Relations between Pakistan and USA are deteriorating by the day and have become pretty nasty. Super Power US has started to engage in Tit for Tat policy against USA. After Pakistan put restrictions on US national.s free movement, US threatened the same and Pakistan caved in today and lifted the restriction.
Now comes the unbelievable part. After China made an offer to sell J-10B to Pakistan, Hillary Clinton mad a pitch to India and offered to sell F-35 for $65 million a copy to India-well below the actual price. I really do not know if that is a Gidar Bhapki since F-35 are supposed to be sold to the partners first. Exception is as usual Israel, unless US sells out of its stock. Wonder if the partners have any veto power.
Also this may be a carrot which may push away the Indians from Europeans and reposition Lockheed martin.
Clinton’s ‘Unbelievable’ Pitch to India
Posted: August 2, 2011 | Author: blondefletch | Filed under: Breaking News | Tags: Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35, Hillary Rodham Clinton, India, Indian Air Force, JSF, New Delhi, Procurement, United States, United States Secretary of State |
An unprecedented step by the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has been made in India following her trip to New Delhi last week, a report from Eurasia.net states. She has stated the US’ willingness to offer the state-of-the-art F-35 warplanes to India at the bargain price of $65 Million each.
Compare this to the $85 Million an Dassault Rafale would cost, or the $125 Million that a Eurofighter Typhoon was offered at, its clear to see how big a step this is. Analysts will obviously suggest that the US are trying to establish a stronger level of military sales in the area, but why is yet to be seen. The recent failure by American companies to procure a $10.4 Billion contract for the Indian Air Force could be partially to blame, but also the transition of F-35 to a production model of late means that it has only just become eligible for the IAF proposal that was originally laid out. Not to mention the offer yesterday China made to Pakistan to give an entire squadron of brand new J-10B’s recently put into production. Maybe this is a fore planned counter move by the US? Either way, expect more on this as the proposal develops.
http://aerofutures.wordpress.com/201...itch-to-india