Lockheed Martin Pushing MK41 For India

With the news out of India still indicating rifts between Russia and India over defense contracts, it appears Lockheed Martin is making a move set up an industrial base for Indian Defense projects they intend to bid. While the fighter replacement program is the big catch, the Project 17 stealth frigate project is on Lockheed Martins radar for its MMC version of the Littoral Combat Ship. According to todays headline, the joint ventures are beginning.

India’s defence shield is getting sharper. US arms major Lockheed Martin is in talks with engineering and construction firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for formalising a joint venture (JV), which would jointly develop Mark 41 Vertical Launching Systems (MK 41 VLS) in India.

“Co-developing MK 41 VLS will be a further extension of our existing relationship with L&T. As of now, talks are at a very initial stage,” a senior Lockheed Martin official told ET. The MK 41 VLS is considered to be the most advanced ship-borne missile launching system in the world.

Lockheed Martin has a very good chance of getting the Project 17 contract. Both Israel and India are interested in the LCS, and both are expected to utilize the Barak missile system in the MK41 if they choose the Lockheed Martin version of the LCS.

For its size, the Lockheed Martin Multi-Mission Combatant version of the Littoral Combat Ship may end up being one of the best armed small warships ton for ton in the world. The Barak missile is smaller than the ESSM, and it may be able to be multi-packed in strike length MK41 VLS cells. I'd be interested if anyone knows for sure if that is possible, or being planned.