F/A-18 Super Hornet (Block III)

Boeing pitching to sell Super Hornets - F/A-18 Block III to Indian Navy. The company in its India news conference on Thursday discussed the advantages of the F/A-18 Block III offering for the Indian Navy and said, “The Super Hornet’s unique differentiators for the Indian Navy include its two-seater carrier-compatibility which provides operational flexibility to integrate future technologies related to manned and unmanned interface from aircraft carriers.”

The F/A-18 Super Hornet recently concluded ski-jump tests at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, demonstrating its compatibility with Indian Navy carriers.

The company also shared information about the F-15EX, which is the latest and most advanced version of the F-15 aircraft family. “The F-15EX can offer a future-ready, multi-role solution to the Indian Air Force in the form of unmatched payload, performance, and persistence by integrating leading edge technologies, networks, weapons and sensors,” said Ankur Kanaglekar, Director, India Fighters Lead, Boeing Defence, Space & Security.

BIRDS Hub

Boeing also announced the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) hub initiative that envisions a ecosystem for engineering, maintenance, skilling, repair and sustainment services of defence and commercial aircraft in India, as part of its commitment to support and strengthen indigenous aerospace and defence capabilities in the country.

The initiative is a first that will benefit Indian customers with best solutions, efficient turnaround times, and optimal economic value, all available in-country. The BIRDS Hub will also focus on skill development programmes that will help suppliers develop capabilities and gain experience across Boeing platforms.

Commercial Aviation

“Due to COVID-19 impact on the commercial aviation market, forecasts indicate that it will take around three years for air travel to return to 2019 levels and a few years beyond that to return to long term growth trends,” said Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India. “India’s domestic passenger market relative to total passenger travel (domestic and international) presents an opportunity for a quicker recovery when the COVID-19 pandemic abates. India is expected to grow at a world-leading compound annual growth rate of 5.2 percent through 2039. This is mainly contributed by the rapidly growing middle class in India,” he added.