the MRFA acquisition. In the twin-engine category are Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15EX Eagle II; Dassault’s Rafale, Eurofighter GmbH’s Typhoon, Russia’s RAC MiG-35 and Sukhoi-35.

In addition, two single-engine aircraft could be fielded: Lockheed Martin’s F-21 Super Viper; and Swedish firm Saab’s Gripen E/F.

Contacted for a reaction, Lockheed Martin declined to comment.