The Lockheed Martin F-16I Super Viper is one of the six fighters in contention for an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, with the numbers likely to go up to 200. The IAF has also purchased six Lockheed Martim C-130j Super Hercules aircraft in a deal valued at over $1 billion.

In his prior assignment, Rose led the corporation's electronic systems business efforts to bring the latest in naval surface and submarine combat systems, ocean exploration, and alternative energy solutions to the Indian marketplace, the company said.

He is a retired career US Navy officer in the Submarine Service and has more than 10-years of hands-on international business and policy experience, including a posting as the US Naval Attache to Israel, and frequent travel to South Asia over the past six years.

A graduate of the US Naval Academy with a bachelor of science degree in ocean engineering, Rose also holds a master's degree in physics from the University of Washington.

Lockheed Martin, a global security company with reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion, is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.