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