Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall, who heads a joint U.S.-India defense trade and technology effort, told Reuters that he was optimistic about the two countries’ efforts to cooperate on a planned aircraft carrier for India.
“I’m optimistic about cooperating with them on that,” Kendall said in an interview, when asked about the possibility of India acquiring the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System built by privately held General Atomics, based in San Diego, California.
India has expressed the desire to use the U.S. technology which enables jets launch off a flat deck at a faster rate and with less fatigue to the aircraft. This acquisition will also boost the range and potency of a planned aircraft carrier, and it is a move that would deepen cooperation between both countries.
Kendall said that a new working group led by Rear Admiral Thomas Moore from the U.S. side and Rear Admiral-select Surendra Ahuja from India would look into the issue.
