“We are excited to be at Aero India 2019, and look forward to the show and to engaging with the various arms of the Indian armed services as well as our industry partners, peers and the public,” said Phil Shaw , Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India Private Limited in an exclusive interview to ADU .
ADU. What are your expectations from the Aero India?
PS. Aero India is an excellent platform for members of both the Indian and global defense communities, including large conglomerates and the small and medium sized enterprises (SMSE’s), to come together for dialogue and explore potential opportunities. Likewise, we at Lockheed Martin look forward to meaningful engagement with our customers, partners, and peers in India and the global defense industry in Bengaluru this February.
ADU. What are the key technologies and systems that you would be showcasing at Aero India 2019?
PS. The 2019 Aero India Exhibition is set to be significant for Lockheed Martin in many ways. We are participating for the 12th time at the 12th edition of the Aero India Exhibition, but this year, we will be showcasing one of our strongest suites of programs and partnerships to date.
The programs we shall be presenting include the peerless C-130J Hercules (of which India operates 11, one of which made headlines around the world for achieving the daunting feat of landing at the highest landing strip in the world in the Himalayan Mountains – Daulat Beg Oldi – in 2013), the F-16 fighter jet, an equally impressive and proven platform for which we previously announced future potential production of wings in India in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems; our helicopters the CH-53K, MH-60R, S-76, and S-92; Javelin – the world’s most versatile precision weapon system, as well as the INDAGO unmanned aerial system (UAS) which presents payload options and advanced ground control software that helps users accomplish a diverse set of missions.
ADU. What aspect of your business is your primary focus at this air show, and why?
PS. Alongside presenting our programs, we shall be involved with the upcoming Start-Up Showcase, and the Women in Aviation event and Women’s Day – activities and occasions that sync with our social responsibility efforts in India, which we believe are critical to progress and capability development at a grassroots level – and through our investment and involvement in the India Innovation Growth Program, participating in a number of Innovation-related activity including the Drone Olympics and 2019 Aero India Start-up Workshop and Showcase.
