Ratan Tata’s extraordinary accomplishments continue to serve as inspiration for the younger generation. While the Indian billionaire and former Tata Sons chairman is widely recognized for his sharp business acumen and charitable contributions, many may not know that he was the first Indian civilian to fly an F-16 Falcon fighter jet.
It’s not every day that an aging industrialist takes control of a fighter aircraft, but in 2007, a video of this rare event circulated widely.
At an airshow in Bangalore, Tata served as the co-pilot of the F-16, which was flown by Paul Hattendorf, a test pilot with Lockheed Martin, the company that manufactures the aircraft. At the time, Ratan Tata was 69 years old.
He flew the F-16 Block 50 fighter jet, valued at over Rs 400 crore, which can reach speeds exceeding 2,000 km/h. Tata spent nearly 40 minutes in the air and even took the controls mid-flight. After the experience, though visibly tired, he simply remarked, “It was great.”
Nearly a decade after becoming the first Indian to co-pilot the F-16, Tata signed a groundbreaking agreement with Lockheed Martin to produce the F-16 Block 70 in India. This partnership not only supports thousands of jobs in both India and the U.S. but also places India at the heart of the global fighter aircraft supply chain.
With over 4,500 F-16s produced and approximately 3,200 still in service across 26 countries, the F-16 remains the most successful and battle-tested multi-role fighter jet in the world.
