The Indian Air Force (IAF) is requesting a classified briefing on the F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft, the Business Standard reports on 15 February.

Business Standard learns the IAF top brass is formally requesting for a classified briefing by the F-35’s prime builder, Lockheed Martin, on the capabilities of the sophisticated, fifth-generation fighter developed under the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.

The local source reported that IAF looks to procure a “next-generation fighter aircraft” to replace its MiG-27 and MiG-29 combat aircraft. It is expected that the IAF plans to order 126 new fighters that incorporate “conventional take-off and landing”.

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The F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft is an agile, versatile, high-performance 9g multirole fighter that provides unmatched capability and unprecedented situational awareness developed by Lockheed Martin.

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The F-35A’s advanced sensor package is designed to gather and distribute more information than any fighter in history, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries. Its tremendous processing power, open architecture, sophisticated sensors, information fusion and flexible communication links make the F-35 an indispensable tool in future homeland defense, joint and coalition irregular warfare, and major combat operations.

With conventional takeoff and landing capability, the F-35A is built for traditional air force bases. The F-35A uses the boom method of aerial refueling and is the only variant to have an internal cannon.