Lockheed Martin to cement India-US ties through cargo planes collaboration
The US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) announced ‘a teaming agreement’ to expand upon the business relationship through the C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) uses the C-130J and has fleet of 12 planes. The Lockheed Martin and Tata have already have a JV called the ‘Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited’ and its plant at Hyderabad produces parts of the C-130 J for the global supply chain of the US headquartered company.
“This announcement marks a significant step in enhancing India's defence and aerospace capabilities while also deepening India-US strategic ties,” a statement of Lockheed Martin said.
This agreement provides a framework for collaboration on future potential business opportunities. This would be on two fronts.
One is for establishing a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the IAF existing fleet of 12 C-130Js as well as planes of other countries.
Second, the two sides are also looking to expand the manufacturing and assembly facilities of the C-130J in India to produce aircraft for the IAF's medium transport aircraft (MTA) programme.
These would be subject to the US and Indian government approvals, the US company said
Lockheed Martin will continue to build C-130Js for the US. government and other global operators – across 23 countries -- at the existing Super Hercules production facility in Marietta, Georgia, US. Lockheed Martin will establish additional production and assembly capacity in India if awarded the MTA contract.
The IAF is actively seeking to acquire up to 80 medium transport aircraft and issued a request for information (RFI) last year. Lockheed Martin responded to the RFI and pitched in the C-130J
Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of TASL said: "Collaborating with Lockheed Martin on the C-130J platform proposition for IAF's MTA project is a milestone for TASL."
