Lockheed will assemble C130Js in India in a bid to take on Air Force orders
Lockheed Martin, the American defense giant known for its flagship stealth fighters like the F-35 and F-22, is considering setting up an assembly line in India for the specialized C-130J Super Hercules in special operations. This will allow the American company to increase its ability to compete for large supplies of medium air transport vehicles to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The IAF is currently busy replacing its fleet of upgraded Russian An-32 transport aircraft. These aircraft, approximately 100, will reach 44 years of service in the two-year period 2031-32, at which point their progressive retirement is expected.
Initially, the IAF had planned to purchase the MTA, Medium Transport Aircraft, through a joint development project with Russia. In 2012, the two countries signed an agreement to co-develop the aircraft, with India reportedly acquiring 45 aircraft and Russia around 100. However, the deal was canceled in 2016 following failure to reach a consensus on the aircraft's engine and design.
As previously reported by EurAsian Times, other companies in the running include Embraer Defense & Security, which in February partnered with Mahindra, an Indian company, to produce the C-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft in India. Airbus Defense and Space is also competing with its A-400M .
Airbus A400M
Lockheed Martin has a competitive advantage, as the C-130J is already an integral part of the IAF fleet, which operates 12 Super Hercules for tactical air transport. The C-130J Super Hercules, introduced in 1999, is equipped with four turboprop engines and is mainly used for military transport. The previous model, the C-130 Hercules, received a significant upgrade with the C-130J, including new engines, advanced avionics and other equipment. Furthermore, the C130 is a very usual, well-proven aircraft with high reliability, especially when compared to the Airbus A-400M.
The Hindustan Times reported the words of Anthony G Frese, Vice President of Business Development (air mobility and maritime missions) of Lockheed Martin, who said that the company is considering the creation of an assembly line for the C- 130J in India. “The MTA competition represents a significant opportunity to address the IAF's tactical airlift requirements. We are evaluating options to establish a C-130J assembly line in India,” Frese said.
Lockheed Martin already has a joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), which is the global source of empennages for the C-130J. It remains to be seen whether Lockheed Martin will again use TASL to participate in the IAF tender. Airbus, for its part, has already formed a partnership with TASL to supply the IAF with C-295 transport aircraft.
The IAF aims to acquire 40-80 aircraft in line with the Government of India's 'Make in India' initiative. The new transport aircraft are expected to have a payload capacity of between 18 and 30 tonnes.
In its request for information to the MTA, the IAF urged international suppliers to provide cost estimates for aircraft and associated equipment for lots of 40, 60 and 80 units. The C-390 can carry a 26-ton payload, more than the C-130J's 20 tons and less than the A-400M's 37 tons.
The IAF has sought information from OEMs on technology transfer, methods to increase Indigenization and to set up a dedicated production line in India, including design, integration and manufacturing; on the ability to start the internal production of systems, subsystems, components and spare parts; and the possibility of transforming India into a regional or global hub for equipment manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities.
Embraer C390
A strategic necessity in the confrontation with China
The prolonged standoff with China has highlighted the importance of military transport aircraft. Following the Galwan clash in 2020, India deployed its fleet of C-17s and C-130Js to move over 68,000 additional troops, nearly 90 tanks and over 300 infantry fighting vehicles into the frigid heights of Ladakh.
Technology transfer is a crucial aspect of the agreement. Lockheed Martin's statement follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Embraer Defense & Security and Mahindra Defense Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra focused on armored vehicles and security-related products, including electronics.
The C-390 Millennium is a multi-mission, twin-engine, jet-powered tactical transport aircraft. It is the most advanced military transport aircraft on the market, capable of carrying a payload of 26 tonnes, greater than other medium-sized military transport aircraft, and reaching a speed of 870 km/h (470 knots).
The C-390 entered service in the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and has since also been adopted by the air forces of Portugal, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. South Korea selected him in December 2023.
In 2020, the Royal Netherlands Air Force preferred the C-390 Millennium to the C-130J. Thanks to its greater speed and payload capacity, the Brazilian aircraft can complete a mission with fewer units than its competitors.
The C-130J can cruise at a cruising speed of 248 knots, while the KC-390 can reach a maximum speed of 470 knots and has an operational ceiling of 36,000 feet, higher than the C-130J's 28,000 feet. The C-130J has a range of 2,100 miles, while the KC-390 has slightly less, with 1,750 miles. The Brazilian aircraft is therefore basically more modern than the old C130.
According to Embraer, a fleet of six KC-390s capable of flying a round-trip distance of 1,350 nautical miles (2,500 km) could transport 1,000 passengers and 500 tons of cargo in less than two days, being 40% faster of the C-130J.
Operating on temporary or unpaved runways, such as dirt, soil and gravel, the KC-390 can perform a wide range of operations, including transport and release of soldiers and cargo, medical evacuation, search and rescue , aerial firefighting and humanitarian missions.
The KC-390, equipped with air-to-air refueling capability, has demonstrated the ability to operate as both a tanker and receiver. On one occasion, he managed to refuel by using underwing pods to receive fuel from another KC-390.
The KC-390 is 15% faster, 18% more capable of carrying loads and 41% less expensive than the C-130J. The KC-390 has aerial refueling capability as standard equipment, although its range is 15% less than that of the C-130J. Only some specific subvariants of the C-130 are equipped with this
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The article Lockheed will assemble C130Js in India in an attempt to take orders from the Air Force comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/lockheed-assemblera-i-c130j-in-india-nel-tentativo-di-prendere-le-commesse-dellaeronautica/ on Sat, 22 Jun 2024 16:03:31 +0000.