BOLSTERING AIR SUPERIORITY IN INDO-PACIFIC

The potential selection of the F/A-18 Super Hornet Block-lll by the Indian Navy and additional P-8ls can further enhance the opportunity for closer cooperation between the navies and air forces of partner countries in the Indo-Pacific, explains ALAIN GARCIA, Vice President, India Business Development, Boeing Defense, Space Security and Global Services

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The Indo-Pacific has gained enormous political, strategic, and economic importance and has emerged as a prominent geostrategic landscape in recent years, and the strength of the partnership in the region will be determined by the abilities of member countries to work together seamlessly. India, as one of the key countries in the region, has stepped-up its engagement with partner countries to help realise its vision of a “safe, free, and open Indo Pacific”. In this scenario, the role of naval aviation in defending the region’s and India’s maritime interests is only expected to grow.

With a coastline of about 7,500 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million sq km, the Indian Navy continues to shoulder India’s increasing strategic responsibility in the Indian Ocean region. A formidable force in South Asia, the Indian Navy is upgrading its equipment and transforming from being a coastal force to a real ocean-going force. Commonality and interoperability of defence assets contribute not only towards efficient operations of the partner countries but also offer significant enduring strategic benefits to the partners.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet Block-III: Transformative, next-generation capabilities for Indian Navy