AW&ST: Has India shown interest in V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft?

Kronenberg: We think there is a requirement here for the V-22s. We are going to highlight the V-22 at the Farnborough Air Show. We have had a lot of interest among several international customers and I wouldn’t be surprised if India is also one of them. It is quite an interesting capability once customers get to see it. It all has to do with the speed by which you can get there. Chinook CH-47 is a great aircraft, a great helicopter, but you cannot do anything about the speed. V-22 is a whole different level of what it can provide, it goes about 300 knots. It’s the only vertical lift platform capable of rapid self-deployment to any theater of operations, worldwide.

AW&ST: But have you heard anything on V-22 from the Indian side?

Kronenberg: I think they have expressed general interest. But there haven’t been detailed briefings, as far as I know. But we will have at the Farnborough Air Show. The Indian navy will take us up. We will invite all our international customers to take a flight.

AW&ST: What about Medium-range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft for the Indian navy?