Aero India: USAF displays prowess of 5th gen F-35; Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosts SPEED conclave

On the same day, the United States Air Force’s (USAF) newest fifth-generation F-35 fighter demonstrated its prowess at Aero India. The USAF also expanded its lineup for Aero India 2023 with the arrival of two B-1B Lancers.

India prefers collective approach

The defence minister, in his speech at the ‘SPEED’ conference, said India does not believe in dealing with security issues in the “old paternalistic or the neo-colonial paradigms” and that it always preferred a collective approach to counter them.

“We consider all nations as equal partners. That is why, we do not believe in imposing external or supra-national solutions to a country’s internal problems,” he said.

“We do not believe in giving sermons or cut-and-dried solutions, which do not respect national values and constraints of the countries in need of assistance,” he said.

Singh noted that India supports the capacity-building of its partner-countries so that they may chart their own destiny.

“There are nations which are richer, militarily or technologically more advanced than others, but it does not give them the right to dictate their solutions to the nations in need of support,” he said, in comments which are seen as an apparent reference to China.

Addressed the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on the sidelines of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru. Exhorted the participants for greater cooperation to deal with fast-paced changes in an increasingly-complex global security scenario. https://t.co/7UmuJHd1YT pic.twitter.com/wuFRBnJb20

— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) February 14, 2023

‘Top-down approach not sustainable’

The defence minister said this “top-down approach” towards solving problems has never been sustainable in the long run.

“Often, it leads to a debt trap, reaction from the local population, conflict and so on,” he said.

“That is why the focus should be on providing assistance, in terms of building of institutions and capacities, so that bottom-up solutions can come up organically, in consonance with the ethos of the nations being assisted,” he added.

Speaking at the Defence Ministers’ Conclave in Bengaluru. #aeroindia2023 https://t.co/DgL7puBnFI

— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) February 14, 2023

Singh said India offers an enhanced defence partnership to friendly foreign nations.

“We offer a partnership that is accommodative of national priorities and capacities,” he said. “We want to build with you, we want to launch with you, we want to create with you, and we want to develop with you,” Singh said.

“We wish to create symbiotic relationships, where we can learn from each other, grow together and create a win-win situation for one and all,” he said.

F-35, F35-A, F-16 and more

The stealthy, supersonic, multi-role F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter of the USAF made their debut on Tuesday.

After a journey from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, United States, the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team impressed crowds with a demo of its aerial capabilities.

The F-35A Lightning II from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska was on static display.

In addition to the F-35, an F-16 Fighting Falcon duo also conducted aerial demonstrations, showcasing the capability of one of the USAF’s leading fighter jets.

On static display, the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are multirole fighters.

Also read: PM Modi inaugurates 14th edition of Aero India

Major General Julian C Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, said, “The F-35 represents the leading-edge of US fighter technology. Aero India is an ideal forum to showcase the most advanced, capable, lethal, and interoperable weapons systems the US has to offer.”

Meanwhile, the USAF expanded its lineup for Aero India 2023 with the arrival of two B-1B Lancers after a journey to India from their temporary duty location at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

The B-1B Lancer is a supersonic heavy bomber. It carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the U.S. Air Force and is considered the backbone of America’s long-range bomber force.

In addition to the B-1s, the US lineup at Aero India includes the US Air Force’s newest fifth-generation fighters — the stealthy, supersonic, multirole F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.

HAL removes Hanuman

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Tuesday removed the picture of Lord Hanuman from ‘Hindustan Lead in Fighter Trainer (HLFT)-42, which was on display at the Aero India 2023.

The image with the slogan “The storm is coming” could be seen on the first day on the vertical fin of the HLFT-42 at a static display.

“There used to be a HAL aircraft called HF-24 Marut (meaning wind). It was derived from it. There is nothing specific to derive from it (image of Lord Hanuman),” an official of the Bengaluru-headquartered HAL said.

He added that the objective was to show the power of the aircraft. The HAL displayed for the first time the scale model HLFT-42, at Aero India.

Aero India, Asia’s biggest aerospace exhibition, was inaugurated on Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With inputs from PTI)