New Delhi: Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador to India, visited the Tata-Lockheed Martin Aerostructures facility (TLMAL) in Hyderabad on Monday, just days after the Indian Air Force issued a new request for proposal (RFP) to procure 60 new transport aircraft.
“The decades-long economic partnership between the United States and India continues to grow stronger through innovation, shared security interests, and economic cooperation,” said Gor in a statement issued by TLMAL.
The statement added: “The production in India of critical structures for the C-130J, a platform operated by both our nations, is a strong example of the growing industrial and defence cooperation between the United States and India. Partnerships like these support high-skilled jobs, strengthen resilient supply chains, and advance our shared vision for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.”
During his visit, Gor explored the production line where empennages, or tail sections, for the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The facility is a part of the long-standing partnership between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Lockheed Martin. In the statement, the company added that it has the “ability to produce and scale production” to meet the requirements of the competition to produce multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) for the IAF.
The C-130J Hercules produced by Lockheed Martin is one of the frontrunners for the contract, alongside Embraer’s KC-390. The Brazilian firm has partnered with Mahindra Defence, as reported by ThePrint.
India is looking to acquire up to around 60 medium transport aircraft to replace its growing AN-32 and IL-76 fleets. The IAF already operates 12 C-130J aircraft, giving the US-made aircraft an existing operational base in India.
Lockheed Martin is pitching the C-130J as the best option for the requirement, due to its operational experience with the Indian Air Force and its established global fleet. More than 560 C-130J aircraft have been delivered worldwide, with the fleet having crossed three million flight hours.
The latest RFP will include setting up final assembly lines in India, along with maintenance, repair and overhaul centres (MRO) across the country. Lockheed Martin has pledged to establish a second final assembly line and a co-production facility for the C-130J in India, if it wins the MTA contract.
The proposed facility would be the company’s first major C-130J production line outside the United States and could eventually support exports, potentially turning India into a wider production hub for the aircraft.
However, the C-130J is at the lower end of the requirements for the RFP with an overall payload capacity of 19 tonnes. The KC-390 built by Embraer is near the higher end of the requirements outlined by the IAF, with a payload capacity of around 26 tonnes. The contract is seeking a payload capacity between 18 tonnes and 30 tonnes.
(Edited by Nivedita Patil)
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