Lockheed Martin says it will offer both the F-35B STOVL and F-35C carrier variant of the JSF to India for that country’s requirement for a new naval carrier-based fighter.
“We have received the request for information from the Navy seeking information about the F-35 aircraft, which are capable of taking off from aircraft carriers,” company vice president Orville Prins told Indian media. “We are going to offer our aircraft to them.”
The aircraft are required to operate off two new carriers currently being constructed in India and due to enter service later this decade. The Indian Navy currently operates Sea Harriers and has bought a small number of MiG-29Ks to operate from a refurbished Russian carrier from 2012.
