Fort Worth F-16 Production Could Move To India
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Instead of Fort Worth, Lockheed Martin could soon be building some of their F-16 fighter jets in India.
If the Indian Air Force adds F-16s to their fleet the deal would involve India producing the latest version of the fighter -- the F-16 Block 70.
A Lockheed official calls the offer involving the new fighter jet "unprecedented".
Lockheed is facing competition from rival Boeing's FA-18E as well as French and Swedish options, and all the deals involve opening a production facility in India.
As it stands, the number of orders already placed for the F-16 would keep Lockheed U.S. production line open until at least late 2017 and as far out as 2020 if additional foreign orders come in.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)