Aero India 2013: US to show-case defence equipment and systems

US defence industry is set to line up an impressive range of firepower at Aero-India 2013 in Banglore, with focus on industrial partnership and commitment to meeting India's defence modernisation requirements.

With the US military sales to India close to $12 billion, top US defence companies, including Boeing Company, FLIR, General Electric, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Textron etc would be there showcasing advanced capabilities in air, land, naval, and internal security systems.

Led by former lieutenant general Jeff Kohler, vice president, Boeing military aircraft, and former vice admiral Kevin J Cosgriff, senior vice president, international business and government, Textron Systems the US-India Business Council (USIBC) would be the largest industry delegation at the show.

According to USIBC president Ron Somers, the US had consistently offered India the best-in-class capabilities across all defence and security dimensions, broadening the areas in which the two governments, militaries, and industries cooperated.

The remarkable growth in defence sales translated to the creation of thousands of high-skill jobs both in India and the US, making it a 'win-win' for both countries," he added.

In meeting many of India's defence modernisation requirements, "US industry leads the way in offering the most advanced technology with long-term support for the multitude systems offered", Kohler said in a statement.

Meanwhile, for the first time, Isarael's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd would display all its anti-missile defence systems at the exhibition, including the Iron Dome short-range missile interception system and the Stunner interceptor against medium-range missiles used in the Magic Wand system, which was still in the test stage. The company would display the systems alongside the Spider air defence systems and Mic4ad integrated C4I air and missile defence system.