On Tuesday, US aerospace company Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) announced a partnership to compete for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) medium transport aircraft (MTA) tender, which involves the acquisition of up to 80 planes.
Lockheed Martin has proposed its C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the competition and is exploring the possibility of establishing a manufacturing line in India. This bid would place Lockheed against two other global aircraft manufacturers in a multi-billion-dollar deal.
“Collaborating with Lockheed Martin on the C-130J platform for IAF’s MTA project is a major milestone for Tata Advanced Systems,” TASL CEO Sukaran Singh stated. He added that the partnership also marks TASL’s entry into the defence maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector in India for large aircraft.
In June, HT reported that Lockheed was likely to partner with TASL for the MTA bid.
The agreement outlines a framework for further collaboration, including expanding the manufacturing and assembly of C-130Js in India, subject to government approvals from both countries. It also includes plans for an MRO facility in India to support IAF’s existing fleet of 12 C-130Js, as well as other global Super Hercules fleets, according to a joint statement by the two companies.
Should Lockheed Martin secure the MTA contract, it will establish additional production and assembly capacity in India.
The two other contenders for the MTA contract are Airbus Defence and Space, offering the A-400M, and Embraer Defense and Security with its C-390 Millennium aircraft.
“The C-130J is regarded as the world’s workhorse, not only because of its global footprint but also its international supply chain, which includes Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) in Hyderabad as the sole supplier of empennages (tail assemblies),” said Rod McLean, vice president of Air Mobility and Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin.
TLMAL has been the exclusive global supplier of empennages for the C-130J since 2010, having delivered more than 220 assemblies. These assemblies are installed on C-130Js produced in the US and supplied to global customers, including the IAF.
IAF’s current C-130J fleet has been heavily utilized for various missions, including support to forward deployments in Ladakh, where tensions with China persist.
This three-way competition for the MTA contract aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative, aiming to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The IAF is seeking a transport aircraft with a cargo capacity of 18 to 30 tonnes to meet its expanding airlift needs. The C-130J offers a 20-tonne capacity, compared to the C-390’s 26 tonnes and the A-400M’s 37 tonnes.
In February, Embraer and Mahindra signed an agreement to bid for the MTA order, while Airbus has yet to announce its Indian partner. Potential candidates include TASL and the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
India is expected to issue a tender for the MTA procurement after the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, grants its acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the project, which is the first step in the military procurement process under India’s defence rules.
