Lockheed Martin intends to offer the Indian Navy the F-35 strike fighter. The Press Trust of India reported Monday that Lockheed will respond to the Indian Navy’s request for information on a carrier-based combat aircraft by proposing the F-35. It cited Lockheed vice president Orville Prins as saying in New Delhi that the company had already given presentations to the Indians on both the F-35B short-takeoff variant and the F-35C, which is optimized for large-deck carrier operations. The Indian Navy is expected to acquire a new aircraft carrier around 2015, and may procure another one after that, according to the news service. The F-35C made its first flight on June 6.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
