IAF Pilots Lukewarm Towards F-21 As Lockheed Martin Provides Access To Cockpit Simulator

As India is looking to finalise what would be its single largest defence purchase ever, the Indian Air Force pilots on Tuesday (16 July) examined and tested the simulator of the F-21 fighter jet of American aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin, reports Economic Times.

Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi, India’s first female pilot, was among some of the fighter pilots who examined the F-21's Cockpit Demonstration Simulator (CDS).

The experience received mixed responses with some pilots saying that they had a good experience and others opining that it was 'mediocre'.

"We have the same technology, as far as simulators are concerned. What they have is old," said a pilot after the CDS experience.

With the IAF looking to plug in its ever depleting numerical strength by purchasing 114 jets, Lockheed Martin, in a joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems, is persuading hard to push its F-21s into the contention with an offer to produce them locally.

The F-21 multi-role fighter was unveiled during the Aero India show in Bengaluru in February in 2019.

Other entities in the fray are Boeing's F/A-18, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft MiG 35 and Saab's Gripen.