New Delhi: US defence and aerospace major Lockheed Martin is “ready for complete transfer of technologies of some parts of Super Hercules C-130J transport aircraft” if it wins India’s contract for 60 medium transport aircraft (MTA), the company’s vice-president (strategy & business development, air mobility and maritime missions) Robert Toth told TOI on Monday. He also said that winning the contract “will also give India access to several advanced technologies acquired by the group in areas like defence and aerospace”.In Aug, the defence ministry issued a tender for 60 MTA for the Indian Air Force (IAF) valued at around Rs 1 lakh crore ($10-12 billion). The request for proposal was issued to five Indian entities — Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (partnered with Lockheed Martin, offering C-130J), Mahindra Defence (in a tie-up with Brazil’s Embraer, offering C-390 Millennium), Reliance Defence, Adani Defence and PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).Speaking to TOI during a joint interview with regional chief executive (Asia and India) William L Blair, Toth said, “I think Super Hercules is the best choice for India as it has been designed for operating in hot and high altitude environments. IAF has already acquired 12 of our aircraft and has been operating them in difficult missions like transporting men and material to the world’s highest battlefield (Ladakh) to the recent Nepal flash floods for providing relief operations to using the aircraft for evacuating Indian nationals from (conflict-hit) Sudan (in 2023).”“IAF has been doing these certified hard missions with C-130J and its fleet has already crossed the milestone of 53,000 flight hours,” he said.The fleet of 12 for IAF has unique configuration as per India’s requirements and has been designed keeping in mind India’s topography, Toth said. “We are willing to provide IAF with 60 advanced Super Hercules (12 in flyaway conditions and 48 made in India) and also upgrade its existing fleet of 12 to the level of the advanced 60 aircraft, thereby taking IAF’s effective fleet of advanced aircraft to 72. Thus, the entire fleet will have the same lifespan,” the Lockheed VP said.On setting up an assembly line in India, Toth said, “We continue to evaluate options to set up a second assembly line in India outside the US. But what is important is that we have been investing in India with our Indian partner Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for the last 15 years and developing the defence aerospace ecosystem of Indian private industry.”Blair told TOI, “We are in the process of setting up an MRO facility in Bengaluru to support the C-130J fleet. And that 60 aircraft is a critical mass to set up a production line. Since production began in 2010, Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Limited (TSAL) has delivered 157 aerostructure component sets to the Sikorsky S-92 assembly plant in the US.”Toth said, “With four turboprop engines, C-130J has a better safety record than others and is well suited for high-altitude and short takeoff operations. It has a payload capacity of 22,000kg. More than 560 Super Hercules have been delivered to 28 customers worldwide and the C-130J fleet globally has surpassed 3 million flight hours, much more than any other contender.”“Lockheed has the largest and robust supply chains across the world. In the last 15 years of our partnership with TASL, we have developed a big supply ecosystem within India. Over 500 suppliers, including over 140 MSMEs, feed into our two joint ventures — Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) and Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Limited (TSAL). If we get the MTA contract, this supply chain will only expand in India,” Toth said.“TLMAL has built all empennages (rear of an aircraft that provides stability and control during flight) for C-130J since Dec 2013 and delivered 265 empennages till now,” the Lockheed VP said, adding, “Over $700 million worth of exports have been generated providing over $200 million of revenue for Indian industry.”
