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US aerospace and defence major Lockheed Martin has delivered the first of the six C-130J Super Hercules designed and developed for the Indian Air Force. The new fleet of IAF’s military transport aircraft has been ordered under India’s first foreign military sale (FMS) deal signed in late 2008.
At the ceremony held at Marietta, Georgia, Lorraine Martin, Vice President, C-130 programmes, Lockheed Martin said, “There are few mottos that impart such passion as that of the Indian Air Force, which is ‘Touch the Sky with Glory’.” “Today begins a new glorious, enduring partnership with India as the fourth largest air force in the world proudly joins the worldwide C-130 family,” he added.
Besides six aircraft, the $1.2 billion FMS deal also includes training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, forklifts, loading vehicles, cargo pallets and a team of technical specialists who will be based in India during a three year initial support period. Also included in the package is India-unique operational equipment designed to increase the capabilities during special operations.
The C-130J Super Hercules is a highly integrated and sophisticated configuration primarily designed to support India’s special operations requirement. Equipped with an infrared detection set (IDS), the aircraft can perform precision low-level flying, airdrops and landing in blackout conditions. Self-protection systems and other features are also included to ensure aircraft survivability in hostile air defence environments. The aircraft is also equipped with air-to-air receiver refueling capability for extended range operations.
The C-130J is ideally suited to India’s mission environment, which often involves operating out of austere, high-elevation airstrips in hot conditions. The C-130J is powered by four Rolls Royce AE2100 engines and Dowty six bladed props which provide the aircraft with a great deal of power. The C-130J has been operated for the past several years in the mountainous areas of Afghanistan which are similar to India and performed exceptionally well.
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