US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has positioned its C-130J Super Hercules as the ideal option as India gets ready to purchase up to 80 military transport aircraft, claiming the aircraft would give it a “stronger” heft for tactical airlift among the Quad countries.
Lockheed Martin’s Manufacturing Plans in India
Top Lockheed Martin executives told PTI that if given the chance, the business will establish a massive center in India to manufacture the “iconic” aircraft. This would be the first such global facility outside of the United States.
More than 560 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, totaling more than three million flying hours, have been supplied by Lockheed Martin so far. 28 operators in 23 countries have benefited from the top tactical airlift. Twelve C-130Js are presently in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Lockheed Martin Products
Lockheed Martin provides many specialized variants of the C-130J in addition to the regular transport version. These configurations allow the aircraft to carry out intelligence, electronic warfare, support for special operations, search and rescue, and command functions.
The United States, Australia, and Japan, the other three members of the Quad, have been using C-130Js in addition to India.
With 20 distinct mission sets, the C-130J Super Hercules has demonstrated capability and adaptability. It has 54 global records. According to Patricia Trish Pagan, Vice President, Air Mobility and Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin, “the C-130J’s structural durability is the benchmark for dependability, safety, and quality, proven in every tough operating situation.”
India’s Purchasing Intentions
Pagan said that the aircraft would be the “best choice for India“ and that Lockheed Martin is the chosen partner worldwide because of the C-130Js’ “made to deliver and built to last” design.
To replace its aging fleet of AN-32 and IL-76 aircraft from the Soviet period, the IAF published a Request for Information (RFI) in 2022.
The Defence Acquisition Council is expected to approve the multibillion-dollar purchase of around 80 military transport aircraft that the IAF intends to acquire in the coming weeks.
Competitors for the MTA Program
The A-400M aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space and the KC-390 Millennium aircraft from Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer are both competing for the MTA program.
To submit a proposal for the C-130J Super Hercules program, the US defense giant has teamed up with Tata Advanced Systems.
The Distributed Aperture System (DAS), a crucial part of the F-35 Lightning combat fighters, is one of the latest advancements Lockheed Martin is now integrating into the C-130Js.
Advanced Technologies in C-130J
DAS is a spherical sensor suite with six infrared cameras that gives pilots strict situational awareness, missile warning, and night vision.
“We have a strong supply chain that includes a wide network of Indian suppliers, an established worldwide track record, deep Indian collaborative expertise, and the potential to put up a capability to benefit India, the globe, and regional security,” Pagan said.
According to Roderick McLean, Vice President of Sustainment Operations at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the MTA initiative may provide the US-India cooperation a “new strategic value” by enabling both countries to bolster their defense industrial bases.
Additionally, McLean said that since the C-130Js have benefitted from more than 70 years of innovation and are incorporating new elements like artificial intelligence, no tactical airlift aircraft in history can equal its relevance and adaptability.
Value Addition of the MTA Program
In order to link systems from the seafloor to space, we are working hard on connection. We are examining all of our connection technologies to see how we can integrate them into the C-130Js and make them accessible to the IAF and other organizations worldwide,” he said.
He said, “The value the C-130Js give is not only what it does now, but what it will be able to accomplish in the future via continual innovation and also enable the IAF to cooperate with Lockheed Martin to use the power of the corporation.”
According to McLean, the MTA program will provide a significant chance for the C-130J fleet’s future expansion. “In its 70-year existence, it marks the biggest worldwide potential for C-130s.”
“The C-130 and Lockheed Martin have a history of continuous performance in the hardest and most demanding operating conditions, whether serving NATO, the Quad, or any one of a network of 70 operators.”
He said, “With MTA selection, we are dedicated and ready to strengthen India’s industrial ecosystem while uniting other systems, initiatives, and nations to give greater capabilities to the region, country, and globe.”
Global Recognition and Operational Performance
The C130Js are a “symbol of hope” worldwide, according to Robert Toth, vice president of business development, air mobility, and maritime missions at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and they will be the ideal option for India’s MTA program.
“The C-130J has logged over 3 million flying hours and shown its capacity, adaptability, and durability in the execution of 20 approved mission sets in the most difficult operational conditions, operating by India and 22 other countries,” he said.
“From the sea to the world’s highest airstrip, Daulat Beg Oldie, at 16,614 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, the IAF’s C-130J aircrews, maintainers, and support people demonstrate every day that the C-130J is the ideal medium transport aircraft to offer security to India,” he said.
Lockheed Martin’s Ambitions for India
Lockheed Martin’s proposal to create the first substantial manufacturing center for the aircraft outside of the Marietta factory in India was deemed very crucial by Toth.
“The only location outside of the US where we are exploring a C-130J co-production line is India. Under the MTA initiative, we would set up a second final assembly line in India to construct C-130Js for the IAF while continuing to produce at full capacity in Marietta, Georgia, for other clients.”
Only the first two prototype aircraft were constructed outside of Marietta out of the more than 2,700 C-130s that have been produced. “They were constructed in Burbank, California,” he said.
According to Toth, the planned aircraft production center would also provide opportunities for the aircraft’s potential exports to a number of other countries.
By choosing the Lockheed Martin C-130J, India will acquire the most advanced medium transport aircraft ever developed, while also gaining a partner in Lockheed Martin who possesses a profound understanding of the IAF’s missions and is prepared to provide customized solutions for both present and future challenges.
The aircraft has been a “centrepiece“ for the air forces of the group’s member countries, according to Toth, who said that India would gain an advantage in the Quad by acquiring an extra fleet of C-130J Super Hercules.
Quad Countries and C-130J Upgrades
Australia is presently replacing its fleet of C-130Js with brand-new models. Japan intends to follow suit.
“The number of C-130Js in the US inventory is increasing. And we think that India has a better position for airlift inside the Quad since it has more C-130Js because of the India MTA program,” Toth said.
Additionally, he said that Lockheed Martin will be able to deliver the aircraft to India much more quickly than any of its rivals.
“Here in Marietta, we produce 20–24 aircraft annually. We have recently been producing up to 36 aircraft annually. Additionally, we have generated considerably more in some years.”
According to Toth, the business can boost output to satisfy any demand from across the world. He said, “I think we can satisfy the demand for India’s first aircraft quicker than any of our rivals because of the manufacturing line we have out here today.”
“I believe we have the surge capacity to construct extra aircraft for India, and the manufacturing line that is going to be created in India creates surge capacity,” he said.
For the last several years, Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems have been working together to produce C-130J empennages and other aerostructure components in India.
The C-130J tail or empennage, manufactured by Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) in Hyderabad, is transported to the United States to be integrated into C-130J aircraft manufactured in Marietta.
Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) recently commemorated receiving its 250th C-130J tail.
The defense MRO facility, which will be ideally positioned to service the C-130J Super Hercules, KC-130J, and C-130 B-H heritage aircraft in the future, will become part of the current worldwide network of Lockheed Martin Certified Service Centers.
