Observers explain why the US decided to bring the most modern fighter in its arsenal, the F-35, to India for the first time.
Reuters reported that the US sent F-35 fighter jets to India for the first time this week, along with F-16 fighters, Super Hornet and B-1B bombers. This is seen as an attempt by the US to lure India away from the traditional arms supplier of New Delhi, Russia.
According to observers, India, which is looking to modernize its fleet of fighters mainly from the Soviet era, to increase its air power, seems to be concerned about the scenario that Russia may be delayed in the process. arms transfers to foreign customers because of prioritizing the hostilities in Ukraine. In addition, Reuters said that India has also been under pressure from the West in recent times when it has remained neutral on the Russia-Ukraine war.
The US sent the largest delegation in 27 years to the Aero India air show in Bengaluru. This move shows the growing strategic relationship between the US and India.
In contrast, Russia - India's largest arms supplier since the Soviet era - is present only on a small scale. Russian state gas exporter Rosoboronexport shares a booth with contractors United Aircraft and Almaz-Antey, bringing mainly miniatures of planes, trucks, radars and tanks to the show.
At previous exhibitions, Rosoboronexport displayed a larger pavilion, although Russia has not sent fighter jets to Bengaluru in the past 10 years, after India began to consider buying more European and American fighters. .
According to a source of the Indian Air Force (IAF), New Delhi has not considered buying the F-35 at the moment, but the fact that the US brought these two fighters to Aero India for the first time shows the strategic importance. growing of the South Asian country with the US.
Before the exhibition, Russian state news agencies reported that Moscow had supplied New Delhi with about $13 billion in weapons over the past five years.
The US has approved arms sales of more than $6 billion to India over the past six years, including transport planes, Apache helicopters, Chinook and MH-60, missiles, air defense systems, guns. Navy and P-8I Poseidon surveillance aircraft.
F-35 is considered the most modern American fighter thanks to the convergence of the elements of a powerful combat weapon such as stealth before radar, impressive speed, high flexibility, modern sensor system. .
The US has developed the F-35 into three different variants, of which the F-35A is for the air force, the F-35C is for the navy, and the F-35B is for the marines. The special feature of the F-35B is that it can take off and land vertically like a helicopter.
However, the F-35 is also a controversial weapon because of its longer-than-expected development time as well as technical errors that have caused the project to be expensive, making it a warplane. The most expensive match in the world.
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