US-based defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin came under scathing attack from Indian Twitter users over its announcement of "for-India-from-India" F-21 fighter planes when they accused the company of pushing old and obsolete technology onto India.
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The company claimed that the aircraft "is different, inside and out, delivering unmatched Make in India opportunities".
The F-21 is different, inside and out, delivering unmatched Make in India opportunities and strengthening @IAF_MCC. Meet the #F21:
— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) February 20, 2019
Lockheed's rival firm and another aviation giant Boeing was among the first to aim veiled sarcasm at it with a tweet.
Combat Proven, Future Ready, and still called the F/A-18 Super Hornet. ;-)
— Boeing India (@Boeing_In) February 21, 2019
Catch them here at #AeroIndia2019
MORE: https://t.co/348oYdTR3L pic.twitter.com/cbIHRCeHco
Indian Twitter users called out the company for attempting to sell old technology to India. "Trying to sell 80's technology in 2019, clever", said a user.
LOOOOL only thing “different” about this is the name. what’s the point of these fancy animations when you could have put videos of F-16’s it’s the same aircraft hahaha. Trying to sell 80’s technology in 2019, clever.
— Danny Dannowitz (@MyManHussain) February 20, 2019
User @GruhamB remarked that the company had "just renamed an ancient F-16" and now hopes to sell it to India.
Rename an ancient F-16 and hope to sell it to India?
— 🇮🇳 Gruham Bendakaluru 🌀 (@GruhamB) February 20, 2019
@VenkatKShriyan calls the entire episode as making mockery of Indian defence establishment.
Haha…Making mockery of India Defense…! Shame
— Venkat Krishna (@VenkatKShriyan) February 21, 2019
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One user sarcastically remarked that this would facilitate trading of spare parts between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has US-made F-16 Falcons in its air force.
Wow, Pakistan and India can trade spare parts then.
— Nfuel (@nfuel900) February 20, 2019
"No thanks Lockheed", exclaimed one Twitter user.
No Thanks Lockheed.
— cmrj 🇮🇳 (@LyfIsAJourney) February 21, 2019